See all 10 routes on Rum River
Minnesota | Twin Cities North Metro
Rum River
North County Park to Central Regional Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Rum River 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 Rum River North County Park and finish at the north boat launch in Rum River Central Regional Park for a shorter lower-Rum county-corridor day. The official St. Francis gauge sits right on this corridor, so the level call is cleaner than on many metro-adjacent rivers.
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
Rum River North County Park accessUse the named public launches at North County Park and the Central Regional Park north boat launch at river mile 13.8; the separate south access is about three river miles farther downstream.
Take-out
Rum River Central Regional Park north boat launchPark hours, vehicle-entry rules, and overnight-parking requirements can change; verify both county park pages before leaving shuttle vehicles.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Use the named public launches at North County Park and the Central Regional Park north boat launch at river mile 13.8; the separate south access is about three river miles farther downstream.
- Park hours, vehicle-entry rules, and overnight-parking requirements can change; verify both county park pages before leaving shuttle vehicles.
Watch for
- Low-water scraping when the gauge falls toward the 600 cfs floor.
- Downed trees, snags, and overhanging or dead trees; DNR warns that river conditions can change at any time.
- High or Very High water that increases speed and trip consequences even when the channel looks broad and flat.
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 | 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 |
| 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 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.
- DNR bands600 / 1,000 / 2,000 / 3,000 cfs
MN DNR interprets the St. Francis gauge as Scrapable below 600 cfs, Low from 600 to 1,000, Medium from 1,000 to 2,000, High from 2,000 to 3,000, and Very High above 3,000.
- Official route contextAbout 9.4 river miles
The DNR Rum River Map 3 PDF places Rum River North County Park at river mile 23.2 and the Rum River Central Regional Park trailer access at river mile 13.8.
- Corridor supportNorth County to Central is the county canoe corridor
Anoka County says Rum River North County Park is the northern access to the Rum River Canoe Corridor and that the corridor passes by Rum River Central Regional Park before ending in Anoka.
- Central park amenitiesNorth boat launch at river mile 13.8
DNR Map 3 lists the Central Regional Park trailer access, watercraft campsites, toilets, and drinking water at river mile 13.8; this is the north launch, not the distinct south access near river mile 10.7.
- Primary cautionDowned trees, snags, and changeable conditions
DNR Map 3 says hazards on this segment include downed trees and snags, warns that river conditions can change at any time, and directs paddlers to avoid obstacles and overhanging or dead trees.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- MN DNR river levels
- MN DNR Rum River overview
- MN DNR Rum River segments and maps
- MN DNR Rum River Map 3 PDF
- Anoka County Rum River North County Park
- Anoka County Parks Rum River North County Park
- Anoka County Rum River Central Regional Park
- Anoka County Parks Rum River Central Regional Park
- USGS 05286000 monitoring location
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
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 North County Park access and ends at Rum River Central Regional Park north boat launch, about 9.4 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.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.