See all 21 routes on Sauk River
Minnesota | St. Cloud Area
Sauk River
Frogtown Park to Knights of Columbus 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
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 Frogtown Park in Cold Spring and finish at Knights of Columbus Park in St. Cloud for the full easy lower-Sauk day that stops about two river miles before the mapped Class I-II mouth section.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Frogtown Park canoe landingMN DNR maps the Cold Spring Dam at river mile 22.0 and the Frogtown Park carry-in just downstream at river mile 21.8. Launch from the named carry-in rather than improvising above the dam.
Take-out
Knights of Columbus Park carry-in accessKnights of Columbus Park is the mapped carry-in at river mile 4.5, with the boulder-filled Class I-II mouth section starting at river mile 2.5. Identify the carry-out before launching and do not drift past the planned finish.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- MN DNR maps the Cold Spring Dam at river mile 22.0 and the Frogtown Park carry-in just downstream at river mile 21.8. Launch from the named carry-in rather than improvising above the dam.
- Knights of Columbus Park is the mapped carry-in at river mile 4.5, with the boulder-filled Class I-II mouth section starting at river mile 2.5. Identify the carry-out before launching and do not drift past the planned finish.
- Rockville County Park remains the cleanest mid-route bailout or deliberate overnight split because it is the documented watercraft-campsite stop on this corridor.
Watch for
- Vegetation and shallow stretches when the St. Martin gauge slides toward 14 ft.
- Snags, fallen trees, overhanging limbs, and fresh storm wood. Stop and reassess rather than entering a blocked channel.
- Changing levels after precipitation or dam-flow changes. The St. Martin interpretation band does not certify local wood clearance.
- Private shoreland and undesignated banks. Use the named public accesses and designated stops.
- Longer-day fatigue and weather exposure on a route that stays easy in character but covers over 17 river miles.
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 level14.36 ft at 10:00 PM
The official MN DNR St. Martin gauge reported 14.36 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 shape17.3 river miles
MN DNR Map 2 places Frogtown Park at river mile 21.8 and Knights of Columbus Park at river mile 4.5.
- Downstream rapid boundary2.0 river miles below the take-out
MN DNR Map 2 places the Class I-II mouth section at river miles 2.5 to 0, downstream of the planned Knights of Columbus Park finish at river mile 4.5.
- Access supportOfficial city and county endpoints
Cold Spring confirms Frogtown Park has a canoe landing on the Sauk, St. Cloud documents Knights of Columbus Park on the Sauk River, and Rockville County Park remains the documented watercraft-campsite bailout in between.
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
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 Knights of Columbus Park carry-in access, about 17.3 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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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.