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Minnesota | Central Minnesota
Sauk River
Horseshoe Lake Access to Lions Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Sauk River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
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
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at Horseshoe Lake and take out at Lions Park for the Chain of Lakes continuation below Richmond. The route ends above Cold Spring Dam, so the take-out is part of the safety plan.
Put-in
Horseshoe Lake Public Water Access SiteOpen mapHorseshoe Lake resolves as WAS01770 at river mile 29.9 and Lions Park resolves as WAS00438 at river mile 22.3 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
Take-out
Sauk River, Lions Park Public Water Access SiteOpen mapThe St. Martin gauge is upstream of this route and should be treated as a same-map proxy. Local lake-chain wind, vegetation, and access depth can override a favorable reading.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Horseshoe Lake resolves as WAS01770 at river mile 29.9 and Lions Park resolves as WAS00438 at river mile 22.3 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
- The St. Martin gauge is upstream of this route and should be treated as a same-map proxy. Local lake-chain wind, vegetation, and access depth can override a favorable reading.
- Lions Park is the planned take-out before Cold Spring Dam. Do not drift into the dam or portage corridor unintentionally.
Watch for
- Cold Spring Dam just downstream of Lions Park; identify the take-out from shore before launching.
- Wind, boat wakes, aquatic vegetation, snags, bridge approaches, and private shoreline through the Chain of Lakes.
- High or rising water, storm debris, cold water, and low-water dragging near the DNR scrapable band.
Route gallery
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Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
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 |
| Data confidence 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.
- Official map sequenceHorseshoe Lake river mile 29.9 to Lions Park river mile 22.3
MN DNR Sauk Map 2 marks Horseshoe Lake trailer access, Cedar Island Lake, County Road crossings, Lions Park, and the Cold Spring Dam immediately downstream.
- Public access recordsWAS01770 and WAS00438
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Horseshoe Lake and Sauk River Lions Park with source-backed coordinates, public administrators, and route river miles.
- Official DNR bands14 / 15-17 / 20 ft
MN DNR interprets the upstream 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.
- Current gauge check14.95 ft at 2026-07-16 05:00 PM
The current MN DNR feed placed St. Martin just below the official medium band during this run.
- Camping contextDay route only
DNR Map 2 shows parks and accesses through the Chain of Lakes but does not support an on-route camping plan for this Horseshoe-to-Lions Park segment.
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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
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Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
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 Horseshoe Lake Public Water Access Site and ends at Sauk River, Lions Park Public Water Access Site, about About 7.6 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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