See all 11 routes on St. Croix River
Minnesota | Lower St. Croix
St. Croix River
Wild River State Park Landing to Taylors Falls Lion's Park
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
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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 Wild River State Park and take out at Taylors Falls Lion's Park above the St. Croix Falls hydroelectric dam. The St. Croix Falls DNR gauge is the official same-corridor check, but the route's real gate is the mandatory dam take-out and portage plan.
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, Wild River State Park Public Water Access SiteWild River State Park resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00298 at St. Croix river mile 63.0.
Take-out
Taylors Falls Lion's Park dam portage take-outNPS Map 8 identifies Taylors Falls Lion's Park at S54.5 as the required portage take-out, but it is not represented in the Minnesota public-water-access GIS records reviewed for this run.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Wild River State Park resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00298 at St. Croix river mile 63.0.
- NPS Map 8 identifies Taylors Falls Lion's Park at S54.5 as the required portage take-out, but it is not represented in the Minnesota public-water-access GIS records reviewed for this run.
- Do not continue below the hydroelectric dam by water. NPS says the river just below the dam lacks public access and has unpredictable water levels.
Watch for
- Missing or delaying the Lion's Park take-out above the dam.
- Wind, motorboat wake, and lake-like travel through the Indian Head Flowage.
- Summer sandbars, side-channel shallows, cold water, private banks, and fresh wood after storms.
- Extra time, traffic, and physical effort if carrying through Taylors Falls to Minnesota Interstate State Park.
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 milesAbout 8.5 river miles
DNR public-access GIS places Wild River State Park at St. Croix river mile 63.0, and NPS Map 8 identifies Taylors Falls Lion's Park portage take-out at S54.5.
- Mandatory portage3.1 miles through Taylors Falls
NPS states that a 3.1-mile portage through Taylors Falls is required around the hydroelectric dam, with portage right at Taylors Falls Lion's Park and relaunch at Minnesota Interstate State Park.
- Dam no-paddle warningBelow-dam river not navigable by watercraft
NPS Map 8 warns that the river just below the hydroelectric dam is not navigable by watercraft because there is no public access and water levels can be unpredictable.
- 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 check3350 cfs at 2026-07-17 04:00
The current MN DNR feed placed St. Croix Falls inside the official medium band during this run.
- Camping postureWild River and Riverway designated-site rules
NPS Map 7 notes primitive shoreline campsites inside Wild River State Park and Riverway camping rules; this selected route should still be planned as a day trip unless the group separately reserves or verifies legal designated camping.
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
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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, Wild River State Park Public Water Access Site and ends at Taylors Falls Lion's Park dam portage take-out, about About 8.5 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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