Canoe Colorado
Performance Canoes and Sea Kayaks

South Platte River     Brighton to Ft. Lupton
   9.5 miles     class I     suitable for canoes and sea kayaks

The South Platte river begins in the mountains southwest of Denver, Colorado. It starts as a small mountain stream, gradually growing in size until it merges with the North Platte at North Platte, Nebraska. The section from Brighton to Ft. Lupton begins just outside of Denver. It is not a wild or remote area, as there are constant reminders of the city and the nearby population. However the run is still nice in it's own way, and it is incredibly convenient for those living in the Denver metro area.

C-470 to Union     6.5 miles     class II
Union Street to Confluence Park
Confluence Park to Commerce City
Commerce City to Brighton
Brighton to Ft. Lupton   9.5 miles   class I
Ft. Lupton downstream

Brighton to Ft. Lupton

Distance - 9.5 miles
Difficulty - class I+
Paddling Time**  2.53 at 250 cfs*

Paddling Season:
The South Platte can be paddled year round, as long as there is sufficient water and the river is not frozen over. The river can be floated at levels as low as 200 cfs*, however it is a more enjoyable trip at flows over 500 cfs*.

Type of Craft:
Canoes and Sea Kayaks

How to get there:
Brighton is located northeast of Denver on hwy 85. The put-in is at Veterans Park which is located just west of the intersection of hwy 7 and hwy 85, on the northeast corner of the river bridge. The Ft. Lupton take-out is located just west of the intersection of hwy 85 and 52,on the northeast corner of the river bridge. Shuttle driving distance is 6.5 miles each way. Drive time from Denver to Brighton is less than 30 minutes.

Paddling Conditions:
The river below Brighton moves fairly slow as it winds it's way to Ft. Lupton. At higher water there is a wide channel with several islands. At lower water there is a narrow channel that can pass under sweepers and strainers. Within a mile of the launch, there is one small rapid. It is marked by two large rocks sticking up in the river. There are no obstructions in the rapid, large waves can develop along with strong eddies on either side. Just past the halfway point a diversion dam blocks the river. If the dam gates are open, the section can be easily paddled. If the gates are closed, then boats should be portaged on river right.

Hazards:
Sweepers and strainers block the channel at lower water levels. There are also numerous branches, stumps, and rocks lurking just below the surface. The river also passes through several bridge abutments. The most common hazard are strainers.

Strainers in the South Platte

Private Property:
The river between Brighton and Ft. Lupton flows through private property.

Camping:
There is no camping along the South Platte between Brighton and Ft. Lupton. Camping is also prohibited at the put-in and take-out.

GPS Coordinates:
Brighton put-in  N 39 38.781'  W 105 10.306'
Ft Lupton take-out   N 40 04.831'  W 104 49.261'

Maps:
USGS 7.5 min quads
Brighton
Fort Lupton

The following map was created using National Geographic TOPO! Colorado software which offers complete 7.5 min maps for the entire state of Colorado.

Map page 1                                     Map page 2

Trip Photos:

These pictures are from a May 8, 2004 trip from Brighton to Ft. Lupton. It was a joint trip sponsored by Canoe Colorado and offered to the Rocky Mountain Canoe Club. Trip participants included Eric Nyre, Jesse Souza, Clem McHale, Karen Amundson, Candy Winkle, Ronda Combs, Alex Jennings, Robert and Marsha whose last names I did not get.

Marsha in the lead The group after it launches, the hwy 7 bridge can be seen in the background	Looking downriver from Brighton A view of the river from the start of our trip	Jesse and Marsha The group floating down the river above the first drop.	Karen running drop The only drop in this section is a series of waves with eddies on both sides.	Clem running drop A new Royalex Rendezvous getting it's feet wet.
Alex eddying out before a strainer Several strainers in the river required attention. We ran this on the far left.	Karen and Candy before the dam The group as it enters the dams backwaters	Rocks in the Dam With the dam gates closed, the water flowed over this pile of rocks. We portaged along the far shore.	Lunch above the Dam We pulled out before the dam for lunch and to scout.	Ronda holding boats below the dam We portaged to the left of this photo, avoiding the mess of rocks.
Portage trail The portage around the dam is short and sweet.	Gates Closed When the dam gates are open, it is possible to paddle through the dam under the gates.	Lining up to the take-out With low water, the take out was on the wrong side of an island. We paddled to the bottom of the island, and lined our boats back up.	Ft. Lupton take-out Above the bridge at Ft. Lupton, looking at the river from the take-out.

* River Gage Information for the South Platte can be found at the USGS Ft Lupton gage 06721000 http://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv?06721000

CFS refers to Cubic Feet Per Second. The South Platte at Brighton can be run at flows as low as 200 cfs, though over 500 is ideal. The photos on this page were taken at 250 cfs on the Ft. Lupton.

** Paddling Time reflects how long it took us to paddle this section. It is not float time, but the time taken while paddling at a moderate pace at the given flow rate.

 

Written by Eric Nyre