Daves Wave

Small groveling knee to thigh high wave surfable 12 months out of the year with a longboard, very high volume board, bodyboard, or surfmat just about every day of the year.


Suggestions

Located mile south of Platte River Trail Parking Lot (E 88th Ave & Colorado Blvd, Thornton, CO) walk south looking for the boat chute wave and CRSA "Dave's Wave" sign on the right side of path. Dave's Wave is surfable twice daily due to guaranteed releases of water and the wave comes in at about 200cfs when the stream gauge marker on the rock above the wave hits the .5 foot dot mark. Go with someone who has surfed the spot before or watch vids of Dave's Wave and use durable fins because they will be hitting the bottom at times. Wave blows out at 400cfs and will be best to find surf elsewhere. For more detailed information visit: http://endlesswaves.net/waves/daves-wave/

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Super Bowl Sunday 2021 (1st half of the game) surfing Dave's Wave with Jimmy Switzer... Air temp dropped from the 50's to well below freezing when the sun set. Ice instantly formed on our wetsuits and bodyboard and surfmat. You know it is bad when you get ice cream headaches not from duck diving but from standing in the freezing winds. It was warmer in the water than out of the water... Cold but a great time. (Pic of Jimmy Switzer ripping it up 2/7/21 on his bodyboard despite the freezing temps)

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In 2020 you had to travel to find surf in Colorado; however, Nathan Ginn had no problems finding surf at Dave's Wave in Thornton, CO on this July 2020 day.

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Chill Foundation at Dave's Wave... Thanks to Nathan, Lyle, Lane, Misty, and the Metro-Denver surf crew for the first ever day of Chill river surfing at Dave's Wave. A complete success. Metro-Denver surfers giving back to river surfing and the general community at large. Just Amazing!!! (Chatfield was releasing a meager 10cfs while Dave's Wave was getting over 200cfs)

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Dave's Wave season is upon us and probably the only spot surfable in Metro-Denver outside a late rainy day. The wave is all-time right now, come surf it!.... Also check out the Dave's Wave PSA (public service announcement) on longboardkook YouTube channel. The truth about the most hated on wave in Denver, hahaha. https://youtu.be/axbZ8chotvU

Area Hydrology

Gauge Streamflow Stage
Crow Creek At 19Th Street
USGS 06755960
3 cfs 1.6 ft
North Fork Cache La Poudre R. At Livermore
USGS 06751490
2 cfs 6.7 ft
Buckhorn Creek Near Masonville
USGS 06739500
5 cfs 6.4 ft
Cache La Poudre River Near Greeley
USGS 06752500
39 cfs 1.0 ft
South Platte River Near Kersey
USGS 06754000
666 cfs 2.9 ft
Cache La Poudre R Ab Boxelder C
USGS 06752280
4 cfs 0.9 ft
N Frk Cache La Poudre R Blw Halligan Res Nr V Dal
USGS 06751150
0 cfs 1.3 ft
Snotel Site Snowpack 24hr Change
estes park 3.3 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-247
1.5" 1.5"
evergreen 5 w, co
SNOTEL CO-CC-2
1" 0.8"
jamestown 2.5 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-343
0.2" 0"
lov 3.4 s, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-472
0.5" 0.4"
rollinsville 1.1 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-GL-17
11.5" 0.4"
evergreen 6.5 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-CC-1
1" 1.1"
nohrsc glen cove
SNOTEL GLNC2
12" 0"
loveland 2.3 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-854
0.5" 0.5"
Crow Creek
SNOTEL 1045
13" -1"
lafayette 0.8 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-266
0.1" 0.1"

Outdoor Recreation

Campground Campsites Reservations Toilets Showers Elevation
Cherry Creek State Park 102 5,646 ft
Boulder County Fairground None 4,974 ft
Standley Lake None 5,530 ft
Union Reservoir 42 4,957 ft
Boyd Lake State Park 148 4,991 ft
St. Vrain State Park 87 4,850 ft
Indian Creek 11 7,562 ft
South Bay - Horsetooth Reservoir None 5,435 ft
Missile Site Park 12 4,942 ft
Chatfield State Park 193 5,494 ft
Ski Area Snowpack Air Temperature 5 Day Forecast
Copper Mountain Resort 37" 29° 4.94"
Vail 47" 22° 5.79"
Echo Mountain Park 18" 41° 2.4"
Ski Santa Fe 16" 34° 3.52"
Loveland 44" 19° 4.83"
Hogadon Ski Area 20" 17° 1.64"
Eldora Mountain Resort 30" 42° 4.5"
Sipapu Ski Area 1" 47° 4.8"
Red River Ski Area 4" 39° 9.59"
Mystic Miner Ski Resort at Deer Mountain 17" 19° 1.64"
Keystone Resort 22" 36° 1.36"
Ski Estes Park (Hidden Valley) 41" 23° 6.17"
Snowy Range 56" 12° 2.83"
Monarch Ski & Snowboard Area 42" 22° 2.11"
Cuchara Mountain Resort 3" 37° 3.85"
Ski Broadmoor 13" 23° 2.63"
Terry Peak Ski Area 17" 19° 1.64"
Arapahoe Basin 44" 19° 4.83"
Beaver Creek Resort 35" 32° 5.44"
Sandia Peak Ski Area 1" 43° 2.84"
Breckenridge Ski Resort 37" 29° 4.94"
Taos Ski Valley 22" 33° 11.18"
Pajarito Mountain 1" 43° 2.84"
Angel Fire Resort 12" 37° 6.17"
SolVista Basin at Granby Ranch 52" 20° 5.79"
Conquistador Ski Resort 29" 30° 3.04"
Ski Cooper 26" 24° 2.28"
River Run Streamflow Length Class