See all 4 routes on Snake River
Minnesota | Pine City Area
Snake River
County Road 9 carry-in access to Snake Bit Access
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 County Road 9 and finish near Snake Bit at the Snake/St. Croix confluence. This lower Snake route has a strong official low-water warning, so use the Pine City gauge first and do not expect a worthwhile run when it is hugging the floor.
Put-in
County Road 9 bridge carry-in accessOpen mapMN DNR marks County Road 9 as a carry-in access and puts the gauge on the bridge. Expect a simple bridge access, not a developed park launch.
Take-out
Snake Bit Access (near St. Croix/Snake River public water access)Open mapMN DNR maps Snake Bit at the St. Croix confluence. Before launching, confirm the finish using the nearby official Snake/St. Croix public access and any posted signs at the landing.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- MN DNR marks County Road 9 as a carry-in access and puts the gauge on the bridge. Expect a simple bridge access, not a developed park launch.
- MN DNR maps Snake Bit at the St. Croix confluence. Before launching, confirm the finish using the nearby official Snake/St. Croix public access and any posted signs at the landing.
Watch for
- A manmade dam/drop immediately below County Road 9 after leaving Cross Lake. A July 18, 2026 paddler report described a large center grate in the drop, rocky current below it, and a portage around the feature; scout first and portage or skip if the line is not clearly safe.
- Fresh wood, strainers, and debris after storms or rapid snowmelt.
- Wind and wave exposure as you approach the St. Croix confluence.
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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 2.30 ft |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| 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 floor2.3 ft
MN DNR interprets Pine City as Scrapable below 2.3 ft and Low from 2.3 to 3.3 ft. Paddle Today uses 2.3 ft as the practical floor because no better route-specific ideal range is published for this lower rapids stretch.
- Official route shape11.7 river miles
The Snake River map names County Road 9 bridge/carry-in access at river mile 11.7 and Snake Bit Access at the St. Croix confluence.
- Low-water warning11.7 to 10.9 not canoeable much of the year
MN DNR explicitly warns that the first rapids section below County Road 9 is low-water limited much of the year, which is the main reason this route is modeled as minimum-only.
- CR 9 dam/drop hazardScout before running
Pine City describes the east Cross Lake access as off County Road 9 by the dam. A July 18, 2026 paddler report observed a manmade drop with a large center grate immediately after leaving Cross Lake, followed by rocky current, and noted that there is a portage around it; treat this as a scout, portage, or skip feature unless conditions and group skill make the line clearly safe.
- Route characterScattered Class I rapids to the St. Croix
MN DNR describes the County Road 9 to mouth corridor as scattered Class I rapids below the initial low-water-sensitive section.
- Take-out locationSnake/St. Croix confluence
The DNR map names Snake Bit at the St. Croix confluence. For staging the finish, also check the nearby official Snake/St. Croix public-water-access record and follow posted signs on arrival.
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 uses 2.30 ft as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Snake River route start and end?
This route starts at County Road 9 bridge carry-in access and ends at Snake Bit Access (near St. Croix/Snake River public water access), about 11.7 mi on the water.
Is this Snake River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.