Cache La Poudre, North Fork

02. Lower: Livermore Bridge to Main Stem

Reach banner
DifficultyII-III
Length9.7 mi
Avg Gradientn/a
GaugeNorth Fork Cache La Poudre River at Livermore, Co
Flow Rate as of 16 minutes
15 cfsbelow recommended
Reach Info Last UpdatedJuly 26, 2022

River Description

The North Fork of the Poudre rarely gets high flows.This is a class II-III remote float though several small canyons. Starting at Livermore Bridge, there are no real rapids for the first mile or so. As the river makes a hard turn and appears to cut into a razorback ridge, the geology changes and a blind drop with an island looms into view.This is the biggest rapid on the run, as the river drops more than 3 feet over a very steep slide and curves around the island.Both the left and right lines are boatable and can land on shallow rocks depending on the flow. The river picks up speed and continues through numerous class II to III drops.There is a small risk of fences across the river in the flat sections but high flows will rip these out.Around mile 8 the river hits Seamens Reservoir and you have a 1.5 mile paddle across the lake to the river right side of the dam where you carry up and over to the dam outflow and the confluence with the Filter Plant run on the main stem of the Cache le Poudre.

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

...

River Features

Put In

Distance: 0 mi

Blind Slide

Class: IIIDistance: 1.5 mi
Rapid
Blind Slide

About 1.0-1.5 miles into the run the river turns and starts cutitng into some rock ridges.  There is a blind slide of about 3 feet with a rocky landing.

Take Out

Distance: 11 mi
Take Out

JL
John Leventhal

May 28, 2021


Just ran the N. Fork yesterday (5/27/2021). Nice level 〰️350cfs. Only encountered two fences; one at the put-in which you can float under and another about 1/2 way to the lake which needs to be portaged at this level. Also, about 2/3 of the way to the lake, a huge downed tree blocking the only channel on far river left. Nice ample eddy with room for 4 boaters just above the obstruction makes for an easy walk around.