Big Sioux River
Kayak spot · United States
Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
64Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Fri 6: Wind 4 kn gusting 9, Air 12 °C
Mon 2 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 16 kn
- Gusts
- 33kntoo gusty
- Air
- 19°C
- Rain
- 6.5 mm
Tue 3 · 63 out of 100
- Wind
- 12 kn
- Gusts
- 22kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0.8 mm
Wed 4 · 60 out of 100
- Wind
- 12 kn
- Gusts
- 22kn
- Air
- 8°C
- Rain
- 1.8 mm
Thu 5 · 70 out of 100
- Wind
- 11 kn
- Gusts
- 22kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Fri 6 · 87 out of 100
- Wind
- 4 kn
- Gusts
- 9kn
- Air
- 12°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sat 7 · 85 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 13kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0.3 mm
Sun 8 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 20 kn
- Gusts
- 35kntoo gusty
- Air
- 8°C
- Rain
- 1.2 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Sun 179, good
- Mon 20, poor
- Tue 363, good
- Wed 460, good
- Thu 570, good
- Fri 687, good
- Sat 785, good
- Sun 80, poor
- Mon 981, good
- Tue 1087, good
The spot in one fact
- Flat waterthe water
Full forecast
every day, every number
The score doesn't know the river level, weirs or your skill.
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Air | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 1Nov | 79, good | 9 kn | 17kn | 18°C | 0.5 mm |
| Mon 2Nov | 0, poor | 16 kn | 33kntoo gusty | 19°C | 6.5 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 63, good | 12 kn | 22kn | 11°C | 0.8 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 60, good | 12 kn | 22kn | 8°C | 1.8 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 70, good | 11 kn | 22kn | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 87, good | 4 kn | 9kn | 12°C | 0 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 85, good | 6 kn | 13kn | 11°C | 0.3 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 0, poor | 20 kn | 35kntoo gusty | 8°C | 1.2 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 81, good | 1 kn | 8kn | 7°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 87, good | 2 kn | 13kn | 12°C | 0 mm |
Wind and gusts are in knots, rain in mm. River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go. More
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Best time to go
No month stands out
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for grade III paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan6of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb6of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar6of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr6of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May7of 7: a trip from Sat 1 May
- Jun7of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Jun
- Jul7of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Jul
- Aug7of 7: a trip from Sat 7 Aug
- Sep7of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct6of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov6of 7: a trip from Mon 2 Nov
- Dec6of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Dec
Tap a month to see this spot for a trip then.
Typical weather, not a forecast, and not the river's level: a month that is often good to be outside may still be low water.
Map
the spot and its town
Big Sioux River on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Big Sioux River
A launch on the Big Sioux River. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. No paddling school, club or hire within 50 km on the map. The town to stay in is Canton South Dakota.
- River Big Sioux River
- Grade No grade is stated.
- Who it suits No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle.
- Access No source states the access rules: check locally.
- Schools, hire No paddling school, club or hire within 50 km on the map.
Spots and rivers: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Whitewater sections © Rivermap (rivermap.org), Riverzone and Jonathan Riddell, ODbL.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,120–US$2,040 each
about US$1,120–US$2,040 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, taxi, stay, food, kayak hire.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to FSD, estimated from distance and season, 3 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | about US$134–US$281 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | about US$94–US$161 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$348–US$583 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$342–US$636 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$201–US$375 |
| Total | about US$1,120–US$2,040 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Canton South Dakota
13 min by car · 2 places to stay
about US$134/nightcountry average
About Canton South Dakota its beds, food and every spot near it
Nearest town: Canton South Dakota, 8 km. We have not checked places to stay in Canton South Dakota yet. The nearest beds we have counted are in Yankton, 78 km away. Search before you plan on staying there.
About US$134 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
Getting there: about 4h 35m
About 4h 35m door to door from Chicago
Fly ORD → FSD, direct, then 1h 05m by road
Flights ORD → FSD on your dates · Skyscanner
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Canton South Dakota · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Canton South Dakota · GetYourGuide
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
No paddling school, club or hire mapped within 50 km.
Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits