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Minnesota | Central Minnesota
Rum River
Cambridge West Park to Martin's Landing
Check current paddling conditions for this Rum River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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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 Cambridge West Park and take out at Martin's Landing for the missing Rum River connector between established upstream and downstream routes, using St. Francis as a conservative downstream gauge proxy.
Put-in
Rum River, Cambridge Public Water Access SiteOpen mapCambridge resolves as WAS00285 at DNR river mile 42.4 and Martin's resolves as WAS02197 at river mile 34.7 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
Take-out
Rum River, Martin's Public Water Access SiteOpen mapThe St. Francis gauge is downstream of this reach, so use it for broad water-level posture and still inspect the actual Cambridge launch.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Cambridge resolves as WAS00285 at DNR river mile 42.4 and Martin's resolves as WAS02197 at river mile 34.7 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
- The St. Francis gauge is downstream of this reach, so use it for broad water-level posture and still inspect the actual Cambridge launch.
- Do not continue below Martin's Landing unless the downstream Isanti/North County Park mileage, dams, and shuttle are separately planned.
Watch for
- Downed trees, snags, possible log jams, bridge current, cold water, and private banks.
- Low water when the St. Francis proxy drops below the official 600 cfs floor.
- Current DNR alerts elsewhere on the Rum River, even if a listed obstruction is outside this exact reach.
Route gallery
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Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
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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 | Rum River near St. Francis, MN |
| 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 | 1,000 cfs to 2,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 600 cfs |
| High threshold | 3,000 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 Rum River near St. Francis |
| 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 milesCambridge RM 42.4 to Martin's RM 34.7
Minnesota public-water-access GIS places the two public accesses 7.7 river miles apart, filling the connector between live upstream and downstream Rum River routes.
- DNR water-trail contextRum Map 2 and Map 3 connector
DNR Rum segments describe the Milaca-to-Isanti and Isanti-to-Mississippi maps, including broad flatwater, few rapids, and hazards such as downed trees, snags, dams, and log jams.
- Official DNR bands600 / 1000-2000 / 3000 cfs
MN DNR interprets Rum River near St. Francis as Scrapable below 600 cfs, Low from 600 to 1000, Medium from 1000 to 2000, High from 2000 to 3000, and Very High above 3000.
- Current gauge check303 cfs at 2026-07-23 16:00 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Rum River near St. Francis below the official scrapable floor 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
Rum River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Rum River?
Paddle Today watches Rum River near St. Francis, MN and treats 1,000 cfs to 2,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Rum River route start and end?
This route starts at Rum River, Cambridge Public Water Access Site and ends at Rum River, Martin's Public Water Access Site, about About 7.7 mi on the water.
Is this Rum River 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.