See all 11 routes on St. Croix River
Minnesota | Lower St. Croix
St. Croix River
Sunrise Landing to Wild River State Park Landing
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
Checking weather.
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
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 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.
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
St. Croix River, Sunrise Public Water Access SiteMinnesota 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 SiteWild River is the planned finish. Continuing downstream changes the trip into the separate Indian Head Flowage and Taylors Falls dam-takeout route.
Plan this segment
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
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 | 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 |
| 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 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
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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
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.