See all 5 routes on Red River of the North
Minnesota | Red River Valley
Red River of the North
Kidder Recreation Area to Brushvale Bridge Recreation Area
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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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
Launch at Kidder Recreation Area and take out at Brushvale Bridge Recreation Area for MN DNR’s 10.4-mile Red River day trip. The RR1 gauge is at the take-out river mile and has official DNR bands.
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
Kidder Recreation AreaDNR says there are boat ramps at both the Kidder put-in and Brushvale take-out, but the route is on the Minnesota/North Dakota border and the access records are not in the Minnesota public-water-access GIS layer.
Take-out
Brushvale Bridge Recreation AreaUse the RR1 gauge as the primary same-day level check, then inspect both ramps for mud, debris, closure signs, bank condition, and current.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- DNR says there are boat ramps at both the Kidder put-in and Brushvale take-out, but the route is on the Minnesota/North Dakota border and the access records are not in the Minnesota public-water-access GIS layer.
- Use the RR1 gauge as the primary same-day level check, then inspect both ramps for mud, debris, closure signs, bank condition, and current.
- The Red touches two states. Avoid private banks, farm approaches, and unmarked shore stops unless current public access is clear.
Watch for
- Low water below 3.8 ft at RR1, when mud, bars, and poor boat control can make the route unsuitable.
- High or rising water above 9.5 ft at RR1, floodplain debris, fast current, and harder recovery in a broad muddy channel.
- Snags, islands, bridge current, fishing lines, motorboats, wind exposure, storms, and limited quick exits.
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 River - RR1 |
| Stage | 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 | 4.00 ft to 9.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 3.80 ft |
| High threshold | 9.50 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 River RR1 |
| 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.
- Current gauge check4.47 ft at 2026-07-22 17:30 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed RR1 in the official medium band during this run.
- Official DNR bands3.8 / 4.0-9.0 / 9.5 ft
MN DNR interprets RR1 as Scrapable below 3.8 ft, Low from 3.8 to 4.0, Medium from 4.0 to 9.0, High from 9.0 to 9.5, and Very High above 9.5.
- Recommended day trip10.4 river miles
MN DNR recommends Kidder Recreation Area at river mile 555.5 to Brushvale Bridge Recreation Area at river mile 545.1 and says both the put-in and take-out have boat ramps.
- Safety contextSnags, low water, flooding
DNR warns that Red River hazards include dams, widely fluctuating water levels, flooding during spring, summer and fall, unsuitable low-water conditions, and common snags.
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 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 - RR1 and treats 4.00 ft to 9.00 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 Kidder Recreation Area and ends at Brushvale Bridge Recreation Area, about 10.4 mi on the water.
Is this Red River of the North 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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