Mark Zen on paddling St Vrain and South Platte Rivers

Tue - January 10, 2006

Mark Zen on paddling St Vrain and South Platte Rivers - Dams and Fences

Mark Zen sent me some comments on his paddling experience from Saint Vrain River and South Platte River below Fort Lupton. The picture on left comes from my 2005 paddling on the Big Thompson River below Loveland, but, unfortunately, is quite typical for smaller rivers in northern Colorado. If you have paddled less known stretches of South Platte River or smaller rivers in northern Colorado I would be happy to post your comments.

Mark Zen: My family and I have paddled the St Vrain from near Hygiene all the way to the confluence with the Platte. There are a few stretches you want to avoid - from 119 to Barbour Ponds (St Vrain State Park) We would take out at 119, and then put back in on the I-25 frontage road. You have to get back out near WCR 17, near a gravel quarry... We finally stopped doing that part of the river, due to the large number of portages, due to barbed wire across the river in many places. 8 portages??

That is a similar reason we only paddle the Platte from Brighton to Ft Lupton, as some of the portages between Ft Lupton and Platteville are horrible. If there is enough water, the Adams County Fairgrounds all the way to Ft Lupton is a nice full day. There is one really bad portage near the dam on the Fairgrounds to Brighton piece. Just because you come around a blind corner.

My paddling destinations in northern Colorado:

Posted at 10:37 AM

Wayfarer on paddling and photography

Tue - January 10, 2006

Mark Zen on paddling St Vrain and South Platte Rivers - Dams and Fences