Cache La Poudre
03. Tunnel Picnic Site to Indian Meadows Bridge(White Mile Run/Upper Rustic)
| Difficulty | III-IV |
| Length | 19 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 62 fpm |
| Gauge | Cache La Poudre at Canyon Mouth Near Fort Collins |
| Flow Rate as of 9 hours | 386 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | April 28, 2025 |
River Description
This is a long run that can be divided into shorter sections: from Tunnel Picnic Site to Home Moraine, and from Home Moraine to Indian Meadows Bridge (the Upper Rustic run) but there are multiple roadside access points providing several alternative options.
Tunnel Picnic Site to Home Moraine
This segment starts out with a fun whitewater for approximately 2.5 miles down to Sleeping Elephant where it mellows a bit. Be aware of the low-head dam just above the fish hatchery another 5 miles downstream that's difficult to spot. At normal water levels, most rapids here are moderate and suitable for intermediate paddlers. The water stays cold year-round in this stretch and throughout the upper river.
The Cameron Peak Fire in 2020 significantly affected the watershed, increasing the likelihood of fallen trees (wood hazards) and landslides along the river.
Home Moraine to Indian Meadows Bridge (Upper Rustic)
A fun and energetic Class III run, offering consistent excitement for intermediate paddlers, with the possible exception of the 'White Mile' (more accurately, the 'busy 1/4 mile'). Below here the river mellows considerably. Taking out at Glen Echo Resort in Rustic is an option for those interested in focusing on the best whitewater.
Additional Information: For descriptions of Colorado runs see Whitewater of the Southern Rockies by Stafford and McCutchen, or Colorado Rivers and Creeks by Banks and Eckert. 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
River Features
Tunnel Picnic Ground Put-In
Access is at the Tunnel Picnic Site administered by Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.
Sleeping Elephant Campground
Alternate access site.
Hatchery Lowhead Dam
Lowhead dam at the hatchery intake that can form a killer keeper hydraulic.
Home Moraine Geological Interpretive Site
White Mile
Indian Meadows Low Bridge Take-Out
A low bridge across the Poudre River. Check the bridge clearance at higher flows.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportR3 trip from just west of Idylwilde through Dutch gorge in a 13ft raft. Water plenty high enough to avoid any beaching.
*Strainer just after the white mile*
Pretty sure it was the bend next to Black Hollow road bridge. A birch tree fell into the river and blocks most of the left side. Issue is the main flow takes you right into it. You can see it from the road. Somewhere around mile marker 156.5