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Minnesota | Twin Cities North Metro
Rum River
North County Park to Germanium
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
Safety
Route safety
CautionThis route has hazards or access considerations that require extra verification.
Safety details
MN DNR Map 3 lists downed trees and snags on this segment and warns that river conditions can change at any time. Check same-day conditions and do not treat the broad, flat character as a clear-channel guarantee.
- Use the named North County Park launch and Germanium carry-in at Brookview City Park. DNR says much of the shoreland is private and directs paddlers to stop only at designated sites.
- The official gauge ladder describes water level, not wood clearance. At High or Very High levels, reassess current, debris, and recovery space at the public accesses before launching.
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 note
Target band: 1,000 cfs to 2,000 cfs · Rum River near St. Francis, MN
Gauge context
Treat the official DNR medium band as the best target. Below about 600 cfs, the route becomes too shallow for a confident long-day recommendation; above 3,000 cfs, reassess current, debris, and recovery space before treating this as an easy cruise.
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
Put in at Rum River North County Park and take out at the Germanium / Brookview Park access in Ramsey for a fuller lower-Rum day. This keeps the official St. Francis gauge in the route story while extending the mileage well past the casual park-to-park float.
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 North County Park launch and DNR-mapped Germanium carry-in at Brookview City Park; confirm current parking rules and the carry path before staging the shuttle.
Take-out
Germanium carry-in access at Brookview ParkMuch of the shoreland is private. Stop only at designated sites and do not treat an unplanned bank landing as public access.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Use the named North County Park launch and DNR-mapped Germanium carry-in at Brookview City Park; confirm current parking rules and the carry path before staging the shuttle.
- Much of the shoreland is private. Stop only at designated sites and do not treat an unplanned bank landing as public access.
Watch for
- Long-day fatigue on a route that remains easy but not short.
- Downed trees, snags, and overhanging or dead trees; DNR warns that river conditions can change at any time.
- Slow progress or occasional dragging near the 600 cfs floor, and stronger current or debris at High or Very High levels.
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 14.2 river miles
The DNR Rum River Map 3 PDF places Rum River North County Park at river mile 23.2 and the Germanium carry-in access at river mile 9.0 in Brookview City Park.
- Corridor supportCounty corridor with mid-route campsites
Anoka County describes the lower Rum canoe corridor from St. Francis through Rum River Central Regional Park toward Anoka, and DNR Map 3 lists Central watercraft campsites and services along the way.
- Germanium endpoint detailBrookview Park at 17200 Germanium Street NW
The City of Ramsey parks amenities page lists Brookview Park at 17200 Germanium Street NW and identifies it as a fishing park at the Germanium access corridor.
- 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.
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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More routes to check next
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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 Germanium carry-in access at Brookview Park, about 14.2 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.
