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.
Weather comparison · not a safety rating
Mixed weather
Weather score out of 100
Weather only. River flow, dam releases, water temperature and local hazards are not included in this number. Check the local guidance below.
Weather observation: Sun, 08 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT.
River observation: Sun, 08 Nov 2026 15:00:00 GMT.
Page checked: Sun, 08 Nov 2026 15:54:19 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.
Wind
10 mph
gusting to 22 mph
Air temp
47°F
0% chance of rain
River flow
22,800 cfs
very high for this date
Weather outlook
Tuesday · 97
Sun
78
53°
Mon
66
54°
Tue
97
58°
Best
Wed
71
51°
Thu
53
39°
Fri
71
41°
Sat
79
46°
Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.
Wind, next 12 hours
mph| Hour | Wind (mph) | Gusts (mph) |
|---|---|---|
| 9a | 8 | 21 |
| 10a | 9 | 20 |
| 11a | 10 | 19 |
| 12p | 10 | 18 |
| 1p | 10 | 18 |
| 2p | 10 | 17 |
| 3p | 9 | 18 |
| 4p | 8 | 18 |
| 5p | 5 | 9 |
| 6p | 4 | 10 |
| 7p | 4 | 9 |
| 8p | 2 | 8 |
Is this flow normal for November 8?
Today's 22,800 cfs is 227% above the median for this date — which counts as very high water here.
The median flow on this date is 6,970 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 — 10 mph — moderate wind at the forecast location-8
- Gusts — Gusting to 22 mph — 12 mph over sustained-4
- Cold — 47°F air temperature — cool weather; water temperature is not measured-20
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