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
Pine Creek Abv Briargate Pkwy
USGS 07103965
3 cfs 6.2 ft
Sand Creek Above Mouth At Colorado Springs
USGS 07105600
34 cfs 2.6 ft
Cottonwood Creek At Woodmen Rd Nr Colo Springs
USGS 07103980
28 cfs 0.7 ft
West Monument Creek Below Rampart Reservoir
USGS 07103797
4 cfs 4.5 ft
Cheyenne Creek At Evans Ave At Colorado Springs
USGS 07105490
4 cfs 1.6 ft
West Monument Creek At Air Force Academy
USGS 07103800
3 cfs 1.3 ft
S Platte R Ab 11-Mile Canyon Re
USGS 06695000
267 cfs 1.9 ft
Snotel Site Snowpack 24hr Change
nohrsc copeland lake
SNOTEL COPC2
8" -1"
nohrsc south colony
SNOTEL SCYC2
2" 0"
rollinsville 1.1 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-GL-17
4.5" 1.6"
aspen springs amrad
SNOTEL ASIC2
1" 1.7"
Niwot
SNOTEL 663
12" 0"
niwot
SNOTEL NIWC2
10" 1"
livermore 9.9 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-897
3" 4.5"
estes park 10.5 se, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-1019
1" 0.7"
estes park 1.8 s, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-767
6.5" 3"
golden 12.5 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-331
4.5" 0.3"

Outdoor Recreation

Campground Campsites Reservations Toilets Showers Elevation
Union Reservoir 42 4,957 ft
Chatfield State Park 193 5,494 ft
Flat Rocks 19 8,245 ft
Devils Head 21 8,856 ft
Jackson Creek 9 8,179 ft
Cherry Creek State Park 102 5,646 ft
Boulder County Fairground None 4,974 ft
St. Vrain State Park 87 4,850 ft
Indian Creek 11 7,562 ft
Standley Lake None 5,530 ft
Ski Area Snowpack Air Temperature 5 Day Forecast
Echo Mountain Park 6" 31° 10.85"
SolVista Basin at Granby Ranch 14" 49° 0.05"
Taos Ski Valley 26" 51° 0"
Sandia Peak Ski Area 1" 60° 0"
Red River Ski Area 0" 57° 0"
Ski Estes Park (Hidden Valley) 6" 36° 6.63"
Eldora Mountain Resort 7" 33° 10.19"
Breckenridge Ski Resort 0" 47° 1.73"
Keystone Resort 3" 37° 9.84"
Loveland 25" 34° 8.17"
Arapahoe Basin 25" 34° 8.17"
Vail 1" 42° 1.87"
Cuchara Mountain Resort 0" 67° 0"
Sipapu Ski Area 1" 63° 0"
Beaver Creek Resort 1" 53° 1"
Ski Broadmoor 1" 35° 2.97"
Terry Peak Ski Area 0" 47° 1.02"
Copper Mountain Resort 0" 47° 1.73"
Snowy Range 21" 33° 1.85"
Angel Fire Resort 0" 53° 0"
Ski Cooper 0" 40° 2.63"
Ski Santa Fe 0" 47° 0"
Pajarito Mountain 1" 60° 0"
Monarch Ski & Snowboard Area 0" 44° 4.33"
Hogadon Ski Area 16" 37° 3.52"
Mystic Miner Ski Resort at Deer Mountain 0" 47° 1.02"
Conquistador Ski Resort 0" 46° 3.63"
River Run Streamflow Length Class