See all 8 routes on St. Louis River
Minnesota | Northeast Minnesota
St. Louis River
County Road 95 to Zim
Check current paddling conditions for this St. Louis River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
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 County Road 95, pass the Forbes direct gauge, and finish at Zim on a long upper St. Louis River itinerary.
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. Louis River, County Rd 95 Public Water Access SiteCounty Road 95 resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS02152 at DNR river mile 144.5.
Take-out
St. Louis River, Zim Public Water Access SiteForbes resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00614 near DNR river mile 125.9.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- County Road 95 resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS02152 at DNR river mile 144.5.
- Forbes resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00614 near DNR river mile 125.9.
- Forbes Dam is downstream of the take-out corridor. Do not miss the public access or continue without a separate portage and dam plan.
- Zim resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00613 near DNR river mile 113.0.
- Keep the trip framed from public access to public access. Do not use private banks or dam infrastructure for routine stops.
Watch for
- Boulder beds, shallow ledges, Class I-III context on the DNR map, and long scraping at low Forbes readings.
- Wood, strainers, cold water, limited exits, and remote rescue exposure over an 18.6-mile day.
- Dam, portage, and Highway 53 corridor hazards if extending or if the take-out is missed.
- Below-scrapable Forbes readings, exposed boulder beds, rocky shallows, and possible dragging.
- Class I-II current, fresh wood, strainers, cold water, remote banks, and limited services.
- Forbes dam/portage context at the upstream boundary and private-property limits throughout the corridor.
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
Why this score
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. Louis River nr Forbes, US53 |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 | 3.70 ft to 7.60 ft |
| Low threshold | 3.00 ft |
| High threshold | 8.00 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 near Forbes |
| 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.
- Qualifying gauge relationshipSt. Louis River nr Forbes, US53
DNR site 244 is at Forbes inside this combined route and carries official interpreted stage bands.
- Public-access continuityCounty Road 95 to Zim
The route joins adjacent researched segments whose shared endpoint coordinates and official public-access records match.
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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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. Louis River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling St. Louis River?
Paddle Today watches St. Louis River nr Forbes, US53 and treats 3.70 ft to 7.60 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this St. Louis River route start and end?
This route starts at St. Louis River, County Rd 95 Public Water Access Site and ends at St. Louis River, Zim Public Water Access Site, about About 31.5 mi on the water.
Is this St. Louis River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
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See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.