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RiverBrain

Colorado – US

Class
II- to III-
Length
3 Mile(s)
Typical season
April to August
Author
Mark B., KSC

Current Flow

64 CFS

Gauge height: 0.97 FT

Reading from Jul 10, 2026 10:15 PM

-0.52/hr (12h) -0.26/hr (24h)

Too Low

Don't bother

Primary gauge
YAMPA RIVER AT STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗ NOAA river forecast ↗

Recommended levels

Minimum300
Average1,000
Maximum5,000

Recommended use

  • Kayaking
  • Rafting
  • Canoeing
  • SUP
  • Packrafting
  • Fishing

Struck-through craft are not recommended for this run.

Flow history — last 6 days

Photos

C-Hole · 06-09-2013 · 1900 cfs · Photo by Kevin Cripps

Description

For boaters and non-boaters alike, one of the great gems of Steamboat Springs is the Yampa River, running through the center of town.  On any given pleasant spring or summer day, the banks are lined with fisherman, people are dining on riverside patios, tubers float through town, and kayakers play in the manmade features.  Adjacent to the library, the C-hole and D-hole are the primary features for kayakers.  They each have their optimum flow range, but the C-hole is generally the best feature and offers up every trick in the book when it's in.  A warm, albiet unpleasant smelling hot spring trickles in on river left.  The playboating here is so good and convienent that it could trick almost any boater into buying a playboat and moving to Steamboat.

The scene is almost always congenial.  People tend to come and go, walking their dogs, playing frisbee, going for an outing with their kids, or just cooling off by the river and reading a book.  The hole can be busy but never seems overly crowded.  It's a great cool down after a creek run down Fish Creek or a mountain bike ride on any of the myriad of fantastic trail systems in the area.

Rapids

No rapids added yet.

Access

No river access points added yet.

Camps

No river camps added yet.

Permit

No permit is required, or permit info hasn't been added yet.

Fishing

No fish species have been associated with this run yet.

Community Run Notes

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