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See all 3 routes on Straight River

Minnesota | Southern Minnesota

Straight River

Krogh's Landing to Faribault

Check current paddling conditions for this Straight River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.

Route location

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Open access map
Distance10 mi
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 3 hr 15 min to 4 hr 30 min
ShuttleCar or bike
The Straight River flows downstream from Bridge Street in Owatonna, Minnesota.
River contextStraight River in Owatonna river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Tim Kiser

Need to know

Why this call
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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

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

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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

On-water distance10 miKrogh's Landing to Faribault
DifficultymoderateMN DNR describes this reach as narrow and fast, with light rapids plus maneuvering around snags and log jams; it is not for beginners.
ShuttleCar or bikeCar shuttle is straightforward. A bike shuttle may be possible using the Straight River Trail for part of the route.
PermitsNone notedNo special paddling permit noted. Follow posted rules at each access.
CampingDay tripTreat this as a day trip unless you have independently confirmed legal camping.
SeasonApr-JunSpring and early summer are the core window. By midsummer, this river often trends too low for a clean run.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

TomorrowChecking

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WeekendChecking

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Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

Put in at Krogh's Landing and take out at Two Rivers Landing/Park in Faribault. Check the official MN DNR Faribault gauge at river mile 8.8 and verify access and parking locally.

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Prepare this trip

Take the plan with you

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Start

Put-in

Krogh's Landing
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The DNR map does explicitly name Krogh's Landing as a carry-in access, but it still lacks a clean standalone parking page, so verify conditions locally.

Finish

Take-out

Two Rivers Landing/Park (Faribault)
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Two Rivers Park is city-managed and the official Faribault park amenities sheet marks it with public access and a canoe landing, but park rules and parking details should still be checked on arrival.

Plan this segment

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Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • The DNR map does explicitly name Krogh's Landing as a carry-in access, but it still lacks a clean standalone parking page, so verify conditions locally.
  • Two Rivers Park is city-managed and the official Faribault park amenities sheet marks it with public access and a canoe landing, but park rules and parking details should still be checked on arrival.

Watch for

  • Shallow riffles and scrape risk when the river is low.
  • Downed trees, snags, and log jams on blind corners.
  • Much of the shoreline is private; stop only at the planned public endpoints or another clearly designated site.

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.

The Straight River flows downstream from Bridge Street in Owatonna, Minnesota.
Straight River in Owatonna river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Tim Kiser
CC BY-SA 2.5

Score & sources

Why this score

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

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Weather inputChecking

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Next stepChecking

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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.

Why
  • Checking evidence-strength notes.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteStraight River nr Faribault, MN
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Target band220 cfs to 1,370 cfs
Low threshold182 cfs
High threshold1,640 cfs
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreMN DNR river-level interpretation bands for Straight River near Faribault
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
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.

  • Official DNR bands182 / 220-1,370 / 1,640 cfs

    MN DNR interprets site 247 as Scrapable below 182 cfs, Low from 182 to 220, Medium from 220 to 1,370, High from 1,370 to 1,640, and Very High above 1,640.

    Source

  • Current gauge check208 cfs at 2026-07-28 04:15 CDT

    The live MN DNR feed placed the in-route Faribault gauge in the official Low band during this review.

    Source

  • Access supportKroghs carry-in; city-managed Faribault finish

    The MN DNR map explicitly names Kroghs Landing carry-in access at river mile 10.1, and the City of Faribault park amenities list confirms Two Rivers Park as a city park with river/public-access amenities.

    Source

  • Faribault take-out supportTwo Rivers Park has public access and canoe landing

    The City of Faribault parks amenities sheet marks Two Rivers Park with both Public Access and Canoe Landing, which is stronger downstream endpoint support than the earlier route seed had.

    Source

  • DNR safety contextNarrow and fast; snags and log jams; not for beginners

    The official site calls for paddling experience and maneuvering in light rapids around snags, while the DNR map warns about downed trees and private shoreline.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

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Photos

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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.

More in Minnesota

All 232 routes
Minnesota route guideBrowse every tracked Minnesota route.Southern MinnesotaJump to routes in this region.

More on Straight River

All 3
County Road 45 to Medford City ParkSouthern MinnesotaModerate · About 3.7 miMedford City Park to Kroghs LandingSouthern MinnesotaModerate · About 7.0 mi

Nearby routes by distance

Cannon RiverFaribault to Dundas · about 5 mi awayEasy · 13.75 miCannon RiverCannon River Wilderness Area to Riverside City Park, Northfield · about 9 mi awayEasy · About 8.5 miCannon RiverLake Byllesby Dam to Highway 61 · about 24 mi awayModerate · About 20.8 miCannon RiverRiverside Park to Miesville Ravine County Park · about 25 mi awayEasy · About 6.9 mi

Quick answers

Straight River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Straight River?

Paddle Today watches Straight River nr Faribault, MN and treats 220 cfs to 1,370 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Straight River route start and end?

This route starts at Krogh's Landing and ends at Two Rivers Landing/Park (Faribault), about 10 mi on the water.

Is this Straight 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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