See all 5 routes on Red River of the North
Minnesota | Northwest Minnesota
Red River of the North
Highway 25 / Hendrum to Halstad Landing
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 the Highway 25 / Hendrum public access and take out at Halstad Landing for the official DNR 11.2-mile Map 3 day trip. The Halstad gauge was below the official scrapable floor during this run, so this is not a good low-water call today.
Put-in
Red River, Hendrum Public Water Access SiteOpen mapThe Hendrum public access resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00548 at DNR river mile 392.7, matching the DNR County Road 25 / Canning Landing trip start.
Take-out
Red River, Halstad Landing Public Water Access SiteOpen mapHalstad Landing resolves as WAS00536 at DNR river mile 381.5 near the Halstad DNR gauge.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The Hendrum public access resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00548 at DNR river mile 392.7, matching the DNR County Road 25 / Canning Landing trip start.
- Halstad Landing resolves as WAS00536 at DNR river mile 381.5 near the Halstad DNR gauge.
- The Red River is a border river with muddy banks and limited mid-route exits. Use public landings and confirm parking, slope, and water depth at both ends.
Watch for
- Low-water mud, shallow bars, snags, hidden wood, and poor underwater visibility.
- Flooding, fast rises, strong current, wind on open bends, motorboats, and cold water.
- Private shoreline and long rural response times if a boat pins, capsizes, or misses the take-out.
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 Halstad, 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 |
| Target band | 12.00 ft to 18.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 6.00 ft |
| High threshold | 25.00 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 Halstad |
| 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 route shapeCounty Road 25 RM 392.7 to Halstad RM 381.5
MN DNR Red River Map 3 recommends this as an 11.2-mile day trip ending at Halstad Landing.
- Public access recordsWAS00548 to WAS00536
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves the Hendrum / Highway 25 and Halstad Landing public accesses with river-mile records and coordinates.
- Official DNR bands6 / 12-18 / 25 ft
MN DNR interprets the Halstad gauge as Scrapable below 6 ft, Low from 6 to 12, Medium from 12 to 18, High from 18 to 25, and Very High above 25.
- Current gauge check4.41 ft at 2026-07-22 04:30 PM
The current MN DNR feed placed Halstad below the official scrapable floor during this run, so the route should score as too low today.
- Red River safety contextLow water, snags, and flooding
DNR warns that low water may not be suitable for boating, snags are common, and fluctuating water levels can create flood hazards on the Red River.
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 Halstad, MN and treats 12.00 ft to 18.00 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, Hendrum Public Water Access Site and ends at Red River, Halstad Landing Public Water Access Site, about About 11.2 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.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.