See all 21 routes on Sauk River
Minnesota | Central Minnesota
Sauk River
Spring Hill County Park to St. Martin
Check current paddling conditions for this Sauk River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
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
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Use Spring Hill County Park as the put-in and the St. Martin carry-in as the take-out. This creates a cleaner gauge-backed Sauk day than the older Spring Hill-to-Rockville multi-day draft.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Spring Hill County Park carry-in accessStearns County confirms St. Martin Canoe Access as a one-acre county site retained as access to the Sauk River, but it is still a simple carry-in rather than a full-service park landing.
Take-out
St. Martin Public Water Access / County Road 12Low water and summer vegetation can make this short route slower and less pleasant than the mileage suggests.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Stearns County confirms St. Martin Canoe Access as a one-acre county site retained as access to the Sauk River, but it is still a simple carry-in rather than a full-service park landing.
- Low water and summer vegetation can make this short route slower and less pleasant than the mileage suggests.
Watch for
- Shallow riffles and vegetation as the St. Martin gauge falls toward 14 ft.
- Fresh wood, snags, and strainers after storms. The St. Martin gauge does not certify that the upstream channel is clear.
- Changing or rising water, especially when current narrows your options around wood.
- Private shoreline outside designated public accesses and campsites.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
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 |
| 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 |
| 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.
- Current level14.28 ft at 11:00 PM
The official MN DNR St. Martin gauge reported 14.28 ft on July 27, 2026, which sits in the Low interpretation band.
- 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 shapeAbout 9.1 river miles
MN DNR Map 2 names Spring Hill County Park at river mile 56.2 and St. Martin carry-in at river mile 47.1, making this a cleaner day route than the longer Spring Hill to Rockville draft.
- 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.
- Access supportOfficial county/DNR access points
Spring Hill County Park is a Stearns County park on the Sauk, and Stearns County confirms St. Martin Canoe Access is a one-acre county site retained as Sauk River access.
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
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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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 Spring Hill County Park carry-in access and ends at St. Martin Public Water Access / County Road 12, about About 9.1 river 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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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.