See all 9 routes on St. Louis River
Minnesota | Duluth Area
St. Louis RiverCounty Road 29 to Floodwood
Short St. Louis River connector from County Road 29 to Floodwood, using the direct Floodwood interpreted DNR gauge and the official Map 2 access chain.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at County Road 29 and finish at the Floodwood public access for the short above-town St. Louis connector.
Access map
Put-in
St. Louis River, Co Rd 29 Public Water Access SiteCounty Road 29 resolves as WAS02129 at DNR river mile 78.5.
Take-out
Floodwood River Public Water Access SiteFloodwood River access resolves as WAS01940. DNR Map 2 places the St. Louis/Floodwood River confluence at river mile 72.6 and notes the trailer access is about one-half mile up the Floodwood River.
Road shuttle
Stage the Floodwood city access first, then drive to County Road 29. Confirm the short upstream or side-channel approach on the Floodwood River before launching from County Road 29.
Additional access notes
- Identify the Floodwood River turn and city access before launching so the take-out is not missed in low light or high current.
More route and safety guidance
- The Floodwood take-out is on the Floodwood River about one-half mile from the St. Louis confluence. Identify the turn and city access before launching.
- Use County Road 29 and Floodwood public accesses only; wooded private banks and cold water leave little margin for casual bailout.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | St. Louis River at Floodwood, CSAH8 |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
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| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
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| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | 28.00 ft to 37.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 24.40 ft |
| High threshold | 42.00 ft |
| 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. Louis River at Floodwood |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Map sequenceCounty Road 29 RM 78.5 to Floodwood RM 72.6 plus side-channel access
MN DNR St. Louis Map 2 places County Road 29, the Floodwood River confluence, and the Floodwood trailer access in downstream order.
- Public access recordsWAS02129 to WAS01940
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves County Road 29 and Floodwood River access with coordinates, administrators, and water-trail river-mile context.
- Official DNR bands24.4 / 28-37 / 42 ft
MN DNR interprets the Floodwood gauge as Scrapable below 24.4 ft, Low from 24.4 to 28, Medium from 28 to 37, High from 37 to 42, and Very High above 42.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-2223.26 ft at 2026-07-22 10:45 PM
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
- Safety contextSteady current; occasional shallow rapids
DNR describes this segment as steady current with occasional shallow rapids and warns that Class I-II rapids in the broader segment can be dangerous in high water.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
More on St. Louis River
All 9Nearby routes within 75 miles
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