Cache La Poudre,

06. Steven's Gulch Access to Mishawaka Inn (Upper Mishawaka)

Upper Mishawaka

Upper Mishawaka
Photo of Twin Pin Rapid at 3.5 feet by Brad Goettemoeller (www.allaboutrivers.com) @ 3.5 feet

Gauge Information

River Description

Check out their description of this reach.

This is the most challenging stretch of water below the Narrows. Most of the rapids are of the III/IV variety and can be read on the run. The first rapid of consequence is Tunnel Rapid(IV). Here the river has forceful waves and hydraulics before the current slams into a large undercut wall on the left. Obviously, the rapid is located right next to a hwy tunnel. Shortly downstream there is an excellent squirt spot on river left, it's so good it's called the U.S.S.(Ultimate Squirt Spot). Directly up-river from the Mishawaka Inn is its eponymous rapid, Mishawaka Falls(IV). Mishiwaka in is overrun by Hippies and/or bikers in the summer. At times it is like a Phish concert and/or Hells Angels rally.

To get there: The put-in is at Steven's Gulch Access, a very nice improved picnic area/launch site with changing rooms. The take-out is at the Mishawaka Inn, here you can have a beer with greasy food while you enjoy the biker and/or hippy odors.

See Colorado Rivers and Creeks II, by Banks and Eckardt (The Bible), for info on this and most of the other kewl runs of Colorado.

Lat/longitude coords are approximate, from TopoZone.

See also,

Big South (Class V/VI),
Joe Wright Creek (Class V),
Spencer Heights (Class V/VI),
South Fork (Class IV/V),
White Mile Run/Upper Rustic (Class III),
Grandpa's Gorge/Lower Rustic (Class III/IV),
The Narrows (Class IV/V/V+),
Upper Mishawaka (Class III/IV),
Lower Mishiwaka (Class III),
Poudre Park (Class IV),
Bridges (Class III/IV),
Upper North Fork (Class IV/V),
Lower North Fork (Class II/III), and
Filter Plant (Class III).