Colorado – US
- Class
- II
- Length
- 7.5 Mile(s)
- Typical season
- January to January
Current Flow
65 CFS
Gauge height: 2.55 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 9:45 PM
▼ -0.12/hr (12h) ▼ -0.06/hr (24h)
Don't bother
- Primary gauge
- SOUTH PLATTE RIVER AT DENVER Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗ NOAA river forecast ↗
- Alternative gauge
- [SOUTH PLATTE RIVER AT HENDERSON] Visual or unknown
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 200 |
| Average | 1,500 |
| Maximum | 5,000 |
Recommended use
- Kayaking
- Rafting
- Canoeing
- SUP
- Packrafting
- Fishing
Struck-through craft are not recommended for this run.
Flow history — last 6 days
No gauge history recorded in the last 6 days.
Photos
No photos added for this run yet.
Description
Post 2013 floods, there is now a 3-4 foot ledge/slide drop that forms a maybe surfable wave/hole (depending on flows) just around the corner from Veterans Park, north of Hwy 7 in Brighton. From there on it is more or less flat water through a post-apocalyptic industrial wasteland, with lots of waterfowl and beavers. The river bank is often crazy ugly rip rap, and there are a few avoidable strainers to be wary of. Lots of gravel bars, as all the topsoil was removed by the floods. There is a runnable diversion dam between the second and third bridge which may be an easy, non-keeper two foot drop, but is worth scouting as conditions may change if they adjust the dam. In 2013 there was an avoidable stump right in the middle of it which warrants scouting and could cause a dangerous problem for a novice boater.
The water here is 99% treated waste water and has a slightly unnatural smell. :) This is definitely a desparation run for winter or shoulder seasons, but I can think of a lot worse ways to spend an afternoon. This seems runnable with 250 cfs on up.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brighton "wave" | II+ | —–— | A 3-4 foot slide/hole/wave drop just downstream from Veterans park, which appeared after the 2013 floods and is surfable at some levels, with eddy access. The water is downstream from many population so you really don't want to roll around in that stuff. |
|
| 2 | Diversion Dam | II+ | —–— | About 1/3 into the run or so. You'll know it when you see it. Pull out on the right to scout for hazards before running it. |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | Veterans Park in Brighton | — | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Find a spot to put in. May be easier access the river on the gravel bar just downstream from the park, right above the one and only rapid on this run. |
| Take-Out | Fort Lupton | — | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Take out after the Bridge in Fort Lupton somewhere around the park. Scout out ahead of time where you're going to take out. There are also possible takeouts around the 4 bridges between Brighton and Fort Lupton, with varying degrees of nastyness/private property getting up and out of the river. |
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.
External Links & Resources
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Community Run Notes
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