See all 21 routes on Sauk River
Minnesota | Central Minnesota
Sauk River
Frogtown Park to Eagle Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Sauk 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
This route starts at the mapped Frogtown Park carry-in below the Cold Spring Dam and finishes at Eagle Park. Do not improvise a launch upstream of the dam.
- MN DNR warns that snags and fallen trees can tip an unwary paddler. Use the official 15 to 17 ft St. Martin band as level context, not a wood-clearance guarantee, and reassess when the river is rising.
- Use the named public accesses and designated stops because MN DNR says much of the Sauk shoreline is private.
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: 15.00 ft to 17.00 ft · Sauk River nr St. Martin, CR12
Gauge context
Treat 15 to 17 ft at St. Martin as the best lower-Sauk range. Below 14 ft the river trends scrape-prone and weedy, while caution rises above 20 ft.
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
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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 Frogtown Park in Cold Spring and take out at Eagle Park in Rockville. This is the short lower-Sauk extension that gives you more mileage than the Frogtown-to-Rockville split without committing to the full Miller day.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Frogtown Park canoe landingFrogtown Park launches just below the Cold Spring dam area, so make sure you are using the signed downstream canoe landing rather than any upstream water near the obstruction.
Take-out
Eagle Park carry-in accessEagle Park is a popular local landing and fishing spot, so it is worth scouting the exact carry-out and parking flow before you launch.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Frogtown Park launches just below the Cold Spring dam area, so make sure you are using the signed downstream canoe landing rather than any upstream water near the obstruction.
- Eagle Park is a popular local landing and fishing spot, so it is worth scouting the exact carry-out and parking flow before you launch.
Watch for
- Snags, fallen trees, and overhanging or dead trees; the normal gauge band does not guarantee a clear channel.
- Scrapier water and thicker vegetation when the St. Martin gauge falls toward 14 ft.
- Changing or rising river conditions; reassess rather than relying on an earlier gauge check.
- Private shoreline; stop only at the named public accesses or other designated sites.
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 | Sauk River nr St. Martin, CR12 |
| 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 | 15.00 ft to 17.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 14.00 ft |
| High threshold | 20.00 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 Sauk River near St. Martin |
| 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.
- Current level14.28 ft at 11:00 PM
The official MN DNR St. Martin gauge reported 14.28 ft on July 27, 2026, which sits in the Low interpretation band.
- DNR bands14 / 15 / 17 / 20 ft
MN DNR interprets the St. Martin gauge as Scrapable below 14 ft, Low from 14 to 15, Medium from 15 to 17, High from 17 to 20, and Very High above 20.
- Route shape5.6 river miles
MN DNR Map 2 places Frogtown Park at river mile 21.8 and Eagle Park at river mile 16.2.
- Access supportOfficial city endpoints
Cold Spring confirms Frogtown Park has a canoe landing on the Sauk, and Rockville says Eagle Park is used to launch and land hundreds of canoes and kayaks each year.
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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Quick answers
Sauk River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Sauk River?
Paddle Today watches Sauk River nr St. Martin, CR12 and treats 15.00 ft to 17.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Sauk River route start and end?
This route starts at Frogtown Park canoe landing and ends at Eagle Park carry-in access, about 5.6 mi on the water.
Is this Sauk 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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