See all 21 routes on Sauk River
Minnesota | St. Cloud Area
Sauk RiverPineview Park to Heims Mill
Compact lower-Sauk run into the Mississippi confluence with a more serious finish than the mileage suggests. This is the lower family member to choose when you want the Class I-II mouth section, not the mellow upstream float.
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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 Pineview Park as the put-in and Heims Mill as the take-out for the St. Cloud finish of the Sauk. This is the lower family member that adds the final Class I-II rapid section before the Mississippi.
Access map
Put-in
Pineview Park carry-in accessThe official DNR StoryMap lists Pineview carry-in access on Saukview Drive, while St. Cloud park inventory material uses a nearby Pineview Park address; follow the signed carry-in on arrival rather than over-trusting one address string.
Take-out
Heims Mill Canoe AccessHeims Mill is a defined county carry-in with restroom and picnic amenities, but it is still a simple riverside access rather than a broad launch ramp.
Road shuttle
Short St. Cloud-area self-shuttle between Pineview Park and Heims Mill. Keep the take-out vehicle at Heims because the Mississippi confluence and rapid finish are not a place to improvise exhausted logistics.
More route and safety guidance
- Stay near the official 15 to 17 ft St. Martin band. Low water can make the rapids bony or partly impassable, while levels above 20 ft increase current speed and recovery consequence.
- Watch for snags, deadfall, and private shoreline constraints. Use the signed Pineview and Heims Mill carry-ins and stop only where public access or posted rules allow.
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Photos and recent reports
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Recent notes from paddlers
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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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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 shape6.2 river miles
MN DNR Map 2 places Pineview Park at river mile 6.2 and Heims Mill at river mile 0.0.
- Rapid finishClass I-II in final 2.5 mi
MN DNR warns the final 2.5 miles are boulder-filled Class I-II rapids that may not be passable at low water.
- Access supportOfficial DNR and county endpoint support
The official DNR StoryMap names Pineview Park carry-in access, and Stearns County confirms Heims Mill Canoe Access has carry-in access, restroom, picnic area, and fishing.
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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