See all 9 routes on St. Louis River
Minnesota | Northeast Minnesota
St. Louis RiverForbes to Zim
Upper St. Louis public-access connector from Forbes to Zim, using the route-corridor Forbes DNR gauge and stopping before the already-live Zim-to-Toivola section.
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at the Forbes DNR public access and take out at Zim for the missing upper-St. Louis connector between the County-Road-95-to-Forbes and Zim-to-Toivola cards. The route uses the direct Forbes DNR gauge and carries low-water, dam, cold-water, and remote-rescue caveats.
Access map
Put-in
St. Louis River, Forbes Public Water Access SiteForbes resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00614 near DNR river mile 125.9.
Take-out
St. Louis River, Zim Public Water Access SiteZim resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00613 near DNR river mile 113.0.
Road shuttle
Stage Zim first, then drive back to Forbes. Check the Forbes DNR gauge and walk both carry-in accesses before launching because the current run-start reading was below the official scrapable floor.
Additional access notes
- Keep the trip framed from public access to public access. Do not use private banks or dam infrastructure for routine stops.
More route and safety guidance
- DNR flags the Forbes gauge corridor for Class I-II maneuvering and dam portage skills. Low water exposes rocks; rising water shortens reaction time around wood and bends.
- Use the named DNR public accesses only. This is a remote cold-water section with limited exits, private banks, and long rescue spacing.
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Gauge source
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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 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 |
| Preferred range | 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 |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official access sequenceForbes RM 125.9 to Zim RM 113.0
MN DNR St. Louis Map 1 places Forbes, Townline Road, Stony Brook, and Zim in downstream order, supporting a 12.9-mile public-access connector.
- Public access recordsWAS00614 to WAS00613
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Forbes and Zim as DNR-administered St. Louis River public access sites with coordinates and river-mile records.
- Official DNR bands3.0 / 3.7-7.6 / 8.0 ft
MN DNR interprets the Forbes gauge as Scrapable below 3.0 ft, Low from 3.0 to 3.7, Medium from 3.7 to 7.6, High from 7.6 to 8.0, and Very High above 8.0.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-232.77 ft at 2026-07-23 05:45 CDT
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.
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
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