Considering a day paddle from Rapidan to Mankato/Minnesota River Confluence. Has anyone ever launched a canoe or kayak here? In looking online, it looks like you have to pay a fee to camp but doesn’t mention about utilization of the carry-in access. The access it’s located past the gate by the campsites, if you’re only launching for a day trip, do you have to pay just to keep your vehicle there?
No fee to fish or launch there. I’d watch the USGS site for current water levels.
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/mn/nwis/uv/?site_no=05320000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060
The parking lot can get a little crowded on the weekends, and it’s a little steep to get down there but otherwise its a great spot to launch.
AWESOME! Thanks Eric. Yes, I’m watching the levels – I don’t live very far away and can make the “go” decision pretty spontaneously. In doing some research, I don’t think I’ll launch if the river is above 4 ft at Rapidan. I want a leasurly paddle. I like the small rapids but don’t want fast current all the way.
It’s a gorgeous paddle. Doesn’t seem like southern MN
It’s a gorgeous paddle. Doesn’t seem like southern MN
Agree – and can’t wait. I’ve lived within an hour of it pretty much my whole life and had heard of it, but never really checked it out until last weekend when I took a drive to the dam. I was amazed how deep the gorge was. you could be a mile away and not know it’s there. Now I gotta get on that water!
There’s a few waterfalls you can stop at and walk through the gorges. Almost feels like a jungle
Fun paddle.
Few areas that can get the inexperienced in trouble.
With the recent rains, i’d use caution and stay away if you are not experienced paneling a river.
If you are experienced…You need to look into the Big Cobb. Down right knarly if you hit it in spring high water!! I about lost my life there 3x on one trip – record height – average speed in a canoe was 15 mph 
I’ve been on all those local rivers of mankato at peak flows and most at low flows.
The MN river from Judson to Mankato would be a good one to get you started if you aren’t familiar paddling rivers.
Fairly experienced, but getting older and don’t crave the whitewater adventure as much as I did when I was younger. Now just happy to enjoy nature with a fun bump or two along the way. actually would like to do the entire Minnesota in chunks some summer. My main vessel (and likely the one I’d take on this journey) is a 12 ft. SOT fishing kayak. Not as maneuverable as a touring kayak, but I think it would handle class 1’s on this journey just fine.
I kayaked the Blue Earth about a month ago on a 8 mile stretch in the area between Garden City and Rapidan. Was totally amazed, the 100 foot high vertical sand walls in areas incredible. Never thought I’d see that type of scenery in Minnesota. Hoping I can make it back soon.
I kayaked the Blue Earth about a month ago on a 8 mile stretch in the area between Garden City and Rapidan. Was totally amazed, the 100 foot high vertical sand walls in areas incredible. Never thought I’d see that type of scenery in Minnesota. Hoping I can make it back soon.
Are you able to get out comfortably – as in close, to the park without getting too close to the dam? It couldn’t see any take-out points looking south from the on top of the Dam.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>munchy wrote:</div>
I kayaked the Blue Earth about a month ago on a 8 mile stretch in the area between Garden City and Rapidan. Was totally amazed, the 100 foot high vertical sand walls in areas incredible. Never thought I’d see that type of scenery in Minnesota. Hoping I can make it back soon.Are you able to get out comfortably – as in close, to the park without getting too close to the dam? It couldn’t see any take-out points looking south from the on top of the Dam.
I didn’t actually get that far down stream. By 8 mile stretch I mean 8 river miles. It’s probably 30 river miles between Garden City and Rapidan(maybe more). I was with one of the farmers that own a bunch of the land along the river and we used his property to launch and one of his neighbors to land. We dropped in somewhere near Goose Rd and got out a little past 34 I believe.
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