Hi everyone.  I am hoping to get more paddling in this year by doing some weekend trips on the rivers.  Hopefully within 2 hours of the metro.  One I plan on doing is the Rum River from Princeton to Anoka.

Does anyone have much experience on paddling the local rivers, that would want to give me some suggestions on possible routes, fishing, campsites/campgrounds, etc.?

Thanks!

One little known route is the Sauk River from Sauk Center to St. Cloud. I first paddled that river about 14 years ago with a reporter during my former newspaper days. Don't remember why we did it, but it was the beginning of discussion that resulted in the river being designated a canoe route, though not an official MN route.

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The river does cross I94 a few times, but it is soon left behind with each crossing. It looks and feels much more remote than it actually is.

I haven't paddled it for quite a few years, but remember only good things.

Chuck

One that I haven't done yet that I am looking at is the Zumbro River from Millville to Kellogg.  There are a couple riverside canoe campsites in the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest.  It would be a one-nighter.

Another is the Root River.  It has DNR campsites along it. This can be an overnighter or a few nights.