Lower Boulder Canyon
As a Boulder local, I have a love hate relationship with Boulder creek. It's Boulder's main artery and so much fun at elusive high flows, but so rocky and poor quality at low flows. Why people insist on dropping everything to run this stretch of "almost" whitewater at 200 cfs is beyond me, especially since there are almost always better options with just a little extra driving. Maybe it's the hords of slightly intoxicated college girls in bikinis tubing through the sticky whitewater park in town. For me, the run gets good when the tubing ban goes into effect for the creek (about 500 cfs).
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the Boulder Creek are between a bare minimum of 250cfs and a high of 1,300cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 06730500, the Boulder Creek At Mouth
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Lower Boulder Canyon.
Run Stats
| Status | Too Low |
| Class Level | IV- to V- |
| Elevation | 4,860 ft |
| Streamflow Discharge | 13.7 cfs |
| Gage Height | 9.2 ft |
| Air Temperature | 85° |
| River | Boulder Creek |
| Reporting Streamgage |
Boulder Creek At Mouth
USGS 06730500 |
| Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
South Platte River Above Cheesman Lake
USGS 06700000 |
99 cfs | 5.0 ft |
|
St. Vrain Creek At Lyons
USGS 06724000 |
17 cfs | 2.8 ft |
|
Coal Creek Near Plainview
USGS 06730300 |
0 cfs | -0.2 ft |
|
Ranch Creek Near Fraser
USGS 09032000 |
6 cfs | 4.6 ft |
|
South Platte River At Waterton
USGS 06708000 |
19 cfs | 0.6 ft |
|
South Platte River At Englewood
USGS 06711565 |
35 cfs | 1.3 ft |
|
St Vrain Cr Blw Boulder Cr At Hwy 119 Nr Longmont
USGS 06730525 |
78 cfs | 9.6 ft |
|
St. Vrain Creek At Mouth
USGS 06731000 |
122 cfs | 1.6 ft |
|
South Platte R At 64Th Ave. Commerce City
USGS 06714215 |
7 cfs | 1.4 ft |
|
Cabin Creek Near Fraser
USGS 09032100 |
2 cfs | 1.7 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
Stillwater Creek
SNOTEL 793 |
1" | 1" |
|
Jackwhacker Gulch
SNOTEL 935 |
1" | 1" |
|
Echo Lake
SNOTEL 936 |
1" | 0" |
|
Crow Creek
SNOTEL 1045 |
1" | 1" |
|
Loveland Basin
SNOTEL 602 |
1" | 1" |
|
Lake Irene
SNOTEL 565 |
1" | 0" |
|
Black Mountain
SNOTEL 1161 |
1" | 1" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flatiron Reservoir | None | 5,483 ft | |||
| Carter Lake - South Side Campgrounds | None | 5,711 ft | |||
| Pinewood Reservoir | 22 | 6,604 ft | |||
| Carter Lake - North Side Campgrounds | None | 5,792 ft | |||
| Inlet Bay - Horsetooth Reservoir | None | 5,437 ft | |||
| Bear Creek Lake Park | 52 | 5,693 ft | |||
| South Bay - Horsetooth Reservoir | None | 5,435 ft | |||
| Meadow Park | None | 5,349 ft | |||
| Clear Creek RV Park | 36 | 5,684 ft | |||
| Aspen Meadow - Golden Gate Canyon State Park | 35 | 9,000 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eldora Mountain Resort | -1" | 66° | 0" |
| Echo Mountain Park | 1" | 61° | 0" |
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Narrows | 76.7cfs | 0.5 Mi | V- to V+ |
| Upper Narrows | 76.7cfs | 0.5 Mi | V- to V+ |
| Middle Narrows | 76.7cfs | 1.0 Mi | IV to V- |
| Filter Plant | 2.85cfs | None Mi | II to III+ |
| Upper South Boulder Creek | 26.6cfs | None Mi | V+ |
| Lower North Fork | 76.7cfs | 11.0 Mi | III |
| Main Section | 7.98cfs | 3.0 Mi | IV+ to V |
| October Hole | 17.4cfs | None Mi | II |
| SSV - Confluence to Picnic Grounds | 17.4cfs | 5.0 Mi | V to V+ |
| Lower Boulder Canyon | 13.7cfs | None Mi | IV- to V- |
| Gnar Section | 588.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | V+ |
| Tunnel 1 to Golden Whitewater Park | 74.7cfs | None Mi | III- to III+ |
| NSV | 17.4cfs | 13.0 Mi | V+ |
| Golden Whitewater Park | 2.85cfs | 0.75 Mi | II+ |
| Upper Clear Creek | 74.7cfs | 2.5 Mi | IV- to IV+ |
| Upper South Boulder Creek | 26.6cfs | None Mi | V+ |
| Idledale to Morrison | 8.83cfs | 3.0 Mi | IV+ to V |
| Steven's Gulch to Bridges Take Out | 76.7cfs | 12.0 Mi | III- to IV+ |
| Filter Plant | 2.85cfs | None Mi | II to III+ |