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RiverBrain

Colorado – US

Class
II to II+
Length
3 Mile(s)
Gradient
20 FPM
Typical season
April to September
Author
Mark

Current Flow

252 CFS

Gauge height: 3.78 FT

Reading from Jul 10, 2026 9:45 PM

0.00/hr (12h) 0.00/hr (24h)

Running

Hit some laps

Primary gauge
SO. PLATTE R. BLW BRUSH CR. NR TRUMBULL CO Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗

Recommended levels

Minimum200
Average400
Maximum1,000

Recommended use

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

Struck-through craft are not recommended for this run.

Flow history — last 6 days

Photos

No photos added for this run yet.

Description

Beginner stretch  on the South Fork of the South Platte from Deckers to confluence.  One class IIIish rapid- 'The Chutes' is about three miles upstream of the confluence.  Flows are hit/miss based upon releases, not runoff.

 

A full run from Deckers is roughly 16 miles. There are numerous campgrounds, parking areas, and picnic spots for put-in or take-out between the confluence and Deckers; rapids are gentle and sparse the closer you get to the town of Deckers.

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

Total community notes: 1

Ran 7/4/2017 from just below Deckers with a first-time hard-sided kayaker. This is a loooooooong run in low water-- other guides mention 3-4 hours for the full run, but at 200 CFS I'd easily double that. Upper section is very mild and quite shallow at this level. For the upper stretch, I think I'll be looking for >250CFS minimum instead of >200CFS-- the lower section seems fine at 200, though.

 

Heavy use by tubers and fly fisherman throughout much of the run, particularly the slower, flatter upper section.

 

Next time I bring a beginner there, I'll start much lower than the Deckers or Trumbull-- the Scraggy View Picnic Area is really the turning point in the river, at least in today's run. If you're in a group with class III+ kayakers, there's very little to be gained going much above the Chutes, a very cool (and equally obvious) IIIish shot through giant rock faces.

Troglodyte · Jul 5, 2017

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