See all 5 routes on Red River of the North
Minnesota | Northwest Minnesota
Red River of the North
Golden Grain to Hilltop
Check current paddling conditions for this Red River of the North route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
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
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at Golden Grain and take out at Hilltop for the official DNR 9-mile Map 6 day trip. The upstream Drayton DNR gauge was in the official medium band during this run.
Put-in
Red River, Golden Grain Public Water Access SiteOpen mapGolden Grain resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00531 at DNR river mile 180.2.
Take-out
Red River, Hilltop Public Water Access SiteOpen mapHilltop resolves as WAS03009 near DNR river mile 171.2; DNR web guidance lists Hilltop as the take-out for the 9-mile trip.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Golden Grain resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00531 at DNR river mile 180.2.
- Hilltop resolves as WAS03009 near DNR river mile 171.2; DNR web guidance lists Hilltop as the take-out for the 9-mile trip.
- The Drayton gauge is upstream of the route. Treat it as same-map official guidance, then verify muddy bank slope, wind, and landing depth at both endpoints.
Watch for
- Snags, muddy banks, poor underwater visibility, shallow bars at low water, and difficult landings during high water.
- Flooding, fast rises, strong current around outside bends, wind exposure, and cold water.
- Private shoreline, rural rescue exposure, and border-river rules if plans extend beyond the mapped day route.
Route gallery
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Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Red River of the North at Drayton, ND |
| 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 |
| Target band | 10.00 ft to 14.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 6.00 ft |
| High threshold | 18.00 ft |
| Data confidence 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 River of the North at Drayton |
| 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.
- Official recommended tripGolden Grain RM 180.2 to Hilltop RM 171.2, 9 miles
MN DNR lists Golden Grain to Hilltop as the recommended Map 6 day trip through slow-moving bends, farmland, and wildlife habitat.
- Public access recordsWAS00531 to WAS03009
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Golden Grain and Hilltop trailer accesses with coordinates, river-mile context, and directions.
- Official DNR bands6 / 10-14 / 18 ft
MN DNR interprets the Drayton gauge as Scrapable below 6 ft, Low from 6 to 10, Medium from 10 to 14, High from 14 to 18, and Very High above 18.
- Current gauge check12.21 ft at 2026-07-22 23:45 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Drayton in the official medium band during this run.
- Safety postureSnags, mud, flood swings, and border-river exposure
DNR Map 6 warns that low water may not be suitable, snags are common, banks are mostly privately owned, and flooding or high water can change the route quickly.
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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Red River of the North paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Red River of the North?
Paddle Today watches Red River of the North at Drayton, ND and treats 10.00 ft to 14.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Red River of the North route start and end?
This route starts at Red River, Golden Grain Public Water Access Site and ends at Red River, Hilltop Public Water Access Site, about About 9 mi on the water.
Is this Red River of the North route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
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