Cache La Poudre
06. Steven's Gulch Access to Dead Deer(Upper Mishawaka)
| Difficulty | III-IV |
| Length | 4.2 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 64 fpm |
| Gauge | Cache La Poudre at Canyon Mouth Near Fort Collins |
| Flow Rate as of 23 hours | 304 cfsrunnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | June 2, 2025 |
This is the most challenging stretch of water below the Narrows. Most of the rapids are read-and-run class IV. The first rapid of consequence is split rock (also called Triple Rock, Twin Pin, etc.), which has an aesthetic line in the middle until high water, when the hole becomes very sticky and has resulted in a number of good stories. The next significant drop is Tunnel Rapid (IV). Here the river has forceful waves and hydraulics before the current slams into a large undercut wall on the left. That rapid takes its name from the adjacent highway tunnel. Shortly downstream you will encounter 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). Mishawaka Inn is an iconic riverfront music venue with seasonal outdoor amphitheater, indoor lounge, and full-service cafe. It can be overrun by hippies and/or bikers in the summer. At times it is like a Phish concert and/or Hells Angels rally.
This is an outstanding play run at about 3.25 to 4 feet on the Pineview gauge. Above 4', the current is rapid and you only get one, on-the-fly shot at river features. Rapids become much more continous and swims become more consequential. The most reliable flow information, and a calculator for converting cfs to/from the Pineview gauge, is available from the Poudre Rock Report at http://www.poudrerockreport.com
Logistics:
The put-in is at Steven's Gulch Access or Upper Landing; both are very nice improved picnic area/launch sites with changing rooms. The take-out is at Dead Deer but you can also stop at Mishawaka Inn where you can have a beer with greasy food while you enjoy the music and the local scene.
For descriptions of Colorado runs, see Whitewater of the Southern Rockies by Stafford and McCutchen, or Colorado Rivers and Creeks by Banks and Eckert.
Additional Poudre
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Stevens Gulch Access is a picnic area adminstered by the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests with seven picnic sites and a very nice improved launch area with changing rooms. This access is located at Poudre Canyon Highway mile 104.7.
Alternate picnic site and access point that serves as a put-in for the Upper Mishiwaka. This access is located at Poudre Canyon Highway mile 105.
Three Way Rapid is the first of the more challenging rapids with three primary options: a relatively straightforward line down the right, a center line that requires punching a hole that can get sticky as flows increase, or a technical route down the left.
The Mishawaka Inn is a restaurant and concert venue on the banks of the Poudre River. It is the traditional dividing point between the Upper and Lower Mishawaka runs and you can access the river but keep in mind it is a private river access. This access is located at Poudre Canyon Highway mile 108.2. The public river access administered by the Forest Service is just downstream at Dead Deer.
One of the bigger holes on the run. Can be snuck easily on the left.
Dead Deer is an access administered by the Forest Service at a paved pull out along the highway and a set of concrete steps down to the river. This access can get heavy use including outfitters so please keep the area around the stairs clear and don't park in the load/unload zone. This access is located at Poudre Canyon Highway mile 108.8.
Jan 1, 1900
Photo courtesy of and copyright by www.allaboutrivers.com.
