Mississippi River
Kayak spot · United States
Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
68Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Tue 3: Wind 3 kn gusting 11, Air 15 °C
Tue 3 · 89 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 11kn
- Air
- 15°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Wed 4 · 80 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 13kn
- Air
- 12°C
- Rain
- 3.3 mm
Thu 5 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 9 kn
- Gusts
- 20kntoo gusty
- Air
- 10°C
- Rain
- 1.3 mm
Fri 6 · 74 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 13kn
- Air
- 8°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sat 7 · 74 out of 100
- Wind
- 4 kn
- Gusts
- 9kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sun 8 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 13 kn
- Gusts
- 28kntoo gusty
- Air
- 7°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Mon 9 · 75 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 11kn
- Air
- 9°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Tue 389, good
- Wed 480, good
- Thu 50, poor
- Fri 674, good
- Sat 774, good
- Sun 80, poor
- Mon 975, good
- Tue 1073, good
- Wed 1173, good
- Thu 1276, good
The spot in two facts
- Flat waterthe water
- Best Jun–Sep7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 3Nov | 89, good | 3 kn | 11kn | 15°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 80, good | 5 kn | 13kn | 12°C | 3.3 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 0, poor | 9 kn | 20kntoo gusty | 10°C | 1.3 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 74, good | 5 kn | 13kn | 8°C | 0 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 74, good | 4 kn | 9kn | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 0, poor | 13 kn | 28kntoo gusty | 7°C | 0 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 75, good | 3 kn | 11kn | 9°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 73, good | 5 kn | 17kn | 9°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 73, good | 7 kn | 17kn | 12°C | 0 mm |
| Thu 12Nov | 76, good | 7 kn | 18kn | 15°C | 0 mm |
Wind and gusts are in knots, rain in mm. The river's level is under In the water. 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 Jun–Sep
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for new paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan3of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb3of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar3of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr4of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May6of 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
- Oct5of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov3of 7: a trip from Wed 4 Nov
- Dec3of 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
Mississippi 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.
Photos of Mississippi River
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Mississippi River
A launch on the Mississippi River. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. OpenStreetMap marks the water open to canoes and kayaks. 2 paddling schools, clubs or hire within 10 km, the nearest 6.9 km away. For new paddlers the best months are usually June, July, August and September, with about 7 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Minneapolis. Within 5 km we also list 1 mountain bike area.
- River Mississippi River
- Grade No grade is stated.
- Who it suits No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle.
- Access OpenStreetMap marks the water open to canoes and kayaks.
- Schools, hire 2 paddling schools, clubs or hire within 10 km, the nearest 6.9 km away.
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$1,060–US$1,920 each
about US$1,060–US$1,920 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 MDW to MSP, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | about US$127–US$255 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | about US$40–US$67 |
| 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$1,060–US$1,920 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Minneapolis
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
about 10 min by car · 103 places to stay
about US$134/nightcountry average
About Minneapolis its beds, food and every spot near it
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 3h 45m
About 3h 45m door to door from Chicago
Fly MDW → MSP, direct, then 40 min by road
Flights MDW → MSP on your dates · AviasalesAd
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Minneapolis · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Minneapolis · GetYourGuide
River level
Gauge at MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT HWY 610 IN BROOKLYN PARK, MN, 12 km upstream: 128 m³/s, low for November (updated 3 h ago). Running.
Bands are this gauge's own record: under its usual low, running, high, and in flood on its few highest days a year. Not a runnable range for the section: check before you go. River levels in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey (public domain). Credits
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
Paddleboat Rental 19 km
The nearest named schools, clubs and kayak or canoe hire within 25 km, in a straight line. Listings, not a recommendation. 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.