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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 location

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Open access map
DistanceAbout 11.2 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 4 hr to 6 hr depending on current
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Red River of the North bends through Fargo beneath a winter sky.
River contextRed River of the North at Fargo river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Jpkotta

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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Weather

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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 11.2 miHighway 25 / Hendrum to Halstad Landing
DifficultyeasyThe route is a mapped 11.2-mile meandering border-river day trip with no mapped rapids, but muddy banks, snags, current, wind exposure, and few mid-route exits make the trip more committing than the gradient suggests.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage Halstad Landing first, then drive south to the Highway 25 / Hendrum public access. Check both muddy banks before unloading, because very low water can make either landing awkward even when access is public.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Follow Minnesota boating/PFD rules, Red River state-water-trail guidance, and all posted local access rules.
CampingDay tripTreat this as a day trip. No on-route watercraft campsite was confirmed for the County Road 25-to-Halstad reach, and private banks should not be used for informal camping.
SeasonApr-OctThe Red River can be unusably shallow at low stages and can flood quickly after basin-wide rain. Pair the Halstad reading with wind, flood-stage, and landing condition checks before launching.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

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

TomorrowChecking

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WeekendChecking

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

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.

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Prepare this trip

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Start

Put-in

Red River, Hendrum Public Water Access Site
Open map

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.

Finish

Take-out

Red River, Halstad Landing Public Water Access Site
Open map

Halstad Landing resolves as WAS00536 at DNR river mile 381.5 near the Halstad DNR gauge.

Plan this segment

Skip map

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End of map
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

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 Red River of the North bends through Fargo beneath a winter sky.
Red River of the North at Fargo river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Jpkotta
CC BY-SA 3.0

Score & sources

Why this score

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

Read quality
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Gauge inputChecking

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Weather inputChecking

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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 siteRed River of the North at Halstad, 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 band12.00 ft to 18.00 ft
Low threshold6.00 ft
High threshold25.00 ft
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreMN DNR river-level interpretation bands for Red River of the North at Halstad
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 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.

    Source

  • 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.

    Source

  • 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.

    Source

  • 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.

    Source

  • 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.

    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

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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.

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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.

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