Kayaking at Mississippi Gateway • Twin Cities Outdoors

Brooklyn Park, Hennepin County • No fee

Mississippi River at Mississippi Gateway Regional Park — *The Mississippi River below the Coon Rapids Dam (see it in the background?)*

Mississippi Gateway Regional Park is a great local place to launch your canoe or kayak for a paddle trip on the Mississippi River.

What Makes Mississippi Gateway a Great Place to Paddle

Unlike Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park across the river, this park has canoe launches below the Dam. From here you can paddle to a variety of exit points downriver, depending on your desired length.

EASY ACCESS—The canoe launches are a short portage from the main parking lot next to the Visitor Center at the Park. There are two launches within a few yards of each other, both well-made and roomy. There’s plenty or space along the sandy bank to line up several boats if you have a large party.

Mississippi Gateway canoe launch — *Canoe or kayak launch*

boat launch mississippi gateway regional park — *Another launch a few yards downriver*

From this point and downriver are several islands. You can choose your course. As long as you stay with the current you’ll eventually find yourself back on the main river just north of the Highway 610 bridge.

Mississippie Gateway map of canoe launch — *From the launch, choose to paddle between islands or over on the main section of the Mississippi*

KAYAK RENTALS—If you don’t have your own canoe or kayak, you can rent either a single or tandem kayak from the self-serve Paddle Share Station located between the two launch points.

This is a super cool idea! A partnership between Three Rivers Park District and the National Park Service make these kayaks available. Just go to paddleshare.org for all the info and to make your reservation. BE SURE to read the Important Information section if you don’t want any unpleasant surprises 🙂

PaddleShare kayak rentals — *Paddle Share kayaks at the self-service rental station*

There are eight Paddle Share stations on the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities Metro, including your choice of two you can exit at to return the kayak(s) you’ll rent here. There’s also info at the link above about ways to get back to your car once you come ashore.

2018 prices were $25 for a single kayak and $40 for a tandem (double). It doesn’t look like you have the option for a day-long paddle with these rentals, but the paddle station is very convenient if you want to be out for a couple hours.

How to Get There

Mississippi Gateway is a few minutes northeast of the Highway 610/Noble Parkway intersection. The address is 10360 West River Road in Brooklyn Park.

Sharon Brodin

Founder & Publisher of Twin Cities Outdoors at Brodin Press LLC

Sharon loves to hike, paddle, camp, snowshoe and cross country ski...and she bikes sometimes, too! Besides maintaining Twin Cities Outdoors and her other blog, Heaven and Nature, Sharon works on client writing and design projects.