North Dakota | Pembina Gorge

Pembina River

Vang Bridge / County 55 to Walhalla Riverside Park

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Today

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Today's conditions

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Quick facts

On-water distance About 10.75 to 11 mi Vang Bridge / County 55 to Walhalla Riverside Park

Difficulty moderate American Whitewater lists the reach as Class I but describes boulder-garden rapids, small ledges and drops, strainers, quicksand-like mud or sand, steep banks, and exposed rocks at low water. Paddle it as a filtered whitewater/swiftwater route, not as a casual flatwater float.

Shuttle Car shuttle Stage the take-out at Walhalla Riverside Park or the adjacent Highway 32 / White Bridge access area before driving west to the Vang Bridge / County 55 put-in. Confirm current dock, path, parking, and park conditions before leaving vehicles because the put-in is a bridge-area carry and the take-out layout can shift with maintenance or river conditions.

Permits None noted No route-specific private paddling permit is known. Use only signed or customary public access at Vang Bridge, Brickmine Bridge, White Bridge, and Riverside Park, follow North Dakota boating and PFD rules, and skip the run when the river is outside the American Whitewater range or local/state access is closed.

Camping Options nearby Treat this as a daylight Pembina Gorge day run. Riverside Park has city campground facilities, but do not camp or stop on private banks along the river unless a site is clearly public and open.

Season May-Aug ND Parks and North Dakota Tourism frame Pembina Gorge paddling as condition-dependent and most common around May and June, while local outfitter-style use can continue into summer when water remains adequate. Check the gauge, recent rain, state-park notices, and local access status before committing to the shuttle.

Plan

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Access plan

Access, shuttle, and map

Launch at the Vang Bridge / County 55 access and take out at the Walhalla Highway 32 / Riverside Park access corridor for the main Pembina Gorge run. Use the direct USGS Walhalla gauge and American Whitewater range, with conservative caution for boulder gardens, strainers, muddy banks, and fast storm response.

Directions Apple Maps OpenStreetMap

Start

Put-in

Vang Bridge / County 55 access Open map

Pembina County and Walhalla/Rendezvous Region materials identify canoe and kayak access at Vang Bridge, Brickmine Bridge, White Bridge, and Riverside Park, but current dock placement, parking, and carry paths should be verified on arrival.

Finish

Take-out

Walhalla Riverside Park / White Bridge access Open map

American Whitewater places the put-in near County 55 / 104th Street NE and describes a roadside carry to a rocky area. Do not block the bridge, road shoulder, field approaches, or private drives.

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Access caveats

Pembina County and Walhalla/Rendezvous Region materials identify canoe and kayak access at Vang Bridge, Brickmine Bridge, White Bridge, and Riverside Park, but current dock placement, parking, and carry paths should be verified on arrival.
American Whitewater places the put-in near County 55 / 104th Street NE and describes a roadside carry to a rocky area. Do not block the bridge, road shoulder, field approaches, or private drives.
The take-out coordinate is American Whitewater feature data for the County 32 / Walhalla access area; some paddlers continue slightly to Riverside Park. Use current signs and local access boundaries.
ND Parks says Pembina River paddling is only when water levels allow. Rental operations, park notices, and local river reports may stop before the gauge reaches the absolute low cutoff used here.
Because American Whitewater is the primary threshold source and the reach includes Class I-II boulder-garden hazards, the route is whitewater-filtered in PaddleTodayV2.

Watch for

Boulder gardens, small ledges or drops, shallow rocks, and scraping near the 300 cfs low end.
Strainers, overhanging trees, flood debris, blind bends, steep muddy banks, and limited escape options in parts of the gorge.
Quicksand-like mud or sand, unstable banks, and private property away from named access points.
Fast rises after rain, high or pushy water near and above the high runnable range, cold water, thunderstorms, wind, and bridge hazards.
Missing the intended Walhalla / Riverside Park take-out and drifting into an unplanned downstream reach.

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Sources

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Outlook Tomorrow and weekend

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Data behind the score Gauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge site	Pembina River at Walhalla, ND
Discharge	Checking
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Target band	600 cfs to 1,400 cfs
Low threshold	300 cfs
High threshold	3,000 cfs
Data confidence behind the range	Local route guidance
Gauge observed	Checking
Paddle Today updated	Checking
Main source behind this score	American Whitewater Pembina gauge ranges
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Notes What to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

Public access corridor Vang Bridge to Riverside Park

Pembina County and Walhalla/Rendezvous Region materials identify canoe and kayak access docks at Vang Bridge, Brickmine Bridge, White Bridge, and Riverside Park for Pembina River access.

Source
State paddling context 3.5 mi or 10.75 mi paddle

The North Dakota Parks Pembina Gorge map says visitors can kayak or canoe the Pembina River when water levels allow and describes 3.5-mile and 10.75-mile paddle options.

Source
Direct live gauge USGS 05099600

USGS Water Services returned current Pembina River at Walhalla values during implementation: 558 cfs and 3.02 ft at 2026-06-12 10:00 CDT.

Source
Route-specific thresholds 300-3,000 cfs runnable range

American Whitewater ties the County 55-to-County 32 reach to the Walhalla gauge, with 300-800 cfs low runnable, 800-1,400 cfs medium runnable, 1,400-3,000 cfs high runnable, and over 3,000 cfs above recommended.

Source
Endpoint coordinates 48.9169, -98.056 to 48.91360599, -97.91712315

American Whitewater feature data places the put-in at County 55 / 104th Street NE near Vang and the take-out near the Walhalla County 32 / Riverside Park access corridor.

Source

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Quick answers

Pembina River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Pembina River?

Paddle Today watches Pembina River at Walhalla, ND and treats 600 cfs to 1,400 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Pembina River route start and end?

This route starts at Vang Bridge / County 55 access and ends at Walhalla Riverside Park / White Bridge access, about About 10.75 to 11 mi on the water.

Is this Pembina River route good for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.

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