See all 21 routes on Sauk River
Minnesota | Central Minnesota
Sauk RiverRichmond City Park to Horseshoe Lake
Short Chain of Lakes connector from Richmond City Park to Horseshoe Lake, filling the official public-access gap above the existing Horseshoe-to-Lions-Park route.
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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
Launch at Richmond City Park and finish at Horseshoe Lake for the short upstream Chain of Lakes connector. It links cleanly into the existing Horseshoe-to-Lions-Park card without duplicating the downstream dam-boundary route.
Access map
Put-in
Sauk River, Richmond Public Water Access SiteRichmond resolves as WAS00328 at river mile 31.5 and Horseshoe Lake resolves as WAS01770 at river mile 29.9 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
Take-out
Horseshoe Lake Public Water Access SiteThe St. Martin gauge is upstream of the route, so make a local visual check for channel depth, weeds, and bridge clearance.
Road shuttle
Use a short Chain of Lakes shuttle between Horseshoe Lake and Richmond City Park. Check wind and boat traffic before leaving the take-out vehicle.
Additional access notes
- This route ends at Horseshoe Lake. DNR Map 2 places Lions Park at river mile 22.3 and Cold Spring Dam at river mile 22.0, so stage the separate Lions Park take-out before any downstream continuation.
More route and safety guidance
- Wind, boat traffic, weeds, low-water channels, and bridge approaches can matter more than current on this short Chain of Lakes connector.
- Take out at Horseshoe Lake for this 1.6-mile route. DNR Map 2 places Cold Spring Dam 7.9 river miles farther downstream at river mile 22.0; any continuation requires a separately staged Lions Park take-out at river mile 22.3 above the dam.
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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.
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official map routeRichmond RM 31.5 to Horseshoe Lake RM 29.9
MN DNR Sauk Map 2 places Richmond City Park, bridge crossings, Horseshoe Lake, and the downstream Chain of Lakes accesses in order.
- Public access recordsWAS00328 to WAS01770
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Richmond and Horseshoe Lake as public access sites with coordinates and water-trail river miles.
- Official DNR bands14 / 15-17 / 20 ft
MN DNR interprets St. Martin 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.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-2314.71 ft at 2026-07-23 16:00 CDT
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
- Safety contextChain of Lakes, dams, snags, and downstream rapids
DNR describes the Chain of Lakes near Richmond and warns that Sauk River hazards include dams, rapids, portage routes, and snags.
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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