St. Paul, MN · river · best for intermediates
Mississippi River — Hidden Falls
A surprisingly wild stretch of the Mississippi below the Ford Dam, with wooded bluffs, sandbars, and eagles. Current is real — plan a shuttle or paddle upstream first.
Send it
Paddle Score, from live wind and water conditions
Wind
9 mph
gusting to 15 mph
Air temp
83°F
25% chance of rain
River flow
5,030 cfs
runnable 3,000–30,000
Best day to paddle this week
Sunday · 97
Today
74
83°
Wed
54
79°
Thu
75
84°
Fri
9
95°
Sat
68
79°
Sun
97
70°
Best
Mon
46
68°
Scored from each day's peak forecast wind, heat, and rain chance — river flow isn't forecastable, so check back before you load the boat.
Wind, next 12 hours
mph| Hour | Wind (mph) | Gusts (mph) |
|---|---|---|
| 5p | 9 | 17 |
| 6p | 10 | 18 |
| 7p | 6 | 15 |
| 8p | 8 | 15 |
| 9p | 6 | 11 |
| 10p | 5 | 11 |
| 11p | 5 | 11 |
| 12a | 3 | 14 |
| 1a | 4 | 15 |
| 2a | 1 | 12 |
| 3a | 3 | 9 |
| 4a | 3 | 6 |
Is this flow normal for September 8?
Today's 5,030 cfs is 20% below the median for this date — which counts as normal water here.
The median flow on this date is 6,270 cfs, across 133 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.
Why this score
- Wind — 9 mph — noticeable but manageable-5
- River flow — 5,030 cfs — in the runnable range±0
Launch notes
Concrete ramp at Hidden Falls Regional Park, north gate. Watch for barge traffic in the main channel.
Do your own homework
We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.
- Paddler discussion on Reddit
Trip reports and local warnings, straight from the source
- Search American Whitewater
Rapid classifications and gauge-linked run descriptions
- Satellite view and access roads
Check parking, put-ins, and what the banks actually look like
- Video from this water
The fastest way to see the character of a run before you drive
- USGS gauge 05331000
Full hydrograph, historical flows, and station metadata