See all 21 routes on Sauk River
Minnesota | Central Minnesota
Sauk RiverFrogtown Park to Rockville County Park
Short lower-Sauk warm-up with an easy current, a clean public put-in, and a county-park take-out that keeps the logistics simple for a quick Central Minnesota paddle.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Use Frogtown Park in Cold Spring as the put-in and Rockville County Park as the take-out. This is the short lower-Sauk option when you want a quick trip without committing to Miller Landing or the St. Cloud finish.
Access map
Put-in
Frogtown Park canoe landingFrogtown Park is the mapped carry-in 0.2 river mile below Cold Spring Dam. Start at that downstream landing and do not improvise a put-in upstream of the dam.
Take-out
Rockville County Park carry-in accessRockville County Park has posted hours and county rules that still deserve a same-day check before you leave a shuttle vehicle.
Road shuttle
Short Cold Spring to Rockville self-shuttle. Rockville County Park is the easier place to leave a vehicle for a quick out-and-back day.
More route and safety guidance
- 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.
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Detailed weather
Weather
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Next 8 hours
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
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Photos and recent reports
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Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Sauk River nr St. Martin, CR12 |
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| Preferred range | 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 |
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NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- 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 shape5.0 river miles
MN DNR Map 2 places Frogtown Park at river mile 21.8 and Rockville County Park at river mile 16.8.
- Primary cautionsSnags, changing levels, and private shore
The 2026 DNR Map 2 warns about snags and fallen trees, says river conditions can change at any time, and limits stops and camping along private shoreline to designated sites. The same map places Frogtown 0.2 river mile below Cold Spring Dam.
- Access supportOfficial city and county endpoints
Cold Spring confirms Frogtown Park has a canoe landing on the Sauk, and Stearns County confirms Rockville County Park has carry-in access, drinking water, and a watercraft campsite.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
More on Sauk River
All 21Nearby routes within 75 miles
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