Paddlers hope to cover entire Minnesota River on Saturday
Nearly 200 people will gather Saturday to paddle segments of the Minnesota River.
The group effort is one of several statewide activities to celebrate National Get Outdoors Day.
Paddlers have signed up to traverse segments of the waterway. By the end of the day, the Department of Natural Resources hopes paddlers will have collectively covered the entire 318 mile-long stretch of the Minnesota River.
Alexander Watson, a regional naturalist with Minnesota State Parks and Trails, said he hopes the event will help bring attention to the underrated river.
"It's a place that is a wonderful place to be outside and recreate on, and it's a hidden gem," said Watson. "It's really an untapped resource that we should be proud about," he said.
Aside from the rapids near Granite Falls, the DNR said the Minnesota River is gentle and easy to navigate.
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