See all 9 routes on Red Lake River
Minnesota | Northwest Minnesota
Red Lake River
Fisher Landing to Red River Recreation Area
Check current paddling conditions for this Red Lake River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
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
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
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
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Put in at Fisher Landing and take out at Red River Recreation Area for the final lower Red Lake River section before the Red River. The Fisher gauge was barely in the official medium band during this run.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Red Lake River, Fisher Landing Public Water Access SiteFisher Landing resolves as WAS02138 at DNR river mile 27.9 and sits beside the selected Fisher DNR gauge.
Take-out
Red Lake River, Red River Rec. Area Public Water Access SiteRed River Recreation Area resolves as WAS02136 near river mile 0.3, above the East Grand Forks constructed rock rapids and confluence.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Fisher Landing resolves as WAS02138 at DNR river mile 27.9 and sits beside the selected Fisher DNR gauge.
- Red River Recreation Area resolves as WAS02136 near river mile 0.3, above the East Grand Forks constructed rock rapids and confluence.
- This is a long lower-river reach with sparse public exits; do not treat private banks, bridges, or the confluence area as routine bailout points.
Watch for
- Mandatory take-out above the constructed rock rapids at East Grand Forks.
- Shallow bends and scraping if Fisher falls below medium, plus wind, mud, and slow current across open farmland.
- Snags, fresh flood debris, cold water, storms, private banks, and limited rescue exposure.
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.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
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.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Red Lake River at Fisher, MN |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | 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 |
| Target band | 237 cfs to 1,960 cfs |
| Low threshold | 195 cfs |
| High threshold | 2,850 cfs |
| 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 Fisher |
| 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.
- Route shapeFisher RM 27.9 to Red River Recreation Area RM 0.3
MN DNR Red Lake Map 2 maps Fisher Landing, Grand Marais Creek, Highway 220, Red River State Recreation Area, Red River Recreation Area, constructed rock rapids, and the confluence sequence.
- Public access recordsWAS02138 to WAS02136
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Fisher Landing and Red River Recreation Area with official access names, river miles, administrators, and coordinates.
- Official DNR bands195 / 237-1,960 / 2,850 cfs
MN DNR interprets Fisher as Scrapable below 195 cfs, Low from 195 to 237, Medium from 237 to 1,960, High from 1,960 to 2,850, and Very High above 2,850.
- Current gauge check240 cfs at 2026-07-24 04:30 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Fisher barely inside the official medium band during this run.
- Overnight and safety contextEndpoint campground; mandatory take-out above constructed rapids
DNR Map 2 shows camping at Red River State Recreation Area and a constructed rock rapid just below the Red River Recreation access; this card stops above that feature.
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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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
Red Lake River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Red Lake River?
Paddle Today watches Red Lake River at Fisher, MN and treats 237 cfs to 1,960 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Red Lake River route start and end?
This route starts at Red Lake River, Fisher Landing Public Water Access Site and ends at Red Lake River, Red River Rec. Area Public Water Access Site, about About 27.6 mi on the water.
Is this Red Lake 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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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.