See all 21 routes on Sauk River
Minnesota | Central Minnesota
Sauk River
Frogtown Park to Miller Landing
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
MN DNR maps Miller Landing at river mile 7.6 and the boulder-filled Class I-II mouth section at river miles 2.5 to 0. Take out at Miller; the mapped rapids begin about 5.1 river miles downstream and are not part of this route.
- Watch for snags, fallen trees, and fresh storm wood. Stop and reassess from a safe position rather than entering a blocked channel or passing close to overhanging and dead trees.
- Use the named public accesses and stop only at designated sites. MN DNR says much of the Sauk shoreland is private and riverbed camping next to private property is not permitted.
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 sweet spot. Below 14 ft gets shallow and weedy, while flood-style caution matters 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
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
Use Frogtown Park as the put-in and Miller Landing as the take-out for the full lower-Sauk day. This is the route to pick when you want DNR’s recommended Eagle-to-Miller float plus the extra five miles that DNR says you can add from Frogtown.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Frogtown Park canoe landingFrogtown Park is the downstream-of-dam start; do not improvise a put-in above the Cold Spring obstruction.
Take-out
Miller Landing carry-in accessMiller Landing is a managed county access with posted hours, so do not assume unlimited late-night retrieval if the day runs long.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Frogtown Park is the downstream-of-dam start; do not improvise a put-in above the Cold Spring obstruction.
- Miller Landing is a managed county access with posted hours, so do not assume unlimited late-night retrieval if the day runs long.
- Rockville County Park is the cleanest mid-route bailout or split because it is the documented watercraft-campsite stop on this corridor.
- Use named public accesses and designated stops; MN DNR says much of the Sauk shoreland is private and does not permit riverbed camping next to private property.
Watch for
- Vegetation and shallow stretches when the St. Martin gauge slides toward 14 ft.
- Downed trees or fresh strainers after storms.
- The trip ends at Miller Landing. The mapped Class I-II mouth section begins about 5.1 river miles downstream and is not part of this route.
- Longer-day fatigue on a route that stays easy in character but still covers over 14 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 level14.21 ft at 6:00 PM
MN DNR listed the St. Martin gauge at 14.21 ft on July 27, 2026, which lands in the official Low 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 shape14.2 river miles
MN DNR Map 2 places Frogtown Park at river mile 21.8 and Miller Landing at river mile 7.6.
- Downstream rapid boundary5.1 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 Miller Landing finish at river mile 7.6.
- DNR route guidanceOfficial extension of the recommended lower-Sauk day
MN DNR says the recommended Eagle Park to Miller Landing trip can be extended another five miles by starting from the landing at Frogtown Park.
- Camping supportMid-route watercraft campsite
Rockville County Park sits on this corridor and Stearns County documents a watercraft campsite there, so the route has a real bailout or overnight staging point if needed.
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 Miller Landing carry-in access, about 14.2 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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