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March 6, 2015. Finally, I started my 2015 paddling season on the South Platte River. I took Sea Wind canoe to Masters (about 28 miles east of Greeley on highway 34) and paddled 2.5 miles upstream and back: easy workout, a short photo session, watching bald eagles and deer.

Masters offers a typical bridge access to the river with a barbed wire fence and wide shoulder parking. It is similar to Kuner access, perhaps a little easier and shorter. There is a diversion dam just above the bridge. It was open and easy to paddle in both directions. Several diversion dams below Kuner can be open and runnable, at least in winter. River flow was much lower (~650cfs) than at Kersey (~1000cfs), but I still had plenty of water to paddle.

Riverside Park at Evans.The main park access from 37th Street remains closed, but the park was partially open in September 2014. Here is information from City of Evans webpage:

On September 13, 2013, Colorado experienced widespread flood destruction from what the media referred to as “biblical” rains. Riverside Park was completely destroyed in that flood.
One year after the flood, on September 13, 2014, the City was able to proudly open a section of the park accessible from 42nd Street. The 7-acre Riverside Lake was opened for fishing and a portion of the trail around the lake was opened as well.

It would be worth to check if there is an easy access to the river from the reopened part of the park. Last year, I was looking for an alternative river access at Evans. There is a possibility to launch boats under the highway 85 bridge (the end of the frontage road on left shore where a bike trail starts).

Related posts:
Scouting and Paddling the South Platte River after 2013 Flooding
Opening 2014 Paddling Season on the South Platte River
South Platte River below Denver – GPS/photo river guide

January 21, 2014. Finally, I started my paddling season for the year 2014. I took the Sea Wind canoe to Kersey and paddled upstream to the confluence with the Poudre River and back. It was my first paddling on the South Platte after last year flooding. There are a lot of signs of that flooding on shores, but the river remains the same – wide open without any new obstacles.

The river flow was ~950cfs at Kersey. There is a new station near Greeley – PLAGRECO. I don’t know its exact location yet, but it may be pretty useful for planning paddling trips since it shows the river flow not affected by subtraction and addition of water between Greeley and Kersey (2 diversion dams and the Poudre River).

I will be doing more training runs at different locations on the South Platte during winter time if anybody would like to join me. Most of the time I will paddle the Sea Wind canoe which is my first choice boat for this year Missouri River 340 race. I am hoping also for some downriver SUP runs. You can expect updates to my South Platte River guide.

paddling upstream the South Platte River above Kersey, Colorado

Sea Wind canoe on the South Platte River

looking downstream the South Platte River

launching/landing spot on the downstream side of Kersey bridge

Related posts:
South Platte River below Denver – GPS/photo river guide
12th Annual South Platte River All Club Paddle
Opening 2013 Paddling Season with Badfish SUP on the South Platte River