Anyone familiar w/ the Crow Wing?

Wilderness Tripping
#1

Not exactly wilderness, but it’s the first time over there for us. Central MN, the section below Nimrod. We plan to base camp at the Old Wadena County Park and do day trips above and below camp.



They’re having a drought right now. Hopefully we will get rain.



Thanks in advance!

#2

DNR info
I haven’t canoed it myself. But here is the address for the Minnesota DNR website information on the Crow Wing which includes a download of the river map.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/canoeing/crowwingriver/index.html

#3

Thanks, Daryl. Good link.
We downloaded the info a while back so the other families could take a look. Paddling MN book gives good info, too. I’ve talked to the local park manager, but was looking for someone who may have stayed at this park or paddled this section. If they don’t get rain over there, soon, we’ll have to head for a different river. NE Iowa is looking good right now.

#4

Crow Wing River
We got our rain last week, with more on the way. Here’s a link to the USGS stream flow date at the Nimrod gauge.



http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mn/nwis/uv?05244000



Chuck

#5

Thanks, Chuck
I just checked the usgs site when I got home tonight and it’s looking good. Hope it stays up for a few more weeks. I think the NW corner of MN is part of the watershed for the Crow Wing and they’re flooding up there. So maybe we’ll be ok.



What’s a good gage/discharge reading for this river? We will be below Nimrod. A range from scratchy to riffles washing out would be good to know.



How about snags/strainers? Are they common?



How about bear or cougar activity?



Thanks in advance!

#6

Crow Wing
I don’t know the minimum level for paddling, but something in the back of my mind says between 2.5 and 3 feet at the guage. Can’t be certain, though.



As for bears and cougars, not a problem. I don’t think there has been more than a handful of cougar sightings in all of Minnesota, and the Crow Wing is not so heavily used as to attract bears to the campsites like in the BWCA.



I have not been on the river in a couple of years, but the snags have never been much of a problem, especially below Nimrod. There may be a few to avoid, but they are not the norm.



More rain is expected for the entire region this week, so it’s looking positive.



Chuck

#7

Thanks again!
That’s all good news. Should make for a relaxing trip. Sounds like the bugs will be the featured challenge up there.

#8

water level
Ooops…my mistake. The minimum gauge level in Nimrod is 1.5 feet, NOT 2.5 feet. I checked the official Minnesota state guide (Paddling Minnesota)to be sure of my previous response and discovered my mistake.



It looks like you’ll have plenty of water after all!



Chuck

#9

Thanks. More rain is coming.
We’re running over the banks down here. Hope we don’t have too much rain up there.



Have you stayed at Cottingham Co. Park or Old Wadena Co. Park? If yes, which do you like better? We’re scheduled to base camp at Old Wadena, but I’m checking into Cottingham since that’s about in the middle of the section we think we’re going to paddle. The topo maop shows Cottingham is on a bluff, I think.