Zumbro dam portage

Hopefully this is an easy ask – I am looking to canoe the Zumbro river from the dam at Lake Zumbro down to Zumbro falls. Not especially interested in putting in at Macs so I was hoping to portage around the dam after launching at the Ponderosa. One river map I see shows the portage on the west side of the dam and another shows the east? I can’t definitely tell by the satellite but I am guessing it is on the west side. Anyone have some more specific information? Thanks in advance!

Can I ask why not just put in at macs? Would be a lot easier and a lot less hassle then trying to go around the dam

I always thought the portage was on the East side of the dam but I personally have never used it. If you put in at ponderosa you’re only gonna go a couple hundred yards before having to portage….

You can walk the road down to below the dam on the west but you’ll still have to anty up to put the canoe in at Macs. Pretty sure on the pay anyhow. If you have some mountain goat genetics in you you’ll find an portage on the east side of the dam but I have no idea what kind of condition it is in. The drop is over 55 feet so keep that in mind. There’s a public launch site at CO. RD.’s 21 and 7 about four miles out of Macs but you’ll miss some great smallie opportunities between the dam and there….this incidentally is the best smallie water of the whole stretch you want to paddle.

The lake above the dam is at normal pool right now so also keep in mind that how well the river below is moving and how much water you’ll have is entirely dependent on whether they are generating electricity at the dam or not.

Plenty of water right now. There is still water going over the dam.

Thanks guys. Main reason I was hoping to avoid Macs was that I wanted to be on the water at 5 or just after and not have to deal with trying to get fees taken care of etc. I also thought I was turned away one time when I asked about fishing from shore but that was a long time ago and I might have just been cheap.

Call Macs and ask if there’s a launch fee and whether you can settle upon your return to your vehicle.