See all 9 routes on Red Lake River
Minnesota | Northwest Minnesota
Red Lake RiverCrookston carry-in to Fisher Landing
Lower Red Lake River day joining the Crookston and Fisher corridors, with current interpreted gauges at both ends of the trip area.
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Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.
Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
Waiting on forecast.
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Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch in Crookston and continue through the Highway 75 Bypass corridor to Fisher Landing between two current Red Lake River gauges.
Access map
Put-in
Red Lake River, Crookston Public Water Access SiteCrookston and Highway 75 Bypass resolve as public-water-access sites, and Central Park is a mapped public access/camping stop inside the city corridor.
Take-out
Red Lake River, Fisher Landing Public Water Access SiteThe constructed rock rapids are not optional background scenery. Scout from shore and use the mapped 160-yard right-bank portage unless the group is prepared for the current level and feature.
Road shuttle
Access notes and hazards
Access caveats
- Crookston and Highway 75 Bypass resolve as public-water-access sites, and Central Park is a mapped public access/camping stop inside the city corridor.
- The constructed rock rapids are not optional background scenery. Scout from shore and use the mapped 160-yard right-bank portage unless the group is prepared for the current level and feature.
- Take out at Highway 75 Bypass if following this card. Continuing to Fisher is a separate long lower-river route already represented in the app.
- Highway 75 Bypass resolves as WAS00550 at river mile 51.0, below the DNR-mapped Crookston constructed rock rapids and portage zone.
- Fisher Landing resolves as WAS02138 at river mile 27.9 beside the County Road 15 bridge and the Fisher river-level gauge.
- This is a long lower-river reach with sparse public exits; do not assume private banks or road crossings are legal bailout points.
Watch for
- Constructed rock rapids that DNR maps as Class I-III depending on flow, with a right-bank 160-yard portage.
- Urban debris, bridge current, strainers, cold water, and stormwater or water-quality concerns after rain.
- Low-water scraping while the Crookston gauge is below medium, and pushier consequences if the gauge rises toward high water.
- Low-water scraping, shallow bends, strainers, fresh flood debris, and slow travel if the gauge falls back below medium.
- Wind across open farmland bends, storms, cold water, private banks, and limited rescue exposure.
- Starting upstream of Highway 75 Bypass would reintroduce Crookston rapids and portage hazards that this card intentionally avoids.
Plan this paddle
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Conditions
Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast
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Gauge detail
Water-level history and forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
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Gauge source
--Checking timestampundefined provides a current paddling-level interpretation; Paddle Today does not turn the source hydrograph image into trend samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Short-route forecast
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Route gallery
Photos
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Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today’s call.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
- Checking data sources and update times.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Red Lake River at Crookston, MN |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | 5.00 ft to 8.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 3.00 ft |
| High threshold | 12.00 ft |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | MN DNR river-level interpretation bands for Red Lake River at Crookston |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
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.
- Qualifying gauge relationshipRed Lake River at Crookston, MN
DNR site 172 is in the Crookston start corridor and DNR site 175 is at Fisher Landing; site 172 remains the configured primary direct gauge.
- Public-access continuityCrookston carry-in to Fisher Landing
The route joins adjacent researched segments whose shared endpoint coordinates and official public-access records match.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.
Quick answers
Red Lake River paddling FAQ
What water level is best for the Crookston carry-in to Fisher Landing route on the Red Lake River?
Paddle Today watches Red Lake River at Crookston, MN and treats 5.00 ft to 8.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does the Crookston carry-in to Fisher Landing route on the Red Lake River start and end?
This route starts at Red Lake River, Crookston Public Water Access Site and ends at Red Lake River, Fisher Landing Public Water Access Site, about 31.2 mi on the water.
Is the Crookston carry-in to Fisher Landing route on the Red Lake River suitable for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
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