With all of the portages in this trip, it may be necessary to take 2 days.  There are camping areas in Gotch Park, Ft. Dodge, and at Dolliver State Park.   Ft. Dodge is 25 miles downstream from Rutland.

There is camping and a carry down area below the dam at Rutland.  This is a scenic area with a lovely new park.  There is a fund raising and restoration effort underway.   The Humboldt County Conservation Board and the Board of Supervisors have endorsed the river trail.

The trip to Humboldt is very scenic, with high, forested  limestone bluffs and grassy banks.  Some 2 miles downstream you pass the Oxbow Park boat ramp to the north and east of the Hwy. 3 bridge.   There is also a boat ramp in Sheldon Park below the Hwy. 3 bridge. This is the Lake Nokomis area with lovely landscaped "seacoast" properties along 2 miles of the river.  There is a boat ramp just above the Humboldt dam.  Portage for about a half mile along the Cottonwood Trail and put in below the rock dam across from the power plant.  This dam will tear the bottom out of your boat.

There is one more rock dam along the scenic 5 mile run to Gotch Park.  I walked my boat around it also.  There is a boat ramp at Gotch Park.  The Corn Belt REC dam has been removed, making for safe passage from Gotch Park to Fort Dodge.

It's a quick 13 mile trip to the Ft. Dodge hydo dam access (the dam has been removed, although 1 gate remains and may be a hazard in high water).  C49 passes close by the river 2 miles south.  The C56 bridge is 3 miles south, and the D14 bridge is 5 miles downstream.  There are many rapids, and the cliffs and woods are quite striking.  The houses that line the riverbank are built up into the rock formations, and friendly folks will chat with you.  There are campgrounds on the east side of the river.  There is a boat ramp to take out just before the former hydro dam.  

It is a 3 mile run under all the high bridges through Ft. Dodge.  The little dam has been removed.  There is a boat ramp just downstream of the former little dam, by the railroad bridge and the Hwy 20 (business) bridge.

It's 13 miles to Dolliver State Park.  The river is wide, and the current runs quite fast.  It is about 5 miles  to the Hwy. 20 bridge, and and another 2 miles to the Kalo bridge.  Dolliver is about 6 winding  miles beyond Kalo, with a 3 mile run to the east and a 2 mile run back to the west.  This area has many abandoned railroad bridges, and in some places the rusting tracks and old bridges disappear into the woods.  Herons are plentiful on this stretch of the river.