See all 5 routes on Sheyenne River
North Dakota | Sheyenne National Grassland
Sheyenne River
Ylvisaker Bridge hand-launch to Brome Field hand-launch
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
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
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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
Launch at Ylvisaker Bridge and take out at Brome Field for the shortest named Sheyenne National Grassland split. Use the USGS Baldhill Dam discharge gauge as a corridor-wide proxy and keep the call conservative because the official flow guidance applies to most of the river, not just this short reach.
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
Ylvisaker Bridge hand-launchUSFS names both Ylvisaker Bridge and Brome Field as designated access points on the Sheyenne River Water Trail.
Take-out
Brome Field hand-launchThe endpoint coordinates come from the hand-launch icon layer embedded in the official geospatial 2019 USFS brochure map. Treat them as practical access anchors, not survey-grade ramp coordinates.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- USFS names both Ylvisaker Bridge and Brome Field as designated access points on the Sheyenne River Water Trail.
- The endpoint coordinates come from the hand-launch icon layer embedded in the official geospatial 2019 USFS brochure map. Treat them as practical access anchors, not survey-grade ramp coordinates.
- USFS says these Sheyenne National Grassland sites are semi-primitive hand-launch areas and are not recommended for trailered watercraft.
- Ylvisaker Bridge is described by USFS as the County Road 23 and Sibley Trail bridge crossing over the Sheyenne; use current road signs and shoreline conditions on arrival.
- USFS marks public-land boundaries along the route and says paddlers should not dock beyond those public-land markers.
Watch for
- Flows at or below 100 cfs, when USFS says the river is very low and many sand or gravel bars may be exposed.
- Flows above 1,000 cfs, when current can become fast and shoreline trees, logs, and debris become more serious hazards.
- Flows above 2,000 cfs, which USFS says paddlers should avoid on the Sheyenne.
- Overhanging trees, logjams, bridge abutments, big rocks, shallow bars, muddy semi-primitive banks, and occasional portages around obstructions.
- Private-land boundaries, thunderstorms, wind, limited services, and assuming the corridor-wide gauge perfectly reflects every local channel feature.
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
Data and sources
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 | Sheyenne River below Baldhill Dam, ND |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | 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 | 300 cfs to 1,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 100 cfs |
| High threshold | 2,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | USFS Sheyenne River Water Trail river conditions |
| 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 route segmentYlvisaker Bridge to Brome Field, about 3 river miles
The official USFS Sheyenne River Water Trail brochure labels Ylvisaker Bridge near river mile 0 and Brome Field near river mile 3 on the Sheyenne National Grassland map.
- Official access contextSemi-primitive hand-launch sites
USFS says the Sheyenne National Grassland reach has four primary semi-primitive access sites designated for hand-launching canoes and kayaks, including Ylvisaker Bridge and Brome Field.
- Corridor live gauge proxyUSGS 05058000 at 301 cfs / 24.81 ft
USFS points Sheyenne River Water Trail users to USGS station 05058000 below Baldhill Dam and says it indicates conditions along most of the river. Water Services returned 301 cfs and 24.81 ft at 2026-07-15 15:00 CDT during implementation.
- Official flow bands300-1,000 cfs optimal
USFS says flows of 100 cfs or below are very low, 100-300 cfs are navigable with exposed obstacles, 300-1,000 cfs are optimal, 1,000-2,000 cfs require caution, and over 2,000 cfs should be avoided.
- Endpoint coordinates46.53246, -97.34256 to 46.53087339415233, -97.31706518572886
The official 2019 USFS brochure map is geospatial. Using the already-verified Brome Field anchor and the same hand-launch icon layer on that map yields a practical Ylvisaker Bridge access anchor for the selected upstream segment.
- Access and boundary rulesHand launch only, respect public-land markers
The USFS brochure says these sites are for hand launch and retrieval rather than trailered watercraft, and it warns paddlers not to dock beyond the public-land markers shown along the route.
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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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Sheyenne River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Sheyenne River?
Paddle Today watches Sheyenne River below Baldhill Dam, ND and treats 300 cfs to 1,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Sheyenne River route start and end?
This route starts at Ylvisaker Bridge hand-launch and ends at Brome Field hand-launch, about About 3 mi on the water.
Is this Sheyenne 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.