See all 5 routes on Red River of the North
Minnesota | Red River Valley
Red River of the North
Lincoln Drive Park Landing to LaFave Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Red River of the North route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
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 Lincoln Drive Park Landing and take out at LaFave Park for the official DNR Map 4 Grand Forks / East Grand Forks connector. The direct Grand Forks DNR gauge was in the official medium band during this run.
Put-in
Lincoln Drive Park LandingOpen mapLincoln Drive Park Landing is DNR-mapped and corroborated by Grand Forks park/visitor sources, but it is on the North Dakota bank and not represented in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
Take-out
Red River, LaFave Park Public Water Access SiteOpen mapLaFave Park resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00545 and is the selected downstream finish.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Lincoln Drive Park Landing is DNR-mapped and corroborated by Grand Forks park/visitor sources, but it is on the North Dakota bank and not represented in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
- LaFave Park resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00545 and is the selected downstream finish.
- Do not substitute steep Greenway banks or private edges for the planned take-out, especially when the Red is high, muddy, or recently flooded.
Watch for
- Snags, flood debris, muddy bank footing, poor underwater visibility, bridge current, and fast rises after rain.
- Urban water quality after storms and colder-than-expected big-river water in shoulder seasons.
- Border-river rules and the need to keep the short route from turning into an unplanned downstream extension.
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.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
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 Grand Forks, ND |
| 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 | 881 cfs to 12,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 320 cfs |
| High threshold | 16,200 cfs |
| 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 Grand Forks |
| 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 DNR routeLincoln Drive Park RM 304.1 to LaFave Park RM 302.1, 2.0 mi
MN DNR lists Lincoln Drive Park to LaFave Park as a quick Red River trip in the Grand Forks / East Grand Forks corridor.
- Map 4 access contextLincoln Drive Park trailer access to LaFave Park trailer access
MN DNR Red River Map 4 identifies Lincoln Drive Park Landing amenities and the LaFave Park trailer access, parking, dock, restroom, picnic, and Sacred Heart Trailhead context.
- Public access recordLaFave Park WAS00545
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves LaFave Park with source-backed coordinates and public access attributes.
- Official DNR bands320 / 881-12,000 / 16,200 cfs
MN DNR interprets Grand Forks as Scrapable below 320 cfs, Low from 320 to 881, Medium from 881 to 12,000, High from 12,000 to 16,200, and Very High above 16,200.
- Current gauge check1,340 cfs at 2026-07-23 01:45 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Grand Forks inside the official medium band during this run.
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.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
Share your trip
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 of the North at Grand Forks, ND and treats 881 cfs to 12,000 cfs 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 Lincoln Drive Park Landing and ends at Red River, LaFave Park Public Water Access Site, about 2.0 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
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.