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See all 3 routes on Pomme de Terre River

Minnesota | Upper Minnesota River Valley

Pomme de Terre River

Pomme de Terre #1 / Highway 12 to Appleton

Check current paddling conditions for this Pomme de Terre River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.

Route location

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Open access map
DistanceAbout 10.3 mi
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 3.5 hr to 5.5 hr
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Pomme de Terre River flows past wooded banks at Appleton, Minnesota.
River contextPomme de Terre River at Appleton river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Tim Kiser

Need to know

Why this call
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Conditions

Gauge history and hourly forecast

The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.

Gauge detail

Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

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Checking trend.

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

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Route overview

Quick facts and what's next

Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.

Quick facts

On-water distanceAbout 10.3 miPomme de Terre #1 / Highway 12 to Appleton
DifficultymoderateThe Pomme is not technical whitewater, but this is a 10.3-mile rural corridor with Class I riffles, strainers, farm fences, private banks, and a man-made rapid near Appleton City Park.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage Appleton first, then drive back to Pomme de Terre #1 / Highway 12. Larson Landing is an intermediate public access and a shorter alternate take-out if conditions deteriorate.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Use the named DNR public accesses, follow Minnesota boating/PFD rules, and obey any posted campsite, park, and access rules.
CampingOptions nearbyDNR Map 1 identifies Pomme de Terre #1 as a rest area and watercraft campsite. Treat overnight use as designated-site only, and do not camp on private farm banks.
SeasonApr-OctSpring and early summer are most reliable. Summer lows can expose sandy shallows, while rain can create faster current, fresh wood, and farm-fence problems.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

Launch at Pomme de Terre #1 and paddle past Larson Landing to Appleton for the DNR-recommended lower Pomme day. The Appleton gauge is direct for the finish, but wood, farm fences, and low-water scraping still need visual checks.

DirectionsApple MapsOpenStreetMap
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Access planner

Pick a shorter segment

This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.

On-water distanceAbout 10.3 miLake to creek
On-water timeAbout 5 to 7 hrFull route option
ShuttleSelf-shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.

Prepare this trip

Take the plan with you

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Start

Put-in

Pomme De Terre River, Pomme De Terre #1 Public Water Access Site
Open map

Pomme #1, Larson, and Appleton resolve in Minnesota public-water-access GIS with official coordinates and water-trail river miles.

Finish

Take-out

Pomme De Terre River, Appleton Public Water Access Site
Open map

The route overlaps the already-live Larson-to-Appleton split; Larson is included here as an intermediate exit, not a duplicate endpoint.

Plan this segment

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Pomme #1, Larson, and Appleton resolve in Minnesota public-water-access GIS with official coordinates and water-trail river miles.
  • The route overlaps the already-live Larson-to-Appleton split; Larson is included here as an intermediate exit, not a duplicate endpoint.
  • Confirm the Appleton landing and man-made rapid context before launch.

Watch for

  • Fallen trees, farm fences, strainers, sandy shallows, and low-water scraping.
  • Fast rises after rain, cold water outside midsummer, private banks, and agricultural-edge hazards.
  • Campsite availability and current posted rules at Pomme #1.

Route gallery

See this route on the water

Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.

The Pomme de Terre River flows past wooded banks at Appleton, Minnesota.
Pomme de Terre River at Appleton river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Tim Kiser
CC BY-SA 2.5

Score & sources

Why this score

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

Waiting on the gauge read.

Weather inputChecking

Waiting on weather.

Next stepChecking

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Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking

Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.

Why
  • Checking evidence-strength notes.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge sitePomme De Terre River at Appleton, MN
Gauge heightChecking
DischargeChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Target band4.50 ft to 6.00 ft
Low threshold3.50 ft
High threshold7.50 ft
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreMN DNR river-level interpretation bands for Pomme de Terre River at Appleton
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
NotesWhat to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Official recommended routePomme de Terre #1 to Appleton, 10.3 mi

    MN DNR recommended one-way sections list this Pomme de Terre access pair and mileage.

    Source

  • Public access recordsPomme #1 WAS02176; Larson WAS00046; Appleton WAS00050

    Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves the selected access/campsite chain with coordinates, administrators, and water-trail river miles.

    Source

  • Official DNR bands3.5 / 4.5-6.0 / 7.5 ft

    MN DNR interprets Appleton as Scrapable below 3.5 ft, Low from 3.5 to 4.5, Medium from 4.5 to 6.0, High from 6.0 to 7.5, and Very High above 7.5.

    Source

  • Current gauge check4.83 ft at 2026-07-23 14:00 CDT

    The current MN DNR feed placed Appleton inside the official medium band during this run.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

Paddler reports

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.

More in Minnesota

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More on Pomme de Terre River

All 3
Koosman Access to Larson LandingUpper Minnesota River ValleyModerate · About 12.7 miLarson Landing to AppletonWest Central MinnesotaEasy · 6 mi

Nearby routes by distance

Chippewa RiverLentz Landing to Watson Lions Park · about 15 mi awayEasy · 8.4 miChippewa RiverNorby Landing to Lentz Landing · about 16 mi awayModerate · 19.1 miChippewa RiverSwift County Access to Norby Landing · about 18 mi awayEasy · 11.9 miChippewa RiverWatson Sag Dam to Lagoon Park · about 20 mi awayEasy · 11.5 mi

Quick answers

Pomme de Terre River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Pomme de Terre River?

Paddle Today watches Pomme De Terre River at Appleton, MN and treats 4.50 ft to 6.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Pomme de Terre River route start and end?

This route starts at Pomme De Terre River, Pomme De Terre #1 Public Water Access Site and ends at Pomme De Terre River, Appleton Public Water Access Site, about About 10.3 mi on the water.

Is this Pomme de Terre River route good for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.

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