See all 12 routes on St. Croix River
Minnesota | Lower St. Croix
St. Croix River
William O'Brien State Park Landing to Boom Site 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 from William O'Brien State Park and finish at Boom Site for the next lower St. Croix segment toward Stillwater. The water is generally nontechnical, but this route needs a lower-river conditions check for wind, wake, shallow bars, and landing status.
Put-in
William O'Brien State Park landingOpen mapDNR says the William O'Brien river access is open as water levels allow through 2026; same-day park updates and posted signs supersede this saved route note.
Take-out
Boom Site public water accessOpen mapBoom Site is the downstream public-water-access take-out north of Stillwater and can be busy in summer.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- DNR says the William O'Brien river access is open as water levels allow through 2026; same-day park updates and posted signs supersede this saved route note.
- Boom Site is the downstream public-water-access take-out north of Stillwater and can be busy in summer.
- Do not use private banks as default stops; NPS lower-river materials emphasize private land and special camping rules.
Watch for
- Wind and motorboat wake on the broader lower St. Croix.
- Shallow water and exposed bars near Arcola when St. Croix Falls is near or below the DNR scrapable band.
- NPS zebra-mussel control restrictions near the Soo Line High Bridge; avoid upstream boat movement past that control point from downstream waters.
- Cold-water exposure and slower rescue options outside crowded summer weekends.
Route gallery
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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.
- Public access recordsWilliam O'Brien SPK WAS00278 / Boomsite WAS02194
Minnesota public-water-access GIS places William O'Brien State Park Landing at river mile 37.0 and Boomsite at river mile 25.6, supporting an 11.4-mile public-access segment.
- Official DNR bands2,000 / 3,000-8,000 / 11,000 cfs
MN DNR interprets the St. Croix Falls gauge as scrapable below 2,000 cfs, medium from 3,000 to 8,000 cfs, and very high above 11,000 cfs.
- Current gauge check1,890 cfs at 2026-07-23 20:00 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed St. Croix Falls below the official scrapable floor during this run, so this lower-river route should score as too low until water improves.
- Lower-river characterNo rapids, shallow bars, powerboats common
NPS lower St. Croix materials place William O'Brien and Boom Site on the same paddling-guide corridor and warn about shallow areas, powerboats, private land, and special camping rules.
- Put-in statusOpen as water levels allow through 2026
Minnesota DNR says the William O'Brien St. Croix public water access is expected to remain open as water levels allow through 2026, with dredging work planned later.
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
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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 William O'Brien State Park landing and ends at Boom Site public water access, about 11.4 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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