See all 25 routes on Sauk River
Minnesota | Central Minnesota
Sauk River
Mill Pond to Oak Township County 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
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
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 Mill Pond, portage left around Melrose Dam, and take out at Oak Township County Park for the upper-Sauk access gap above the existing Oak-to-Spring-Hill card.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
Put-in
Sauk River, Mill Pond Public Water Access SiteOpen mapMill Pond resolves as WAS02216 at Sauk River mile 78.8 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
Take-out
Oak Township County Park canoe accessOpen mapOak Township is the same Stearns County park endpoint used by the adjacent Oak-to-Spring-Hill route; DNR Map 1 places it at river mile 67.0 with watercraft campsite/rest/toilet context.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Mill Pond resolves as WAS02216 at Sauk River mile 78.8 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
- Oak Township is the same Stearns County park endpoint used by the adjacent Oak-to-Spring-Hill route; DNR Map 1 places it at river mile 67.0 with watercraft campsite/rest/toilet context.
- The St. Martin gauge is downstream of this route, so use it as a corridor check and make visual calls for upper-river depth, weeds, wood, and dam-portage safety.
Watch for
- Melrose Dam immediately below the start; portage left and do not run the dam.
- Shallow riffles, aquatic vegetation, downed trees, sweepers, and low-water dragging.
- Private banks, cold water, storm debris, and rural rescue spacing between the named public/county sites.
Route gallery
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Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
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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.
- Map 1 access chainMill Pond RM 79.0 to Oak Township RM 67.0
MN DNR Sauk Map 1 places Mill Pond trailer access, Melrose Dam with portage left, Sauk River Park, and Oak Township County Park in sequence.
- Public access recordsMill Pond WAS02216; Oak Township county park
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Mill Pond with coordinates and river-mile records. Oak Township is the same Stearns County park endpoint used by the adjacent Oak-to-Spring-Hill route.
- Official 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.
- Current gauge check14.92 ft at 2026-07-17 05:00
The current MN DNR feed placed St. Martin in the official low band just below medium during this run.
- Camping supportSauk River Park and Oak Township campsite context
DNR Map 1 marks camping/picnic context at Sauk River Park and watercraft campsite/rest/toilet context at Oak Township County Park.
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.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
Share your trip
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 Sauk River, Mill Pond Public Water Access Site and ends at Oak Township County Park canoe access, about About 12 mi on the water.
Is this Sauk River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.