See all 2 routes on Vermilion River
Minnesota | Northeastern Minnesota
Vermilion RiverVermilion Dam to County Road 24
Extended Vermilion River run from the dam through the Twomile and Eightmile access corridors to County Road 24, starting at the current Buyck gauge.
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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 immediately below Vermilion Dam beside the Buyck gauge and continue through the Twomile and Eightmile corridors to County Road 24.
Access map
Put-in
Vermilion Dam downstream portage / whitewater put-inThe practical put-in is below Vermilion Dam after the mapped 430-yard right-bank portage. Never launch above the dam intending to run it.
Take-out
Vermilion River, Co Rd 24 Public Water Access SiteTwomile Creek is a remote carry-in take-out. Learn the lake-to-creek turn before launching so the group does not miss it late in the day.
Road shuttle
Stage the take-out before launching. This combined route joins the researched vermilion-river-dam-twomile and vermilion-river-eightmile-county-road-24 access corridors and requires a longer rural shuttle.
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Vermilion Dam downstream portage / whitewater put-in to Two Mile Creek Public Water Access Site is about 5.5 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Additional access notes
- The app's Buyck gauge is downstream. A usable proxy reading does not override the DNR staff gauge below the dam, fresh wood, or an unfavorable scout.
- The Eightmile Creek launch requires creek access and a remote road approach.
- County Road 24 / CCC campsite is the mandatory finish for this card. Scout it before launch so the group does not continue into unplanned lower-river rapids.
- The Buyck gauge is downstream of the route and cannot substitute for scouting Table Rock Falls, portage landings, or canyon conditions.
More route and safety guidance
- Shively Falls is Class III; Liftover Falls is Class II; Everett Rapids is Class I-II. Scout every horizon line and use the mapped portages whenever the line, wood, level, or group skill is uncertain.
- The Buyck gauge is downstream and cannot replace the staff gauge below the dam or on-site scouting. This route is for experienced whitewater paddlers with cold-water gear, rescue skills, and a remote-emergency plan.
- County Road 24 is the planned take-out. Twomile Creek and Eightmile Creek are intermediate checkpoints; continuing beyond County Road 24 changes the route and shuttle plan.
- This longer combined itinerary requires an early start, a staged shuttle, and a conservative turnaround decision even when the direct gauge is in range.
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Photos and recent reports
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Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
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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 | Vermilion River at Buyck, CSAH 24 |
| 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 |
| Preferred range | 200 cfs to 1,300 cfs |
| Low threshold | 70 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,600 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | MN DNR interpreted bands at Buyck, paired with the Map 1 below-dam staff-gauge rule |
| 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.
- Qualifying gauge relationshipVermilion River at Buyck, CSAH 24
DNR site 342 at Buyck is colocated with the downstream-of-dam put-in, making its interpreted discharge reading direct for this route.
- Public-access continuityVermilion Dam to County Road 24
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.
Other routes nearby
More on Vermilion River
All 2Nearby routes within 75 miles
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