See all 4 routes on Snake River
Minnesota | Pine City Area
Snake River
Canary Road to Cross Lake / Pine City
Check current paddling conditions for this Snake River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
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
Put in at the Canary Road carry-in and take out at the Cross Lake / Pine City landing. This is the DNR-recommended lower Snake day, and the Pine City gauge gives it one of the cleaner official go-no-go stories in the app.
Put-in
Snake River #1 / Canary Road public water accessOpen mapBoth endpoints are now backed by Minnesota public-water-access records, which is a much better trust story than the earlier approximate-coordinate version.
Take-out
Snake River / Cross Lake public water access (Pine City)Open mapPine City recreation materials are useful for parking context at the take-out, but same-day signage still wins if anything looks different on arrival.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Both endpoints are now backed by Minnesota public-water-access records, which is a much better trust story than the earlier approximate-coordinate version.
- Pine City recreation materials are useful for parking context at the take-out, but same-day signage still wins if anything looks different on arrival.
Watch for
- Fast fluctuations after rain or snowmelt.
- Low-water trouble below Cross Lake when the Pine City gauge sinks toward 2.3 ft.
- Fresh wood or strainers after storms, especially on bends and in faster current.
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.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
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 | Snake River near Pine City, MN |
| 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 | 3.30 ft to 5.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 2.30 ft |
| High threshold | 6.30 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 Snake River near Pine City |
| 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.
- DNR bands2.3 / 3.3 / 5.0 / 6.3 ft
MN DNR interprets this gauge as Scrapable below 2.3 ft, Low from 2.3 to 3.3, Medium from 3.3 to 5.0, High from 5.0 to 6.3, and Very High above 6.3.
- Recommended trip10.2 river miles
MN DNR treats Canary Road access to Cross Lake/Pine City as the recommended Snake River day trip for this lower corridor.
- Endpoint authorityDNR access records for both landings
Minnesota public-water-access data identifies the exact Snake River #1 Canary Road carry-in at river mile 22.1 and the Snake River Cross Lake landing in Pine City at river mile 11.9.
- Low-water caveatBelow Cross Lake can stop working
MN DNR notes that canoeing the stretch below Cross Lake may not be possible during low water, which reinforces the official low-end ladder.
- Take-out contextPine City landing with trailer parking
Pine City recreation materials describe the Snake River landing across Highway 61 from Voyageur Park as a landscaped access with parking for vehicles and trailers.
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
Snake River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Snake River?
Paddle Today watches Snake River near Pine City, MN and treats 3.30 ft to 5.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Snake River route start and end?
This route starts at Snake River #1 / Canary Road public water access and ends at Snake River / Cross Lake public water access (Pine City), about 10.2 mi on the water.
Is this Snake 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.