Big Sioux River
Kayak spot · United States
Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
41Poor out of 100 for your dates
Best on Fri 6: Wind 3 kn gusting 10, Air 9 °C
Mon 2 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 18 kn
- Gusts
- 32kntoo gusty
- Air
- 19°C
- Rain
- 12.2 mm
Tue 3 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 15 kn
- Gusts
- 27kntoo gusty
- Air
- 12°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Wed 4 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 12 kn
- Gusts
- 22kntoo gusty
- Air
- 7°C
- Rain
- 1.3 mm
Thu 5 · 58 out of 100
- Wind
- 10 kn
- Gusts
- 20kntoo gusty
- Air
- 12°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Fri 6 · 82 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 10kn
- Air
- 9°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sat 7 · 71 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 16kn
- Air
- 9°C
- Rain
- 1.5 mm
Sun 8 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 16 kn
- Gusts
- 30kntoo gusty
- Air
- 7°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Mon 20, poor
- Tue 30, poor
- Wed 40, poor
- Thu 558, fair
- Fri 682, good
- Sat 771, good
- Sun 80, poor
- Mon 968, good
- Tue 1086, good
- Wed 1131, poor
The spot in two facts
- Flat waterthe water
- Best in Jul7 good days in 7
Full forecast
every day, every number
The score doesn't know the river level, weirs or your skill.
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Air | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2Nov | 0, poor | 18 kn | 32kntoo gusty | 19°C | 12.2 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 0, poor | 15 kn | 27kntoo gusty | 12°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 0, poor | 12 kn | 22kntoo gusty | 7°C | 1.3 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 58, fair | 10 kn | 20kntoo gusty | 12°C | 0 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 82, good | 3 kn | 10kn | 9°C | 0 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 71, good | 5 kn | 16kn | 9°C | 1.5 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 0, poor | 16 kn | 30kntoo gusty | 7°C | 0 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 68, good | 5 kn | 11kn | 10°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 86, good | 3 kn | 8kn | 12°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 31, poor | 9 kn | 16kntoo gusty | 14°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
best in Jul
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for new paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan1of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb2of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar2of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr3of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May5of 7: a trip from Sat 1 May
- Jun6of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Jun
- Jul7of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Jul
- Aug6of 7: a trip from Sat 7 Aug
- Sep6of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct4of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov3of 7: a trip from Tue 3 Nov
- Dec2of 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. For new paddlers the best month is usually July, with about 7 good days in 7; in January, about 1. From the weather of past years. 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 2 November 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$282 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | about US$94–US$161 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$349–US$584 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$342–US$637 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$201–US$376 |
| Total | about US$1,120–US$2,040 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Canton South Dakota
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
about 15 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 Sioux Falls, 37 km away (about 1h 05m by car). 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 2 November 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 · AviasalesAd
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
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.