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Access Site CO

Take Out

Clear Creek • Agricultural Ditch • Church Ditch • Welch Ditch

Source: american_whitewater Updated 3 months ago

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City: Golden, CO
County: Jefferson
Type: Whitewater Take Out
Location: 39.75420100, -105.22821500
Air Temp: --
Location
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Nearby Gauge Conditions
Clear Creek at Golden, CO Same River 0.4 mi away
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North Clear Creek above Mouth near Black Hawk, CO Same River 9.1 mi away
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Clear Creek near Lawson, CO Same River 21.2 mi away
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Real-time data from USGS Water Services
Whitewater Run
II-III Take-out Clear Creek - 09. Tunnel 1 Down
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Current Conditions
-- • 220.00-1500.00 cfs
Clear Creek at Golden, CO
Whitewater Runs on Clear Creek
9 runs (8 nearby)
Difficulty Classes
I Easy II Novice III Intermediate IV Advanced V Expert/Extreme VI Unrunnable
Position relative to this access site: Put-in at this location This location is on the run Take-out at this location
Downstream from here Upstream from here
IV Take-out at this location 08. Lower - Rigor Mortis (MM 267.2) to the diversion Dam
2.9 mi 85 ft/mi
IV-V(V+) Upstream from here (4.7 mi from take-out) 07. Black Rock - Green Bay Rock (MM 262.9) to Rigor Mortis (MM 267.2)
3.1 mi 114 ft/mi
IV Upstream from here (10.0 mi from take-out) 05. Upper Clear Creek ("Kermits")
5.4 mi 110 ft/mi
III Upstream from here (9.6 mi from take-out) 06. Middle Clear Creek
1.9 mi
III Upstream from here (14.3 mi from take-out) 04. Idaho Springs Town Run
4.7 mi
III-IV Upstream from here (19.4 mi from take-out) 03. Lawson to Idaho Springs
7.7 mi
V+ Upstream from here (33.2 mi from take-out) 02. Silverplume to Georgetown
0.9 mi 390 ft/mi
IV(V+) Upstream from here (34.3 mi from take-out) 01. Loveland Ski Area to Silverplume
11.1 mi
These whitewater runs are on the same river but located more than 50 miles from this access site.
V 91 mi away 01. Missouri Creek TH to Dirt Road
7.7 mi 163 ft/mi
Whitewater data from American Whitewater
About This Access Site
This take-out site on Clear Creek in Golden provides access to one of Colorado's premier whitewater runs. Clear Creek is a large river system with significant gradient averaging 34.1 feet per mile, making it suitable for intermediate to advanced paddlers seeking technical whitewater. The creek drops over 3000 feet across its 93-mile length, with flows averaging around 188 cubic feet per second, creating dynamic and challenging conditions throughout the year.

As a designated take-out location, this site serves paddlers completing runs down Clear Creek, which features fast currents and technical sections typical of Front Range whitewater. The Golden area provides convenient access to the lower sections of the creek where gradient remains substantial. Water conditions are characterized by strong currents and swift flow, requiring paddlers to have solid boat handling skills and experience reading whitewater.

Paddlers should be aware that Clear Creek's proximity to the Front Range means water conditions can change rapidly with seasonal snowmelt and monsoon flows. The creek's large drainage area of over 1000 square miles means it can swell quickly during runoff season. This take-out is best suited for kayakers and canoeists with intermediate to advanced skills who are comfortable navigating class II-III or higher whitewater.