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.

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Area Hydrology

Gauge Streamflow Stage
St. Vrain Creek At Mouth
USGS 06731000 		98 cfs 1.4 ft
South Platte River Below Cheesman Lake
USGS 06701500 		108 cfs 1.0 ft
Sand Creek At Colorado-Wyoming State Line
USGS 06659580 		3 cfs 0.5 ft
Colorado R Below Baker Gulch
USGS 09010500 		16 cfs 4.2 ft
Clear Creek Near Lawson
USGS 06716500 		24 cfs 2.5 ft
Cache La Poudre R Ab Boxelder C
USGS 06752280 		4 cfs 0.8 ft
Ranch Creek Near Fraser
USGS 09032000 		2 cfs 4.4 ft
North Fork Cache La Poudre R. At Livermore
USGS 06751490 		4 cfs 6.9 ft
S Clear Cr Abv Lwr Cabin Cr Res Spilwy Nr Georgtwn
USGS 06714500 		2 cfs 0.2 ft
Grand River Ditch At La Poudre Pass
USGS 09010000 		-999 cfs 0.3 ft
Snotel Site Snowpack 24hr Change
denver 2.1 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-DN-25 		1.47" -0.27"
ralston reservoir
SNOTEL GDNC2 		2.64" -0.04"
windsor 3.8 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-845 		1.54" -0.16"
estes park,co
SNOTEL ETSC2 		3.29" -0.49"
boulder 2.1 w, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-437 		2.33" -0.37"
estes park 10.5 se, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-1019 		4.69" -0.5"
ward 4.6 ne, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-202 		11.51" -0.8"
Berthoud Summit
SNOTEL 335 		38" 0"
arvada 3.5 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-457 		1.99" -0.19"
fort collins 3.9 nne, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-112 		5.28" -0.04"
virginia dale 7.2 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-672 		0.16" -0.47"
fort collins 5.5 s, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-1100 		3.47" -0.1"
Deadman Hill
SNOTEL 438 		49" 1"
wheat ridge 0.9 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-343 		1.99" -0.28"
boulder 1.6 s, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-14 		2.63" -0.36"
boulder 2.0 w, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-380 		3.02" -0.34"
nederland 2.61 nne, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-75 		6.09" -0.82"
denver 0.4 e, co
SNOTEL CO-DN-175 		1.49" -0.24"
fort collins
SNOTEL FORC2 		3.49" -0.04"
lakewood 2.2 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-179 		2.49" -0.36"
highlands ranch 0.6 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-DG-176 		2.13" -0.38"
fcl 3.0 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-391 		4.53" -0.06"
Crow Creek
SNOTEL 1045 		16" 0"
fcl 5.6 e, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-393 		2.21" -0.05"
Glen Cove
SNOTEL 1057 		7" -2"
lafayette 0.8 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-266 		1.96" -0.24"
highlands ranch 3.2 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-DG-74 		1.45" -0.28"
hudson 4.8 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-187 		2.21" -0.23"
rollinsville 1.1 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-GL-17 		12.12" -0.67"
Wild Basin
SNOTEL 1042 		42" 0"
Echo Lake
SNOTEL 936 		13" 0"
aurora 4.0 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-AR-259 		1.52" -0.29"
laramie 1se
SNOTEL ADFW4 		2.63" -0.1"
Niwot
SNOTEL 663 		34" 0"
nunn 1.2 ene, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-345 		0.31" -0.05"
englewood 1.4 n, co
SNOTEL CO-AR-292 		1.59" -0.22"
lyons 4.8 n, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-50 		5.01" -0.21"
fort collins 4.9 n, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-1020 		2.06" -0.08"
Copeland Lake
SNOTEL 412 		25" -2"
denver/stapleton
SNOTEL DUAC2 		1.81" -0.24"
longmont 2.1 n, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-143 		3.16" -0.16"
denver 6.1 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-3 		2.6" -0.39"
lafayette 2.5 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-222 		2.39" -0.28"
evergreen
SNOTEL EVGC2 		3.35" -0.53"
longmont 1.8 e, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-361 		2.08" -0.26"
erie 1.7 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-455 		1.97" -0.23"
the pinery, co
SNOTEL CO-DG-294 		1.34" -0.33"
woodland park 1.1 nnw, co
SNOTEL CO-TL-28 		0.35" -0.27"
boulder 2.2 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-452 		2.31" -0.36"
nederland 3.7 ene, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-296 		8.84" -0.66"
Jones Pass
SNOTEL 970 		37" 0"
lyons 0.3 nne, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-146 		3.1" -0.22"
nederland 0.4 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-322 		8.42" -0.59"
evergreen 3.4 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-CC-22 		3.04" -0.59"
fort collins 5.4 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-623 		1.87" -0.26"
thornton 2.1 n, co
SNOTEL CO-AD-100 		2.16" -0.3"
estes park 1.8 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-987 		2.68" -0.56"
nederland 4.8 ene, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-110 		7.64" -0.8"
manitou springs 1.2 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-EP-175 		0.11" -0.09"
lafayette 0.4 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-8 		1.94" -0.25"
glen haven 1.2 n, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-868 		3.38" -0.49"
fort collins 1.2 nne, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-1137 		2.72" -0.03"
laporte 1.4 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-761 		1.1" -0.06"
evergreen 5 w, co
SNOTEL CO-CC-2 		3.01" -0.57"
hygiene,co
SNOTEL HGIC2 		1.81" -0.22"
conifer 5.7 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-222 		1.47" -0.32"
fcl 7.9 ene, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-250 		0.67" -0.04"
laramie 7sse
SNOTEL CMBW4 		3.3" -0.2"
conifer 3.2 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-53 		3.41" -0.48"
denver 2.6 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-DN-231 		1.45" -0.27"
red feather 5.9 ne, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-329 		0.51" -0.62"
denver 1.1 ne, co
SNOTEL CO-DN-280 		1.5" -0.24"
franktown 3e
SNOTEL FNKC2 		1.66" -0.36"
fort collins 9.6 se, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-630 		3.47" -0.09"
rollinsville 1.7 e, co
SNOTEL CO-GL-25 		6.44" -0.69"
golden 12.5 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-331 		8.23" -1.15"
franktown 3.6 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-DG-293 		1.52" -0.46"
fort collins 3.7 s, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-885 		2.97" -0.09"
cr66
SNOTEL GEYC2 		1.53" -0.06"
gleneagle 0.4 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-EP-61 		0.31" -0.22"
fcl 1.7 se, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-295 		3.71" -0.05"
evergreen 2.0 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-395 		3" -0.53"
Bear Lake
SNOTEL 322 		41" -1"
loveland 1.5 n, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-40 		4.91" -0.11"
boulder 4.7 ene, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-220 		2.96" -0.38"
Joe Wright
SNOTEL 551 		53" 0"
fort collins 4.6 n, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-762 		0.95" -0.07"
thornton 2.3 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-AD-22 		1.99" -0.27"
littleton 6.4 w, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-212 		2.33" -0.35"
lakewood 1.7 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-333 		2.77" -0.41"
colorado springs 5.7 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-EP-37 		0.29" -0.12"
englewood #2
SNOTEL ENLC2 		1.95" -0.29"
fcl 2.55 ne, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-340 		1.17" -0.03"
broomfield 2.3 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-72 		1.98" -0.25"
fcl 1.7 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-320 		4.69" -0.05"
berthoud 4.4 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-922 		3.46" -0.14"
cheesman
SNOTEL CHEC2 		1.77" -0.19"
Black Mountain
SNOTEL 1161 		30" 1"
la porte 10.0 nnw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-567 		0.66" -0.17"
aurora 2.1 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-AR-313 		1.71" -0.29"
windsor 3.0 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-507 		1.78" -0.1"
greeley 3.9 ene, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-3 		1.82" -0.06"
erie 1.7 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-285 		1.9" -0.24"
niwot 0.7 nnw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-338 		2.83" -0.37"
loveland 3.0 nne, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-104 		3.42" -0.09"
nederland 4.2 e, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-233 		6.63" -0.9"
parker 3.5 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-DG-292 		1.39" -0.26"
Willow Park
SNOTEL 870 		47" -2"
westminster 1.6 ne, co
SNOTEL CO-AD-153 		2.2" -0.33"
fort collins 1.1 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-863 		3.31" -0.03"
wellington 0.8 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-1008 		0.86" -0.05"
wheat ridge 2.8 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-290 		1.88" -0.3"
fort collins 2.8 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-75 		3.8" -0.05"
gross reservoir
SNOTEL GRRC2 		4.45" -0.85"
lafayette 2.3 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-290 		2.28" -0.28"
cabin creek
SNOTEL GCRC2 		13.32" -0.59"
High Lonesome
SNOTEL 1187 		51" 2"
grant
SNOTEL GRTC2 		1.92" -0.29"
castle rock 1.7 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-DG-62 		1.2" -0.28"
carr 0.6 s, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-127 		0.3" -0.09"
cheyenne 7ne
SNOTEL GRAW4 		1.04" -0.41"
greeley 4.6 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-318 		1.68" -0.07"
fort lupton 7.4 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-326 		1.52" -0.13"
Hayden Pass
SNOTEL 1102 		12" 0"
south platte river
SNOTEL ANTC2 		0.36" -0.04"
loveland 2.4 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-676 		4.73" -0.09"
parker 2.1 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-DG-146 		1.43" -0.28"
bailey
SNOTEL BLYC2 		1.63" -0.28"
bellvue 5.9 w, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-4 		2.61" -0.44"
fort collins 4.2 s, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-758 		4.53" -0.06"
niwot 2.3 w, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-248 		4.41" -0.18"
aurora south
SNOTEL EAGC2 		1.49" -0.28"
loveland 2.8 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-1109 		4.91" -0.12"
greeley 2.6 w, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-171 		2.2" -0.09"
georgetown
SNOTEL GEOC2 		3.14" -0.49"
Lake Eldora
SNOTEL 564 		30" 0"
boulder 1.5 nnw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-496 		2.45" -0.35"
lov 3.4 s, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-472 		4.79" -0.09"
tabernash 2.7 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-GR-68 		18.59" -0.21"
University Camp
SNOTEL 838 		42" 1"
longmont 1.8 ene, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-352 		2.07" -0.25"
aurora 5 se
SNOTEL AUOC2 		1.68" -0.3"
cheyenne wfo
SNOTEL CYSW4 		1" -2"
cripple creek,co
SNOTEL CRIC2 		1.52" -0.19"
estes park 3.3 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-247 		2.79" -0.63"
highlands ranch 1.1 ene, co
SNOTEL CO-DG-165 		2.16" -0.37"
boulder 2.9 s, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-4 		2.63" -0.37"
highlands ranch 2.5 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-DG-178 		2.67" -0.41"
fort collins 3.4 n, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-653 		1.17" -0.03"
berthoud
SNOTEL ERTC2 		2.02" -0.14"
black forest 3.8 w, co
SNOTEL CO-EP-396 		0.24" -0.26"
longmont 3.3 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-507 		2.55" -0.31"
boulder 1.8 w, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-491 		2.33" -0.37"
aurora 4.2 nnw, co
SNOTEL CO-AD-127 		2" -0.27"
fort collins 2.8 w, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-1009 		4.3" -0.04"
westminster 2.3 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-AD-225 		2.3" -0.34"
boulder 1.5 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-490 		4.84" -0.37"
nunn 6.5 ne, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-409 		0.14" -0.1"
jamestown 2.5 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-343 		3.21" -0.64"
fcl 2.3 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-311 		1.15" -0.09"
Michigan Creek
SNOTEL 937 		28" 0"
evergreen 4.2 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-157 		3.15" -0.57"
evergreen 6.5 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-CC-1 		3.26" -0.56"
longmont 8.2 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-203 		3.2" -0.09"
nederland 5.8 e, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-57 		8.83" -0.93"
longmont 3.0 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-435 		2.52" -0.32"
aspen springs amrad
SNOTEL ASIC2 		2.99" -0.73"
monument 3s
SNOTEL DMDC2 		1.04" -0.29"
fort collins 0.9 n, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-849 		3.62" -0.05"
evans
SNOTEL ENSC2 		1.12" -0.1"
black forest 6wnw
SNOTEL BKFC2 		0.15" -0.2"
lake george 7.2 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-PK-39 		0.21" -0.26"
erie 1.5 nne, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-511 		1.93" -0.2"
evergreen 1.3 nne, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-424 		3.41" -0.5"
longmont 5.1 e, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-302 		1.66" -0.16"
denver 3.2 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-DN-49 		1.61" -0.3"
Hourglass Lake
SNOTEL 1122 		32" 3"
allens park 1.5 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-22 		12.8" -0.81"
wellington 0.4 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-952 		0.84" -0.06"
boulder 1.9 se, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-30 		2.65" -0.37"
amrad
SNOTEL CNRC2 		3.51" -0.63"
arvada 2.1 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-427 		2.11" -0.31"
erie 0.5 se, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-392 		1.96" -0.23"
erie 1.6 ne, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-209 		1.81" -0.18"
wellington 3.7 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-918 		0.6" -0.06"
denver 8 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-DN-30 		1.9" -0.27"
Sawtooth
SNOTEL 1251 		57" -1"
Phantom Valley
SNOTEL 688 		26" -2"
loveland 2.7 e, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-687 		3.09" -0.09"
Loveland Basin
SNOTEL 602 		43" 0"
arvada 3.8 w, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-240 		2.02" -0.19"
buford 4se
SNOTEL BFDW4 		1.12" -0.57"
divide 4nw
SNOTEL DNWC2 		0.62" -0.26"
estes park 1.8 s, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-767 		7.3" -0.42"
monument 2.1 ene, co
SNOTEL CO-EP-17 		1.03" -0.27"
loveland 2.3 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-854 		4.73" -0.09"
broomfield 3.2 nne, co
SNOTEL CO-BR-32 		2.03" -0.24"
fcl 2.2 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-273 		2.83" -0.08"
eaton 1.8 se, co
SNOTEL CO-WE-441 		1.71" -0.05"
livermore 9.9 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-897 		1.06" -0.6"
boulder 4.7 e, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-67 		2.56" -0.31"
florissant 5.0 n, co
SNOTEL CO-TL-19 		1.29" -0.42"
littleton 6.0 w, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-376 		2.7" -0.34"
aurora 7.3 se, co
SNOTEL CO-AR-207 		1.81" -0.34"
arvada 4.7 w, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-455 		2.12" -0.15"
estes park 1.7 w, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-1115 		9.21" -0.48"
fcl 3.0 w, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-284 		3.51" -0.03"
firestone
SNOTEL FSNC2 		1.5" -0.13"

Outdoor Recreation

Ski Area Snowpack Air Temperature 5 Day Forecast
Echo Mountain Park 13" 14° 1.37"
Eldora Mountain Resort 30" 17° 1.39"
River Run Streamflow Length Class
Filter Plant 3.92cfs None Mi II to III+
Upper South Boulder Creek 5.57cfs None Mi V+
Filter Plant 3.92cfs None Mi II to III+
Lower Narrows 54.5cfs 0.5 Mi V- to V+
Idledale to Morrison 20.5cfs 3.0 Mi IV+ to V
Upper Clear Creek 30.6cfs 2.5 Mi IV- to IV+
Lower North Fork 54.5cfs 11.0 Mi III
Upper South Boulder Creek 5.57cfs None Mi V+
Tunnel 1 to Golden Whitewater Park 30.6cfs None Mi III- to III+
NSV 10.7cfs 13.0 Mi V+
Main Section 47.8cfs 3.0 Mi IV+ to V
Lower Boulder Canyon 40.2cfs None Mi IV- to V-
October Hole 10.7cfs None Mi II
Golden Whitewater Park 3.92cfs 0.75 Mi II+
Upper Narrows 54.5cfs 0.5 Mi V- to V+
Steven's Gulch to Bridges Take Out 54.5cfs 12.0 Mi III- to IV+
Middle Narrows 54.5cfs 1.0 Mi IV to V-
Gnar Section 187.0cfs 1.0 Mi V+
SSV - Confluence to Picnic Grounds 10.7cfs 5.0 Mi V to V+