See all 3 routes on Vermilion River
Minnesota | Northeastern Minnesota
Vermilion River
Shively Falls to Eightmile Creek
Check current paddling conditions for this Vermilion River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
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
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at Shively Falls, work through the upper falls-and-portage sequence, continue into the Chain of Lakes reach, and take out by paddling up Eightmile Creek. This is the advanced upstream extension of the easier Twomile-to-Eightmile day route.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
Put-in
Vermilion River, Shively Falls Public Water Access SiteOpen mapShively Falls and Eightmile Creek are remote carry-in access sites, not full-service ramps.
Take-out
Vermilion River, 8 Mile Creek Public Water Access SiteOpen mapThe Buyck gauge is downstream of the route. Pair it with DNR map guidance, local visual checks, and scouting at each rapid.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Shively Falls and Eightmile Creek are remote carry-in access sites, not full-service ramps.
- The Buyck gauge is downstream of the route. Pair it with DNR map guidance, local visual checks, and scouting at each rapid.
- Eightmile Creek is the planned exit. Missing it commits the group toward Table Rock Falls and a much more serious downstream hazard zone.
Watch for
- Shively Falls Class III, Liftover Falls Class II, Everett Rapids Class I-II, and long portages.
- Low-band water that can make rocky approaches scrapey and slow.
- Remote cold-water exposure, wind on wider water, fresh wood, and private-bank limits.
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.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind 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 |
| Target band | 200 cfs to 1,300 cfs |
| Low threshold | 70 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,600 cfs |
| Data confidence 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 Vermilion River at Buyck |
| 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.
- Official route9.6 river miles
MN DNR recommended one-way materials list Shively Falls carry-in access at river mile 41.6 to Eightmile Creek carry-in access at river mile 32.0.
- Rapids and portagesClass III, Class II, and Class I-II before quiet water
DNR Map 1 places Shively Falls, Liftover Falls, and Everett Rapids below the Shively access, with portages at the marked rapid features before the Chain of Lakes section.
- Public access recordsShively WAS00595 to Eightmile WAS00377
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves the Shively Falls and Eightmile Creek carry-in access sites with DNR administration and coordinates.
- Official DNR bands70 / 200-1,300 / 1,600 cfs
MN DNR interprets the Buyck gauge as Scrapable below 70 cfs, Low from 70 to 200, Medium from 200 to 1,300, High from 1,300 to 1,600, and Very High above 1,600.
- Current gauge check187 cfs at 2026-07-17 01:45 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Buyck in the official low band during this run, just below the preferred medium band.
- Camping supportDesignated watercraft campsites on route
DNR Map 1 marks watercraft campsites near river miles 41.0, 39.3, and 36.1. Use only designated sites or legal public-land camping rules.
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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
Share your trip
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
Vermilion River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Vermilion River?
Paddle Today watches Vermilion River at Buyck, CSAH 24 and treats 200 cfs to 1,300 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Vermilion River route start and end?
This route starts at Vermilion River, Shively Falls Public Water Access Site and ends at Vermilion River, 8 Mile Creek Public Water Access Site, about 9.6 mi on the water.
Is this Vermilion 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.