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Minnesota | Lower St. Croix
St. Croix River
Sunrise Landing to Wild River State Park Landing
Check current paddling conditions for this St. Croix River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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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
Launch at Sunrise and take out at Wild River State Park to finish the missing Map 7 chain above the existing Wild-River-to-Lion's-Park dam-pool card.
Put-in
St. Croix River, Sunrise Public Water Access SiteOpen mapMinnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Sunrise as WAS00299 near river mile 71.9 and Wild River State Park as WAS00298 near river mile 63.0.
Take-out
St. Croix River, Wild River State Park Public Water Access SiteOpen mapWild River is the planned finish. Continuing downstream changes the trip into the separate Indian Head Flowage and Taylors Falls dam-takeout route.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Sunrise as WAS00299 near river mile 71.9 and Wild River State Park as WAS00298 near river mile 63.0.
- Wild River is the planned finish. Continuing downstream changes the trip into the separate Indian Head Flowage and Taylors Falls dam-takeout route.
- The St. Croix Falls gauge is downstream, so pair it with local checks for the old Nevers Dam site, wind, and shallow bars.
Watch for
- Deceptively turbulent current where NPS says the river narrows at the old Nevers Dam site.
- Erratic current around old landings, fallen trees, shallow summer sandbars, cold water, and private banks.
- Wind and motorboat effects near broader water as the route approaches the Wild River / Indian Head Flowage transition.
Route gallery
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Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
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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 | St. Croix River at St. Croix Falls, WI |
| 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 | 3,000 cfs to 8,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 2,000 cfs |
| High threshold | 11,000 cfs |
| 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 St. Croix River at St. Croix Falls |
| 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.
- Route shapeAbout 8.9 river miles
Minnesota public-water-access GIS places Sunrise near river mile 71.9 and Wild River State Park near river mile 63.0 on the NPS Map 7 corridor.
- NPS hazard notesOld landings, Nevers Dam site, and flowage transition
NPS Map 7 warns that currents can be erratic at Old Railroad Landing, the river narrows and can be deceptively turbulent at the old Nevers Dam site, and the downstream dam-pool section is lake-like.
- Official DNR bands2,000 / 3,000-8,000 / 11,000 cfs
MN DNR interprets St. Croix Falls as Scrapable below 2,000 cfs, Low from 2,000 to 3,000, Medium from 3,000 to 8,000, High from 8,000 to 11,000, and Very High above 11,000.
- Current gauge check1,900 cfs at 2026-07-24 00:00 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed St. Croix Falls below the official scrapable floor during this run, so this card should score as too low until flows recover.
- Camping postureDesignated Riverway and Wild River sites
NPS Map 7 restricts Riverway camping to designated first-come sites and notes additional primitive shoreline campsites inside Wild River State Park are reservable for a fee.
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.
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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
St. Croix River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling St. Croix River?
Paddle Today watches St. Croix River at St. Croix Falls, WI and treats 3,000 cfs to 8,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this St. Croix River route start and end?
This route starts at St. Croix River, Sunrise Public Water Access Site and ends at St. Croix River, Wild River State Park Public Water Access Site, about About 8.9 mi on the water.
Is this St. Croix 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.