Red River of the North State Water Trail Map 2

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RED RIVER OF THE NORTH A State Water Trail Guide Section 2 of 3

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55 50 10 05 00 ˚ ˚ CONTINUED ON NEXT PANEL CONTINUED ON NEXT MAP ED RIVER ROUTE DESCRIPTION ˚ ˚ 22 ˚ 96 2 96 R 97 97 97 Except during floods, the Red River of the North is slow 290 R 64 moving and picturesque with its tree-covered banks and e 340 41 d 48˚05

Grand Marais ' frequent wildlife sightings. It is serene and quiet even as the

4 220 Red passes through cities. Reminders of the past are found in R Creek outlet 23 iv Bridge the muddy banks where bison bones occasionally are er 21 Climax exposed. These muddy banks may make access difficult 29

There are no rapids except at some of the dams. Low flow

a expose rocks and snags creating hazards for motors and n

Sand Hill d occasionally block the channel. River outlet 81 Direction of flow 47˚35 ' Note: River miles are counted beginning at the mouth of the H Red River at Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba, and ending at i l l Breckenridge, Minn., according to a system developed by the Marais River outlet

47˚35 ' 67

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Right (R) and left (L) refer to POLK CO.

' right and left bank, respectively, when facing downstream. GRAND FORKS CO.

R ˚ 345 iv 409.9 County Road 39 bridge. e 96 48 51 r ˚00 ' 392.8 County Roads 1/25 bridges. 64 21 392.7 Norman County Highway 25 Boat Ramp (R). Trailer access. Located north of bridge. Parking. Shore ' 10 ˚ fishing. No other facilities G 97 295 r a

2 75 n 392.5 Hendrum Watercraft Campsite (R). 0.3 miles d 21

past the access. Access by road and from the Red River. 220 M 350 No facilities. Hendrum is 1.5 miles to the east. For more a r a information call Hendrum City Hall at 218-861-6210. i s

North Grand Forks

Direction of flow Bridge vicinity of 392.5 Hendrum Community Park. 1.7 miles C Nielsville re east of the Red River on Norman County Highway 25. e 17 R Airport k e 64 Electric and tent sites, shelter, picnic tables, playground, 48˚00 d 1 ' water, and restrooms. Depending upon water levels, can be R Nielsville i 65 v accessed by canoeing up the Wild Rice River from the Red er River. For more information call Hendrum City Hall at 218- 355 861-6210. CAUTION: While some dams on the 387.0 Wild Rice River Outlet. English Coulee outlet Red River have been retrofitted with rock slopeways, one should consider all dams as dangerous. 381.9 State Highway 200 bridge. 81 47˚30 ' Riverside Dam/Rapids POLK CO. 381.5 Halstad Boat Ramp (R). Located north of bridge off Whopper John Little Landing 47˚30 2 NORMAN CO. ' of MN Highway 200 (240th Ave.) Parking. Shore fishing. N other facilities. Halsted is 0.8 miles to the east. Call Valley 300 Red River State Recreation Area Hardware at 218-456-2148 for current conditions. Calspur

364.8 County Highway 3 bridge. 47 Bridge East Grand Forks 360 ˚55 ' 363.8 Goose River Outlet. 2 Grand Forks LaFave Park Boat Landing 19 Marsh River outlet 362.9 Marsh River Outlet Demers Avenue Bridge Red Lake River outlet Red Lake River Boat Ramp 353.2 County Roads 17/1 bridges. 297 M Bridge BUS a 220 r 341.4 Sand Hill River Outlet. sh Lincoln Park Landing 2 er v BUS i Flaat 13 R Shelly 340.6 State Highway 220 bridge. 220 '

Caledonia 365 55 Bridge 3 ˚ 338.3 Belmont Park/Frog Point/Trail County Park 17 96 Campground and Ramp (L). located east of Buxton, ND 305 G off of Trail County Highway 2 and west of Climax, MN. oose 2 81 Concrete boat ramp, parking, camping, toilets, fire rings 47 ˚55 ' R electricity, water, and dock. Shore fishing. Historic site iv e 72 r 330.7 Buffalo Coulee Outlet

322.4 Thompson Road bridge. Check with local municipal 2 authorities for levels of 220 11 310.2 Cole Creek outlet. accessibility at city parks. 47˚25 ' 370 304.1 Lincoln Drive Park and Landing (L). Trailer access, 47˚25 ' restrooms, playground, picnic tables, shelter, water, access to 11 hiking and biking trails. Shore fishing. For more informatio and current conditions call 701-746-4636. See note below. 58 Mallory vicinity of 302.2 Red Lake River Dam Rapids (R). Located R 0.2 miles upstream from the confluence of the Red Lak 47 e ˚50 d ' Cole Creek outlet River and the Red River. Shore fishing L a 310 k 17 e 66 ek R re vicinity of 302.2 Red Lake River Water Acess (R). 0.5 e R C 29 d i v miles upstream from the confluence with the Red Rive . e r 75 N O R T H e 375 l Dam/rapids located between the confluence and the ramp o Parking. Shore fishing. No other facilities. For mor C R i v information and current conditions call 218-773-8000. See D A K O TA e note below. r

301.9 Railroad trestle. ' ee 58 05 l ˚ u o 301.9 LaFave Park Trailer access (R). Parking and dock. 97 C 380 South of Demers Avenue Bridge. Shore fishing. Restroo lm E M I N N E S O TA and picnic tables at Sacred Heart Trailhead. For more Direction of ow Bridge fl 19 information and current conditions call 218-773-8000. See 47˚50 200 Halstad Boat Ramp 315 ' note below. 59 Grandin Lake 147 301.7 Demers Avenue bridge. 58 Bygland Halstad 301.2 Red River State Recreation Area, Sherlock Park Campground (R). 72 campsites, 48 with full hookups. 47˚20 ' 21 Restrooms with showers, playground, picnic tables, access to hiking and biking trails. No direct river access but possible to beach a vessel on park property and walk a short distance to N O R T H M I N N E S O TA 47˚20 ' park office. Site of former neighborhood destroyed by flo 385 of 1997. For more information call 218-773-4950 or visit k e e 320 http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/red_river/index.html. r 15 C 200 GRAND FORKS CO.POLK CO. Wild Rice River outlet Make reservations at website: D A K O TA e mndnr.gov or 1-866-85PARKS. l o 47 C 3 ˚45 ' Check with local municipal 301.1 Gateway Drive/US Highway 2 bridge. 56 W authorities for levels of i ld accessibility at city parks. 300.0 Riverside Dam/Rapids. This dam was retrofitted wit . r a rock rapids to eliminate a dangerous undertow. The dam/ r Elm ve 2 B i R rapids is marked with large signs. No identified portage bu 220 . Thompson Road Bridge N 390 the ND side (left) has best elevation and access. 9 Ri 200 ver 299.8 Whopper John Little Landing (L). Water acess, Elm parking. Shore fishing. For current conditions cal

Norman R 701-746-4636. See note below. ic County e 9 Hwy 25 NOTE: The Cities of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks Hendrum Primitive Campsite 325 Boat Ramp Hendrum Community Park have determined that on-the-river use is unsafe at flood stag and above, which is 28 feet. Ramps will be closed when 47 the river reaches this level. See http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ ˚45 ' 1 nd/nwis/uv?05082500 for current river elevation or call 218-773-8000 or 701-746-4636 or 218-773-4950 for more ' 50 Bridge 25 information. ˚ 96 395 Hendrum Grand Forks and East Grand Forks have many more facilities Elm River outlet adjacent to the Red River in their Greenway. See web sites 47˚15 ' for more information and maps.

e r 47˚15 ' The MN DNR is developing additional access points in this TRAIL CO. area. For the latest information contact MN DNR at 218-681-0889. CASS CO. 330 Buffalo Coulee outlet For more information about the Red River visit the River 56 400 Keepers website at: riverkeepers.org 4 GRAND FORKS CO. R e

R Love 47˚40 d

' TRAIL CO. R

d Lake

i r v 2

r 6 Look for this symbol red river 45 of the north 2 along the Water Trail

e e Direction of flow l 405 u o Direction of flow C

o l a f 335 Map Key f u

B 75 47 ˚40 ' 375 River Mile Dam Hospital 94 Interstate Highway' 220 Bridge 00 ˚

97 410 39 Trailer Access Rest Area Shore Fishing 10 U.S. Highway TRAIL CO. 2 POLK CO. 75 Belmont Park/Frog Point Swenson Perley Campground Historic Site Lodging 9 State Highway Airstrip CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PANEL 47˚10 ' Watercraft Campsite Restrooms Note 18 County Road or Street 47˚10 ' ' ' 55 50 012Miles 012 Kilometers ˚ ˚ 96 96

26 ' ' '

55 50 45 ˚ CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS MAP 415 ˚ NORMAN CO. ˚

96 96 CLAY CO. 96 STATE WATER TRAIL MAP The Red River of the North along the banks of the Red River in the United Fishing on the Red River P LANNING A SAFE RIVER TRIP Boating Information States. Channel catfish and a diverse population The average slope of the Red River is just one- • Be aware that this river touches two states. IS DESIGNATED BY THE STATE OF Red River of other fish provide abundant angling half foot per mile, which makes the Red a slow- Each may have different regulations, especially Perley to Grand Forks - Map 2 of 3 MINNESOTA AS AN OFFICIAL CANOE Early Commerce opportunities in the Red. Species such as moving, easily navigable river. However, high regarding personal watercraft (jet skis). AND BOATING ROUTE. THE RED RIVER The Hudson’s Bay Company controlled northern pike, goldeye, carp, and a largely winds have been known to create whitecaps. It • Avoid the spread of exotic aquatic species: MEANDERS NORTHWAR D 550 MILES commerce in this area for almost two centuries. unfished population of trophy walleye lie features channel widths of less than 100 feet to mndnr.gov/exotics Trading in bison and beaver hides, they used within its waters. There is an international effort more than 500 feet at its northern reaches. At • Minnesota requires all watercraft, including FROM ITS source in Breckenridge, Minnesota large canoes and boats to ship goods to Europe underway to reintroduce the lake sturgeon, bank-full conditions, average depths vary from canoes and kayaks, to be registered in to Lake Winnipeg in Canada. The designated via Hudson Bay. The development of the Red which was decimated by overfishing and dams. 10 to 30 feet. Its flow can be widely fluctuating. Minnesota or state of residence. portion of the river, 394 miles, forms most River oxcart trail connected that trade route It’s the only fish species that doesn’t have an Devastating floods may be associated with • Low water conditions may not be suitable of the border between Minnesota and North with the Mississippi River and other parts of open season on the Red. summer rain storms and spring thaw. for boating. Snags are common. Leave motors Dakota. This map shows the middle 124-mile the United States. As trade continued to flourish, unlocked. section of the route from Perley to Grand Forks. so did the demand for more efficient means of Wildlife and Plants Along the Red Planning tips • Minimize wakes in developed areas and when transportation, and by 1859, Anson Northup, the Birdwatchers will enjoy sighting bald eagles, • Travel with a companion or group. passing canoes and boats. RED RIVER HISTORY man and his same-named steamboat, made their wood ducks, great blue herons, Canada geese, • Don’t overestimate your capabilities. Most debut on the Red. The oxcart trail system was pileated people paddle two to three river miles per hour. RED RIVER AREA RESOURCES connected with the Hudson’s Bay Company’s • Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal steamboat landing near Georgetown and the two floatation device (PFD), which state law MN DEPT OF NATURAL RESOURCES systems of land and water transportation were requires to be on board. 888-646-6367 or mndnr.gov connected. Eventually, steamboats couldn’t woodpeckers, • Check weather forecasts and flow rates. NORTH DAKOTA GAME AND FISH hawks, and owls. • Use a map, know your route, and tell someone compete with the much faster and cheaper 701-328-6300 or gf.nd.gov Minnesota Historical Society railroad which reached Moorhead in 1871. By Yellow warblers, of your plans. the turn of the century, steamboats were all but redstarts, Baltimore • Bring a first aid kit and know how to use it. CITY OF GRAND FORKS GREENWAY extinct on the Red River of the North. orioles, and indigo • Dams may not be marked. Refer to this map 701-787-3756 or grandforksgov.com/greenway David Lipp buntings can provide for locations. Current Uses of the Red a flash of color to the • Be prepared for limited access to drinking water, EAST GRAND FORKS PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT Red River bridge between Climax, MN and Frog Point, ca. 1910 Since the end of steamboat travel, the Red River quiet canoeist. sanitary and trash disposal facilities. 218-773-8000 or of the North is a much quieter place. At its During seasonal One of the world’s flattest landscapes, the Red ci.east-grand-forks.mn.us/parks height, the river hosted public swimming areas, migrations the River Valley is located on the eastern edge of a 140-foot ski jump tower, and even a floating corridor can be a GRAND FORKS PARK DISTRICT the Great Plains. By definition, the Red River noisy place with bird

stage for outdoor concerts. Today, its tree-lined Keepers River 701-746-2750 or gfparks.org Valley isn’t a valley in the geologic sense. banks offer serenity often forgotten just steps sounds. Lower water levels expose holes in Instead, it is a remnant of glacial Lake Agassiz, away in the lively cities that lie alongside the banks used by “bank” beavers instead of GREATER GRAND FORKS CONVENTION the former floor of a massive, prehistoric lake. it. Currently the Red River is undergoing their traditional huts. Other wildlife, such as AND VISITORS BUREAU 1-800-866-4566 or visitgrandforks.com resurgence with new adjacent park facilities, a raccoon, mink, squirrel, skunk, woodchuck, and Glacial Waters Create a Lake tour boat service, dam safety initiatives, and occasionally bear and moose visit the banks of Geologists believe Lake Agassiz was formed RED LAKE RIVER increasing recreational use. the Red. Some canoeists have reported seeing crk.umn.edu/nature-northwest/redlakewebsite/ when massive glaciers began to melt nearly more than 100 white-tailed deer in a single day. 12,000 years ago. When Lake Agassiz, the most SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEMS extensive body of water the North American The distribution of plant species within the Outdoor recreation is dependent on a healthy continent ever saw, began slowly draining riparian forest is determined by their location and attractive natural environment. Sustainable northward through Canada, and southeasterly within the flood plain. Look for willow, outdoor recreation enables people to enjoy toward Minnesota, the Red River of the North cottonwood, and box elder close to the water the outdoors without negative impacts on the was created. The Red River of the North, or and oak, ash, and elm further up the bank. Over environment. the “Rivieré Rouge du Nord” as early French the years plant species have changed due to Hand-made kayaks ready to float on the Red Rive Canadian explorers christened it, was probably impacts from European settlement and Dutch Access, Rest Areas and Camping Sites Communities working together can improve so-named because of its clay soils, muddy elm disease. • Formal access sites are limited. Road right-of- water resources by promoting environmentally banks, and reddish-brown silt-filled waters. ways adjacent to bridge crossing may be used sensitive land use practices along rivers and Large stumps mark the site where huge for canoe access but overnight parking is rarely Grand Forks/East Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce Grand Forks Grand Forks/East throughout watersheds. Early Residents cottonwoods towered over the Red. They allowed. Nomadic cultures arrived soon after the retreat were removed to decrease flooding caused by • Spring and summer flooding or low water Natural shoreline buffers improve water quality of the enormous glaciers, following the great red river snag-created dams. Minnesota’s second largest conditions may cause access sites to be by filtering out pollutants and sediments. of the north herds of bison and caribou. Then, 2,000 years Look for this symbol along the Water Trail peach leaf willow tree is on the banks of the Red unusable. Call ahead or check web sites for Healthy and diverse native shoreline plant ago, Indians from the forests of Minnesota adjacent to the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead. current conditions. communities are attractive and provide and Wisconsin began moving into the grassy Flood level monument in Grand Forks Flowering vines and shrubs, including the prairie • Formal camping sites are limited adjacent to important habitat for birds and wildlife. areas of the Red River Basin. The early rose, provide seasonal color. Beyond the riparian the river. They may be too far apart for certain 1800s brought the first permanent European F LORA AND FAUNA forest are vast fields of cropland including corn, trip lengths. Most riverfront property is privately settlements to the banks of the Red River in The tree-lined banks and flowing water are wheat, soybeans, and sugar beets. owned. Ask for permission before camping. present-day Manitoba. Throughout the century, almost an oddity in the vast flat prairie that DNR Information Center Consult websites and state maps for other park The DNR Information Center provides free publications of European immigrants would continue to trickle surrounds the river corridor. Wildlife, plants, locations. facilities and services, and answers questions pertaining down from Canada and from the east, settling and fish rarely found just 10 miles away may be to DNR recreational opportunities in Minnesota. abundant in the Red River environment. 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4040 651-296-6157 (Metro Area) 1-888-646-6367 (MN Toll Free) Natural mndnr.gov/watertrails Shorelands 40% evaporation

10% runoff

50% infiltration

Altered Shorelands

30% evaporation

55% runoff The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is an 15% infiltration Equal Opportunity Employer.

This information is available in alternative format upon request.

Left to Right: Riverside Dam Rapids. Start of Catfishing Tournament. Big Cats flourish in the Red R ver. (River Keepers, Chamber of Commerce – Grand Forks/East Grand Forks, River Keepers)