See all 10 routes on Rum River
Minnesota | Central Minnesota
Rum River
Riverview Park to County Road 4
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
Loading the route coverage map.

Need to know
Why this call
Safety
Route safety
CautionThis route has hazards or access considerations that require extra verification.
Safety details
Take out at County Road 4. The current DNR alert reports a large tree blocking the full width of the river between river miles 101 and 98, downstream of this selected route.
- DNR Rum maps warn about downed trees, snags, dams, and old structures elsewhere on the river. Scout wood and do not count on informal private-bank portages.
- Meadow Gem is campsite context only. Use legal designated campsites and do not camp next to private property.
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge note
Proxy gauge: Rum River at Onamia, CR25. Regional signal only; verify local water.
Gauge context
This route uses Rum River at Onamia, CR25 as a proxy gauge. It is a regional signal, not a measurement of this reach. Verify local water and hazards before launching.
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
Checking weather.
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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 Riverview Park and finish at County Road 4 for a short upper-Rum route below Milaca. This adds the clean public access pair that was previously held for coordinate confirmation and stops before the active downstream tree-alert reach.
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, Riverview Park Public Water Access SiteRiverview Park resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS02114 at Rum river mile 111.3.
Take-out
Rum River, Mille Lacs Co Rd 4 Public Water Access SiteCounty Road 4 resolves as WAS00460 at river mile 104.9 and is the selected finish.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Riverview Park resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS02114 at Rum river mile 111.3.
- County Road 4 resolves as WAS00460 at river mile 104.9 and is the selected finish.
- The current DNR large-tree alert is downstream between river miles 101 and 98. Do not extend toward County Road 12 or Princeton unless the alert has cleared and same-day wood checks are clean.
Watch for
- Downed trees, snags, sweepers, shallow rocky spots, and low-water dragging.
- Fast rises after rain, cold water, private banks, and limited legal portage options.
- Occupied or unavailable Meadow Gem campsites; bring a day-trip plan unless overnight use is confirmed.
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
Data and sources
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 at Onamia, CR25 |
| Gauge height | 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 | 10.50 ft to 11.50 ft |
| Low threshold | 10.00 ft |
| High threshold | 12.50 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 Rum River at Onamia |
| 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 map routeRiverview Park RM 111.3 to County Road 4 RM 104.9, about 6.4 miles
MN DNR Rum Map 2 places Riverview Park, Meadow Gem watercraft campsites, and Mille Lacs County Road 4 in downstream order.
- Public access recordsWAS02114 to WAS00460
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Riverview Park and Mille Lacs County Road 4 with coordinates, directions, and river-mile records.
- Official DNR bands10 / 10.5-11.5 / 12.5 ft
MN DNR interprets Onamia as Scrapable below 10 ft, Low from 10 to 10.5, Medium from 10.5 to 11.5, High from 11.5 to 12.5, and Very High above 12.5.
- Current gauge check10.18 ft at 2026-07-24 02:45 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Onamia in the official low band during this run.
- Alert postureActive tree alert downstream of selected take-out
The current DNR Rum River alert reports a full-width large tree between river miles 101 and 98, south of the County Road 12 bridge and downstream of County Road 4.
- Camping contextMeadow Gem watercraft campsites
MN DNR Rum Map 2 maps two Meadow Gem watercraft campsites between Riverview Park and County Road 4; use designated sites only and verify availability.
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 at Onamia, CR25 and treats 10.50 ft to 11.50 ft 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, Riverview Park Public Water Access Site and ends at Rum River, Mille Lacs Co Rd 4 Public Water Access Site, about About 6.4 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.
