Knife River
Dunn / Mercer Co. · 120 mi · Class I
94.1CFS/ 1.74 ft
Optimal
→Stable
Optimal: 50–500 CFS · USGS #06340500
⚡Flow data is live from USGS·Rapid classifications and CFS ranges need community verification··Know this river?
120 mi
Length
Class I
Difficulty
50–500 cfs
Optimal
180 cfs
Avg Flow
162 cfs
Hist. Median
#06340500
USGS Gauge
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site

A small prairie river with outsized history — the Knife River flows past the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, where Sacagawea lived before joining Lewis and Clark. The river's flint-bearing banks gave it its name and made it a center of indigenous tool-making for thousands of years.

Trip sections
Upper Knife — Dunn Co. to Golden Valley, 50 mi, remote prairie
Beulah to Stanton — 30 mi, Knife River Indian Villages section
Outfitters
Knife River Indian Villages NHS
River access, cultural tours, earth lodge visits
72-Hour Flow Forecast
NOAA NWPS
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10-Year Flow Patterns
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Data Quality

River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and trip sections may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level. If you spot an error, use the Improve This River button at the top of the page — your local knowledge is what makes this atlas accurate.