# Kayaking Near Boulder, CO



## TenMileCreekKayaks (May 11, 2008)

*Yes, some great creeking...*

There is a plethora of steep creeks off some of the reservoir drainages. From South Boulder Creek, Boulder Creek, Left Hand Creek, to Lyons area on the North & South Saint Vrain, just to name a few. Some have interesting put-ins and take-outs and water depends on dam releases. Just hook up with the local paddlers there for the lowdown. 

Also not that far away are tons of rivers and creeks to paddle. Take a look at Eddyflower.com for Colorado, great info there! Also Colorado Rivers and Creeks guide book and Whitewater of the Southern Rockies (The New Testament) for Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Wyoming if you really get out. Colorado is a great place to live for a kayaker, hope to see ya...

TMCK

Keep The Hairy Side Up....

http://www.eddyflower.com/CountryDetail.aspx?StateId=1#/home


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## smauk2 (Jun 24, 2009)

Yes


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

Lot of class IV/V creeking near boulder. Pretty limited for class III playboating though.

Kayaking in colorado is game on with paddling available almost every day from may through july. During the three months of runoff you can paddle every day after work/school withing a 45 min radius of boulder. After july, there are a few dam controlled runs to keep you going, but paddling options are slim, and they are further away day trips. This usually means the end of after work runs and the start of weekend only paddling for many. Dedicated boaters paddle april through october, but fair weather paddlers generally have a 3 month season. 

Tons of other outdoor things to do close to boulder. Having a snow sport in winter is key to surviving the paddling withdrawls.


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

Of all the places to live in CO Boulder is not it for me. 

It's too far from the worth while ski hills.
It's got whitewater but not the quality goods. No one travels TO boulder for the whitewater but many travel away from boulder for whitewater.
The people are a weird mix and even though most are hippies in some form or another many or most are assholes.
It's too expensive.

Others love the place for the following reasons which mean less to me than the above:
Night life
Drug Culture
Music
Bike/walk commuting
Good looking college girls in dreads and patchwork skirts

Other options that I find more appealing that have colleges in CO:
Ft Collins
Durango
Golden

Grain of salt and all that BS. Hope you find what you are looking for. Just trying to provide another perspective.


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## twmartin (Apr 3, 2007)

Fort Collins is better. The Cache la Poudre drainage offers you beginner to Class V runs.

The downside s that when th Poudre ain't running you're an hour farther away from other water.


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## Nessy (May 25, 2009)

If your primary focus is grad school, and kayaking is a close second, Boulder isn't a bad choice but maybe not the best. You should consider CSM in Golden and CSU in Ft. Collins. Both schools are closer to some of the best whitewater in Colorado, especially CSM which puts you right on Clear Creek and also has a whitewater club that does cool stuff like organizing races and events. And don't listen to glenn. He's trying to hurt someone's feelings but it's not going to work. Cry. Sniff.


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## jerbsen (Sep 10, 2010)

Boulder is super expensive but there is good paddling during the spring / summer at least


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## El Flaco (Nov 5, 2003)

What kind of grad program are you looking for?


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## Rogie (May 10, 2010)

Depending on your major... Davis or Humbolt in California or University of Nevada Reno... year round options ranging from class ii to class v.


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## FrankC (Jul 8, 2008)

You will probably be boating for about 3 months during snowmelt and then taking 9 months off. Not so great if you are used to boating year round like in some parts of the country. If you can live with that Colorado is a great place to live.


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## seanlee (Apr 17, 2004)

the best kayakers in the state live in Boulder... we get it done way more than anyone else. if you are ready to fire its a great place to live


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## kirbz (Sep 22, 2010)

Thanks for all your replies! I think I might just have to stay in Northern California... I'm spoiled and used to year-round boating. Perish the thought that I'd only be able to paddle certain months of the year! Are there any other states where you can do that??

BTW, I'm looking for PhD programs in Psychology.


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## montuckyhuck (Mar 14, 2010)

You can paddle year round in sothern Idaho, Origon, and some parts of Washinton. Don't know anything about the South East. Missoula has good boating for 6 months of the year. People still paddle the Clarks Fork into January though. Its also got a good school (so I hear) and isn't too far (4-8 hours) from most places in Idaho.


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