Minnesota-Redwood River Water Trail

A STATE WATER TRAIL GUIDE TO THE MINNESOTA RIVER (Includes the Redwood River)

. O Boon

O I C WinfieldWinfiei d LLakeake C 11 Route Descriptions of the Minnesota & Redwood Rivers C W.M.A.W.M.A..AA BoonBoon LakeLakek Palmer Creek 10 SloughSloSloughu h W.M.A.W.M.A.MAA eek 5 r Rosasseno SSloughSlough NOTE: (R) and (L) represent right and left banks of the river when facing downstream. CCreek W.M.A.W.M.A. 7171 I Granite 11 Minnesota River Miles

CHIPPEWA CO. RENVILLE CO. 37 11 171.5 (L) Confluence of Threemile Creek. Falls 1111 1111 Roe 9 6 243.3 Watercraft campsite, class I rapids 170.7 (L) Mack Lake County Park carry-in1111 access and BLIND CORNER 23 240 Portage right 242.2 (L) Confluence of Palmer Creek. watercraft campsite. 250 yards 4 Hawk 65 241.5 (R) Roe water access. 167.4 (R) Kettner’s Landing water access. 212 Minnesota 5959 Falls 12 1 241.3 Class I rapids. 167.4 (L) Watercraft campsite. Churchilll 55 21 239.7 Dam, portage right 250 yards. City of Granite Falls. 1616 Confluence of Fort Ridgely Creek. Blue Devil War 164.4 (L) Valley S.N.A. Memorial 212 239.1 Highway 67 bridge. 163.3 (L) Water access, Highway 4 bridge.2222 Park Minnesota Falls SacredS 238.6 (R) War Memorial Park water access, watercraft Confluence of SpringCCreekreek Creek. envillev DanubeD EastEas 159.5 (L) 235 Portage right HeHeartart t Kinney 200 yards 1414 Fork campsite and drinking water. BuffaloBuffffalo Confluence of Little Rock Creek. BeaverBeBea 153.0 (L) 39 212212 ver Gneiss Outcrops 236.4 Dam,r portageCr.Cr. right 200 yards. 152.0 (L) Harkin Store carry-in access. CAUTION: steep bank. S.N.A. 233.7 (R) Water access, town of Kinney. OliviaO 23 232.3 (R) Confluence5 of Hazel Creek. 23 Hazel DybsandDybsand 231.0 (L) Watercraft campsite. Redwood River Miles 10 reek BirdBird IIslandsland 230 9 W.M.A.W.M.A. CCreek 230.6 (L) Water access, town of Frederickson. Scout Island Cr. 52 226.9 (R) Upper Sioux Agency State Park, vehicle permit 59.1 County Road 33 bridge, town of Marshall. 53 8 Upper Sioux 67 Trongard 5353 required. Water access, watercraft campsite and 56.8 300th Street bridge Lorne Indian Reservation W.M.A. drinking water. 56.0 Bridge. 21 13 7171 225.3 (R) Confluence of Yellow Medicine River. 54.7 Bridge. 274 225 225.0 (L) 55 6 Confluence of Hawk Creek. 53.0 Highway 23 Bridge, town of Green Valley, Class I

t River r 1 224.6 County Road 10 bridge. rapids. BuffaloBuBuffffaloo MMedicine Upper Sioux Agency Fee 17 224.3 (L) Skalbekken County Park, carry-in access and LakLak HeartHHea 51.7 280th. Avenue Bridge, Class I rapids. Charged 17 212 State Park 1717 watercraft campsite. 50.2 County Road 73/290th. Avenue bridge. 3 YYellowellowell YELLOW MEDICINE81 CO. WWest 221.9 (R) Confluence of Wood Lake Creek. 47.7 (L) Confluence of Threemile Creek. est RENVILLE CO. 217.6 County Road 7 bridge. Skalbekken Sacred HeartHHeart 47.4 County Road 9 bridge. County Park W.M.A. 215.3 Class I rapids. 45.2 Class I rapids. 220 9 12 EasEast LLakea 214.0 (R) Creek 18 t Confluence of Boiling Spring Creek. 44.5 Possible portage point.

. oodod 213.9 County Road 19 bridge 42.6 County Road 11 bridge. .

O. 81 O

O. WoodW HigHHighbankh Lone Tree O ed LLakea Lake FFork 212.5 (R) Confluence of Echo Creek. 40.4 Aspen Avenue bridge. 1818 Joe Slough ork WoodWood 7 Sacr 211.1-210.3 Class I rapids. 38.0 Balsa Avenue bridge. Y LakeLake C EY 210.6 (L) Confluence of Sacred Heart Creek. 36.3 County Road 8 bridge. Swedes Forest 6

SIBL S.N.A. - Homme Iverson I 209.1 (L) Vicksburg County Park water access and watercraft 32.6 County Road 59 bridge. C SIBLEY

KKulstadulstadd Lake E E Kollin Unit 215 1 FFork ork campsite. 28.9 (L)

RENVILLE C RENVILLE Faxvog WMA carry-in access, Highway 19 bridge,C RENVILLE LLakeake 2 27 Creek 4 209.0 County Road 6 bridge. Eagle Avenue bridge. 15 4 206.8 Patterson’s Rapids4 (Class I) 8 Vicksburg 27.8 4County Road 10 bridge, town of Vesta. 2 I County Park ood Timms 206.5 (L) Confluence of Timms Creek. 3 22.0 County Road 7 bridge, town of Seaforth, Garden e 67 210 Spring 205.1 County Road 17 bridge. Avenue bridge. 204.3 (L) Confluence of Middle Creek. 21.5 (R) Confluence of Clear Creek, Harvest Avenue bridge. 21 eek r Creek Creek BechynBechyn CreekC 200.8 (L) Confluence of Smith Creek. 17.3 Township Road 65 bridge. 6 BoilinBoilingB ngn 200.4 (R) Confluence of Camp Pope Creek. 15.3 Class I rapids. 7 Patterson’s 197.5 (R) Water access, County Road 1 bridge. 13.3 (L) Trader water access, County Road 6 bridge, Class I O Creek Cummings Lake Rapids C 197.1 (R) Confluence of Redwood River. City of rapids. 19 I TTysonyson Gold Mine Middle Redwood Falls 11.0 Class I rapids. Lake 15

LakeLake . Echoh Echo 195.6 (R) Watercraft campsite. 9.2 Township Road 17 bridge, Class I rapids. O 1 IC Creek CC 6 1 D 9 194.1 (L) Confluence of Beaver Creek. 6.5 Lake Redwood. 205 Cedar D C 191.3 (R) Confluence of Crow Creek. MM Rock 19 5.8 (L) Westside Park water access, town of Redwood Falls. OO Cr. W.M.A. Smith 189.7 (R) Water access. 5.7 Highway 19 Bridge and Dam. Impassable with no Rice Birch OW MEDICINE WOOW BBelviewelview 188.9 Highway 17/19 bridge. LL Delhi portage. Vehicle shuttle downstream to Ramsey Park

D 9 23 71 186.2 (L) Confluence of Birch Coulee Creek. is recommended. REDWOOD CO. REDWOOD RE YELLOW MEDICINE CO. MEDICINE YELLOW YEL Beaver Coulee 2626 17 Camp Pope 15 178.4 (R) Confluence of Wabasha Creek. 5.0 Alexander2 Ramsey City Park. 1 179.4 (L) Water access, watercraft campsite and rest area. 4.5 (L) Confluence of Ramsey Creek, County 31 bridge. CuCurtisrtis eek Cr 200 County Road 11 bridge, town of Franklin. 4.0 (R) Ramsey Park Campground, Class I rapids. PosenPosens LakeLake 6767 2 WW.M.A..MM.A.M 267267 Beaver Falls 1.1 County Road 101 bridge. W.M.A. Klabunde 2 0.0 Confluence of Minnesota River. 6 25 W.M.A. 0 PPosenosen 17 195 18 WW.M.A..M.A.MA North Delhi Redwood W.M.A. C Timmsm r 16 WW.M.A..M.M A. eek Morton eek 4 4646 6 Cr Ramsey Tiger Lake 46 19 6767 5 73 19 6767 W.M.A. 190 5 3 19 67 71 19 2727 Crow 74 8 Redwood RENVILLE CO. Cr. 19 Redwood Falls 24 Lower Sioux 19 River Lake Indian 59 2 185 FFairfaxairfaxf Reservation Franklin 10 51 19 30 7 180 F 30 Vesta Redwood o r RE 3 t Faxvog 17 DWOOD CO 16 30 13 35 Th 30 67 . reemile See continuation 25 7171 Wabasha inset below 15 5 2727 10 4 Faxvog 6 reek 11 C C Ridgely W.M.A. reek 20 65 2 175 8 56 Mudu Seaforth LakeLakek

O. UniversityUniversits y 1 .

O. of Mack Lake O MinnesMinnesotasootat 8 Park .

O RohRohliklik O Cr

E E WW.M.A..M.A. C C

1919 C LE

5 C 12 eek 77

Y 12 170 Y YC Y

V BROWN C BROWN Fort Ridgely 7 Daubs GilfillanG 1717 State Park Western Continuation of the Redwood River LakLakee WW.M.A..M.A. 6 11 10

RENVIL SIBLE

RENVILLE C RENVILLE

SIBLEY C SIBLEY Minnesota River Luescher-BarnumLuesL e cher-Bara num 21 NICOLLET CO. Green WW.M.A..M.A.M W.MA. OLLETLL CO. Valley 7 165 27 8 8 8 5 50 30 Lone 10 Little W.M.A. 45 Kettner’s 2 Tree Landing 21 35 Carry-in Access Rapids Lake 40 Designated Public Land 55 11 9 Water Access Dam Tribal Land Morgana 8 5 R 68 ock 68 3 30 30 59 23 8 1 Rest Area Fishing Pier 59

Cr ON

333 O 160 YY CAUTION: eek LLL LYON CO. LYON W.M.A. = Wildlife Management Area Spring 21 WOOD 7070 155 steep 60 D 6868 bank 68 Watercraft CampsiteRowenaRowenawe Drinking Water S.N.A. = Scientific and Natural13 Area Creek REDWOOD CO. REDWOOD RE 68 1919 19 1616 8 10 Clementss 1616 4 Rolling Hillsls SandySandy Slough 17 7171 Marshall 688 19 W.M.A.W.M.A. Campground Outfitter W.M.A.W.M.A.. 0 12345 Miles 7 19 r. 59 C 9 68 River Mile 0 63 12341 5 Kilometers 2929 65 CliftonClifton 1111 23 W.M.A.W.M.A. NORTH 29 Johns

MINNESOTA WATER A STATE RIVER TRAIL Guide

The Upper Minnesota River Valley is one of the most impressive landscapes in southwestern Minnesota. The vegetation found along the floodplain-silver maple, willow, cottonwood and includes the Redwood River ash-is a pleasing contrast to the upland bluffs of red cedar and pockets of prairie grasses.

Minnesota State Parks and Trails

www.mndnr.gov/watertrails RENVILLE COUNTY PARK #4 The Minnesota River Planning a Safe River Trip 94 Mississippi Patterson’s Rapids (river mile 225.9) is a A successful river trip is safe. To enjoy a safe Sauk Center short stretch of whitewater tumbling over a bed journey, you should be prepared by acquainting 59 Chippewa R. 71 94 of glacial drift boulders. The rapids fall about yourself with your route. Choose a distance that Sauk 169 R. five feet in one-third of a mile and are of is comfortable for you. Water levels can speed River intermediate difficulty at normal water levels. up or slow down your trip: get information about Pomme de Terre R. 12 water levels from the regional DNR office, DNR N. Fork Crow R. Appleton website, or DNR Information Center. Protect the Willmar The rapids were named after Charles water and shorelands and leave nothing behind 12 Patterson, an early trader who established a you except footprints. Remember that much of 212 Montevideo S. Fork Crow R. trading post at the rapids in 1783. Sacred Heart RAPIDS NEAR PATTERSON’S Granite 71 the shorelands are privately owned.

Falls Creek, which enters the Minnesota here, and the PHOTOGRAPHY RAPIDS; BENDA NEAR PATTERSON’S Minnesota Lac qui Parle R. 59 212 nearby town of Sacred Heart also owe their GRANITE FALLS names to Patterson. The trader wore a bearskin Trip Planning • Bring drinking water. It is only available at a Yellow Medicine RedwoodR. R. hat and, since the bear was a sacred animal to the Wildlife limited number of rest areas. Drinking river 169 A gentle river seldom interrupted by rapids, • Travel with a companion or group. Plan your water is not recommended, but if you do it Marshall Redwood Dakota, they called him the Sacred Hat man; this The Minnesota River is a haven for bird life. trip with a map before you depart and advise Falls the Minnesota is one of the few canoeable rivers must be treated. River name later became Sacred Heart. Several species of waterfowl and wetland birds 14 in southwestern Minnesota and offers some of someone of your plans, including planned use the river corridor for nesting, breeding and departure and arrival times. • Respect private property. Stop only at Cottonwood R. the most impressive landscapes in this part of the 14 resting during migration. Pheasants and gray designated sites; much of the shoreland is 71 River state. • Most people paddle two to three river miles Watonwan (hungarian) partridge find thick cover in the river private property. 59 169 per hour. valley for nesting and for protection from harsh • Be sanitary! Use designated toilet facilities or Windom Blue Earth • Bring a first-aid kit that includes waterproof River The stretch between Granite Falls and winter storms. bury human waste away from the river. Minnesota Highway 4 is rich in Minnesota matches. history. From Granite Falls to North Redwood • Be cautious of river obstructions, such as The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources the Minnesota flows through an area of granite Fishing overhanging and dead trees in the river. Sustainable Ecosystems is an Equal Opportunity Employer. • You must pack out KINNEY ACCESS outcrops. Some outcrops are the oldest rocks The Minnesota also supports a large and Outdoor recreation is dependent on a healthy all trash. discovered in North America, dating back more relatively diverse fish population. Although carp and attractive natural environment. Sustainable • Leave only than three billion years. The banks along this and other riverine fish predominate, anglers outdoor recreation enables people to enjoy the stretch of river are heavily forested with maple, searching the snags and roots wads can footprints; take This information is available in alternative outdoors without negative impacts on the elm, cottonwood and willow. Away from the SIOUX INDIAN RESERFVATION LOWER occasionally hook flathead catfish exceeding 40 only photographs! format upon request. environment. river the high granite domes are covered with pounds. Anglers searching river runs and pools cedar and oak. The area near Patterson’s Rapids was the site can also hook channel catfish exceeding 10 Boating Minnesota State Parks and Trails of a short-lived gold rush in the 1890s. pounds. Communities working together can improve Before the 1862 Information Area Office Dakota Conflict, the Discovered in 1894, the gold vein was soon water resources by promoting environmentally 10590 County Road 8 NE Upper Sioux Agency depleted and the boom town of Springville Walleye, sauger, and white bass are fairly • Wear a U.S. Coast sensitive land-use practices along rivers and Spicer, MN 56288 (river mile 240) was became a ghost town. numerous and vulnerable to angling when Guard-approved throughout watersheds. Natural shoreline buffers (320) 796-2161 one of the dispersal congregated. Anglers may also catch an personal flotation improve water quality by filtering out pollutants points where the U.S. occasional northern pike, smallmouth bass, and device that state and sediments. Online water trail information and maps can In the summer of 1862 the Dakota faced shovelnose sturgeon. Anglers fishing backwaters law requires to be be found at www.mndnr.gov/watertrails government starvation when their government annuities were distributed food, areas can occasionally find bluegill and black on board the craft. delayed by bureaucratic red tape. During the ccrappie. Healthy and diverse native shoreline plant supplies and annual resultant Dakota Conflict the Indians attacked • Bring an extra paddle. communities are attractive and provide important DNR Information Center payments to the settlements throughout the river valley and • Not all portions of this water trail are suitable habitat for birds and wildlife. The DNR’s Information Center is available to provide free publications of Anglers facilities and services as well as answers questions pertaining to DNR Dakota Indians, who prepared to overrun the small garrison at Fort for motor use. recreational opportunities in Minnesota. were confined by sshould continue to Ridgely. Chief Big Eagle later explained, “We rreport tagged • Register your watercraft. All watercraft more treaties to thought the fort was the door to the valley as far than 9 feet in length, including nonmotorized The DNR Information Center reservations along fflathead catfish to 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4040 as to St. Paul, and this if we got through the door canoes and kayaks, must be registered in 651-296-6157 (Metro Area) DDepartment of UPPER SIOUX AGENCY STATE PARK STATE AGENCY UPPER SIOUX the river. nothing could stop us this side of the Natural 1-888-MINNDNR (646-6367 MN Toll-Free) nnatural Resources, Minnesota or your state of residence. Shorelands TTY: 651-296-5484 (Metro Area) Mississippi.” HHutchinson 40% evaporation TTY: 1-800-657-3929 (MN Toll-Free) The agency was also an educational center FFisheries 10% runoff www.mndnr.gov Rest Areas and Camping Sites where Indians were taught farming, carpentry Valley settlers, some escaping the Dakota by MManagement 50% infiltration and other skills valued by white civilization. AArea, 20596 State • Public rest areas are available along the route Altered You can make a difference by joining the DNR means of the Redwood Ferry (river mile 198.8), Shorelands Adopt-a-River Program. Be a clean up volunteer for a During the uprising white settlers abandoned the had flocked to the fort for protection. There they HHighway 7, to rest, picnic and explore. 30% evaporation portion of your favorite recreation area. Call the DNR agency and the Dakota burned it to the ground. HHutchinson, MN 55% runoff Information Center for a brochure, or visit withstood Indian attacks until they were relieved • Camp only in designated campsites, which are 15% infiltration www.mndnr.gov/adoptariver. Today the area is preserved in Upper Sioux by state troops. The fort area is now preserved in 555350. available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Agency State Park.