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 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
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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
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.
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
County Road 9 bridge carry-in accessMN 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)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.
Plan this segment
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.
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 | 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 |
| 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 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
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
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.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.