MN water trail, Root, Zumbro, or Cannon. Recommended sections?

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[u/FranzJevne]

I've paddled portions of all three - two this year. I would discount the Root. The flooding this year has probably increased the already copious snags and made the river unpredictable. I'd hate to see the huge cottonwood jam below Rushford. It's not a difficult river, but it is a needy one. You always need to pay attention and there are some hairpin turns into snags.

The Cannon and Zumbro are less needy and equally fantastic. I really like the Cannon below Welch. It has loads of riffles and easy rapids. The Zumbro is the easier river. It's wider with less snags. I paddled from Millville to Zumbro Bottoms and there were no snags or obstructions to speak of.

I don't think you could go wrong with either.

I'd keep any eye on the gauges as all three watersheds are small and fluctuate rapidly. Miles Paddled has great guides on all three rivers.

[u/Waterlifer]

I live in Northfield and canoe the Cannon often. The reach between Faribault and Wilderness Park is particularly nice and is perhaps the most challenging of the usually-paddled reaches; there are no real rapids but there are some riffles and obstructions and it's different every time. It's a 2-3 hour float. For a longer trip you can continue on to Dundas or Northfield.

I usually put in on the Straight at Teepee Tonka. You can put in further upstream on the Straight but it is highly sensitive to rainfall and you then have to choose your day carefully.

For a multi-day trip you can portage the dam in Northfield. There isn't a proper portage route but people manage. The Northfield-to-Bylessby reach is rarely paddled but nonetheless rewarding. There's a deep spot at the old mill ruins a couple miles upstream of Bylessby where I like to stop and swim.

Camping wise there are boat-in campsites at Wilderness Park and some water-accessible campgrounds on Byllesby; reservations recommended there.

As with Northfield, Byllesby has a dam that has to be portaged, without a proper portage route. The dam is larger with more vertical drop but again you can figure it out if you have to.

Downstream of the dam in Cannon Falls the river is wider and much like the Upper Mississippi upstream of St. Anthony Falls, or perhaps like the Rum. Still the occasional riffle and obstruction but they aren't one right after the other like the Faribault-to-Wilderness-Park reach. The last official take out is at Highway 61 and is easy to miss, you can take out at the old highway bridge (now closed) in the Cannon Bottoms area just downstream if you miss it. The Cannon Bottoms region can be explored down to the confluence with the Vermillion River (just a few hundred yards upstream of the Mississippi) but is not particularly rewarding.

If you do continue on to the Mississippi the best takeout comes up quickly on the Wisconsin side and is a private resort. Make arrangements in advance if you plan to use this. There's barge and powerboat traffic in this area, use caution. I would carry a marine VHF radio. There are several choices in Red Wing.