Minnesota River, Skalbekken Public Water Access Site

On Minnesota River

The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, about 332 miles long by the Wikipedia figure. The Minnesota DNR gives 318 miles for the state water trail and 320 miles on its fisheries page. The river starts at Big Stone Lake on the Minnesota–South Dakota border and runs southeast to Mankato. There it turns northeast and joins the Mississippi at Mendota, near Fort Snelling. Its watershed covers about 17,000 square miles of southern Minnesota and small parts of Iowa and South Dakota. A glacial river called River Warren carved the valley between 11,700 and 9,400 years ago. The river passes through Lac qui Parle Lake, where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built a dam. There are five dams on the upper river, including one at Granite Falls. More about Minnesota River.

Boating rules on Minnesota River

• Bloomington: 8 mph speed limit from sunrise to sunset on all city waters including the Minnesota River source
• Bloomington: 5 mph speed limit from sunset to sunrise on all city waters including the Minnesota River source
• Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge: boats allowed only in the main channel of the Minnesota River (non-motorized boats also allowed in areas open to waterfowl hunting during those seasons) source
• Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge: only non-motorized boats and boats with electric motors, only within the main channel of the Minnesota River source
• Two fishing lines allowed in open-water season downstream of the Granite Falls dam source

Community

Where people who use Minnesota River talk about it.

• Minnesota River State Water Trail (Minnesota DNR) Agency
• Minnesota River: Fishing and management (Minnesota DNR) Agency
• Lower Minnesota River Watershed District Association
• Lower Minnesota River Watershed District on Facebook Facebook
• Minnesota River Congress Association
• Minnesota River - Minnesota Lakes & Rivers forum (In-Depth Outdoors) Forum
• Search Reddit: r/minnesota Reddit
• Search all of Reddit for Minnesota River, Minnesota Reddit

Nearby launches

• Minnesota River, Fredrickson Public Water Access Site · 4.4 mi · Minnesota River
• Minnesota River, Minnesota Falls Public Water Access Site · 5.7 mi · Minnesota River
• Wood Lake Public Water Access Site · 5.8 mi · Wood Lake
• Minnesota River, Kinney Public Water Access Site · 6.2 mi · Minnesota River
• Minnesota River, War Memorial City Park Public Water Access Site · 7.6 mi · Minnesota River
• Minnesota River, Roe Access Public Water Access Site · 9.5 mi · Minnesota River