State routes

North Dakota Rivers

Compare 7 tracked North Dakota paddle routes with route links, water-level context, difficulty, and access planning details.

3 routes support live scores. 4 planning-only routes provide trip details and source links without a live route score.

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7 routes3 rivers4 regions4 beginner routes

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Coverage snapshot

Explore supported North Dakota rivers

Scan the highlighted river network from above, then use the route guides and access markers to find a supported reach.

7 route markers1 multi-route rivers4 beginner routes

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Sheyenne National Grassland 4 North Dakota Badlands 1 Pembina Gorge 1 Sheyenne River Valley 1

Live conditions

Best North Dakota routes today

Loading current scores, gauge reads, and weather signals.

--Live

North Dakota Badlands

Little Missouri River

Rough Rider State Park to Medora Bridge

Moderate | About 3 mi | About 1.5 hr to 3 hr when the Medora gauge is at or above the NPS floor, longer with shallow dragging, wind, scouting, or a slow group | Live score supported

View trip details

--Live

Pembina Gorge

Pembina River

Vang Bridge / County 55 to Walhalla Riverside Park

Moderate | About 10.75 to 11 mi | About 3 hr to 5 hr for competent moving-water paddlers, longer with low-water scraping, scouting, wood, or wind | Live score supported

View trip details

--Live

Sheyenne River Valley

Sheyenne River

Valley City National Fish Hatchery to Chautauqua Park

Easy | About 3 mi | About 1 hr to 2 hr at ordinary flow, longer with low-water dragging, wind, or a slow group | Live score supported

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Current scores load here when available. You can still open the route links to check details and sources if this update fails.

Best route options

Good starting points in North Dakota

Ranked from route metadata, source support, difficulty, and logistics.

The Sheyenne River meanders through a North Dakota prairie corridor.

North Dakota routeSheyenne National GrasslandSheyenne RiverBrome Field hand-launch to Mirror Pool WMA hand-launchLaunch at Brome Field and take out at Mirror Pool WMA for a short Sheyenne National Grassland segment. Use the USGS Baldhill Dam discharge gauge as a co...

Route facts

Easy | About 4 mi | About 1.5 hr to 3 hr at ordinary flow, longer with low-water weaving, wood, or a slow group | Planning only · no live scoreofficial source support

North Dakota routeSheyenne National GrasslandSheyenne RiverMirror Pool WMA hand-launch to East River hand-launchLaunch at Mirror Pool WMA and take out at East River for the longer downstream Sheyenne National Grassland split. Use the USGS Baldhill Dam discharge ga...

Route facts

Easy | About 8 mi | About 3 hr to 5 hr at ordinary flow, longer with low-water weaving, wood, or a slow group | Planning only · no live scoreofficial source support

North Dakota routeSheyenne River ValleySheyenne RiverValley City National Fish Hatchery to Chautauqua ParkLaunch at the Valley City National Fish Hatchery and take out at Chautauqua Park for a short Sheyenne River Water Trail segment through Valley City. Use...

Route facts

Easy | About 3 mi | About 1 hr to 2 hr at ordinary flow, longer with low-water dragging, wind, or a slow group | Live score supportedofficial source support

North Dakota routeSheyenne National GrasslandSheyenne RiverYlvisaker Bridge hand-launch to Brome Field hand-launchLaunch at Ylvisaker Bridge and take out at Brome Field for the shortest named Sheyenne National Grassland split. Use the USGS Baldhill Dam discharge gau...

Route facts

Easy | About 3 mi | About 1 hr to 2.5 hr at ordinary flow, longer with low-water weaving, wood, or a slow group | Planning only · no live scoreofficial source support

North Dakota routeSheyenne National GrasslandSheyenne RiverBrome Field hand-launch to East River hand-launchLaunch at Brome Field and take out at East River for the longest currently documented Sheyenne National Grassland continuation. Use the USGS Baldhill Da...

Route facts

Moderate | About 13 mi | About 4 hr to 7 hr at ordinary flow, longer with low-water weaving, wood, or an overnight pace | Planning only · no live scoreofficial source support

The Little Missouri River winds through Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.

North Dakota routeNorth Dakota BadlandsLittle Missouri RiverRough Rider State Park to Medora BridgeLaunch from the Rough Rider / former Sully Creek State Park Little Missouri access and take out at the Medora Bridge corridor for the short NPS-listed t...

Route facts

Moderate | About 3 mi | About 1.5 hr to 3 hr when the Medora gauge is at or above the NPS floor, longer with shallow dragging, wind, scouting, or a slow group | Live score supportedofficial source support

Beginner routes

North Dakota beginner routes

These routes are tagged easy in the route data. Today's water can still change the call.

Sheyenne RiverBrome Field hand-launch to Mirror Pool WMA hand-launchSheyenne National Grassland | About 4 mi Sheyenne RiverMirror Pool WMA hand-launch to East River hand-launchSheyenne National Grassland | About 8 mi Sheyenne RiverValley City National Fish Hatchery to Chautauqua ParkSheyenne River Valley | About 3 mi Sheyenne RiverYlvisaker Bridge hand-launch to Brome Field hand-launchSheyenne National Grassland | About 3 mi

Weekend planning

Routes with practical logistics

Use the live weekend board for score-based recommendations.

Little Missouri RiverRough Rider State Park to Medora BridgeAbout 3 mi | About 1.5 hr to 3 hr when the Medora gauge is at or above the NPS floor, longer with shallow dragging, wind, scouting, or a slow group Pembina RiverVang Bridge / County 55 to Walhalla Riverside ParkAbout 10.75 to 11 mi | About 3 hr to 5 hr for competent moving-water paddlers, longer with low-water scraping, scouting, wood, or wind Sheyenne RiverBrome Field hand-launch to Mirror Pool WMA hand-launchAbout 4 mi | About 1.5 hr to 3 hr at ordinary flow, longer with low-water weaving, wood, or a slow group Sheyenne RiverMirror Pool WMA hand-launch to East River hand-launchAbout 8 mi | About 3 hr to 5 hr at ordinary flow, longer with low-water weaving, wood, or a slow group Sheyenne RiverValley City National Fish Hatchery to Chautauqua ParkAbout 3 mi | About 1 hr to 2 hr at ordinary flow, longer with low-water dragging, wind, or a slow group Sheyenne RiverYlvisaker Bridge hand-launch to Brome Field hand-launchAbout 3 mi | About 1 hr to 2.5 hr at ordinary flow, longer with low-water weaving, wood, or a slow group

Browse coverage

Rivers and regions

Expand a river or region to browse its routes.

By river

Sheyenne River5

Sheyenne River hub Brome Field hand-launch to East River hand-launch Brome Field hand-launch to Mirror Pool WMA hand-launch Mirror Pool WMA hand-launch to East River hand-launch Valley City National Fish Hatchery to Chautauqua Park Ylvisaker Bridge hand-launch to Brome Field hand-launch

Little Missouri River1

Rough Rider State Park to Medora Bridge

Pembina River1

Vang Bridge / County 55 to Walhalla Riverside Park

By region

North Dakota Badlands1

Little Missouri River: Rough Rider State Park to Medora Bridge

Pembina Gorge1

Pembina River: Vang Bridge / County 55 to Walhalla Riverside Park

Sheyenne National Grassland4

Sheyenne River: Brome Field hand-launch to East River hand-launch Sheyenne River: Brome Field hand-launch to Mirror Pool WMA hand-launch Sheyenne River: Mirror Pool WMA hand-launch to East River hand-launch Sheyenne River: Ylvisaker Bridge hand-launch to Brome Field hand-launch

Sheyenne River Valley1

Sheyenne River: Valley City National Fish Hatchery to Chautauqua Park

Need broader planning context?

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All tracked routes

Every North Dakota route on Paddle Today

7 routes with condition and access details.

Showing all 7 routes.

Little Missouri RiverRough Rider State Park to Medora BridgeNorth Dakota Badlands | Moderate | Live score supported Pembina RiverVang Bridge / County 55 to Walhalla Riverside ParkPembina Gorge | Moderate | Live score supported Sheyenne RiverBrome Field hand-launch to East River hand-launchSheyenne National Grassland | Moderate | Planning only · no live score Sheyenne RiverBrome Field hand-launch to Mirror Pool WMA hand-launchSheyenne National Grassland | Easy | Planning only · no live score Sheyenne RiverMirror Pool WMA hand-launch to East River hand-launchSheyenne National Grassland | Easy | Planning only · no live score Sheyenne RiverValley City National Fish Hatchery to Chautauqua ParkSheyenne River Valley | Easy | Live score supported Sheyenne RiverYlvisaker Bridge hand-launch to Brome Field hand-launchSheyenne National Grassland | Easy | Planning only · no live score

Quick answers

North Dakota paddling FAQ

How does Paddle Today choose North Dakota paddle routes?

Paddle Today lists source-backed routes with reviewed access and trip information. This page includes 3 routes with live-score support and 4 planning-only routes across 3 rivers. Planning-only routes do not have a live route score.

Are these North Dakota river conditions live?

Scored routes show the latest available conditions, subject to data availability. Planning-only routes provide trip information and source links without a live route score. Check update times and missing-data notices, and verify conditions with the linked managers before leaving.

Can I request another North Dakota route?

Yes. Use the request form to send the river, reach, access points, and any source links. Requests help prioritize useful additions with verified public access and route evidence.