South Platte, North Fork
01. Bailey to Pine(Bailey, The ATF Box, The Ten Miler)
| Difficulty | IV-V |
| Length | 10.4 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 85 fpm |
| Gauge | North Fork South Platte River at Bailey |
| Flow Rate as of 7 hours | 140 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 30, 2025 |
River Description
Bailey Canyon is one of the most excellent runs in Colorado and should be taken seriously. The general nature is Class IV-V creeking in a committing wilderness canyon. Bailey is remote, tight, and technical, and surrounded by private property at the beginning and end of the canyon, making it very difficult to hike out of. The three Class V rapids are tough to recognize, so your first run should be guided by a Bailey veteran. At flows above 600 cfs, the rapids get significantly more pushy through this tight canyon.
Please be very aware of private property on this run. The first 4+ miles run through private property on both sides until you get to the First Falls portage and private property begins again shortly after Deer Creek rapid. Please respect private property through here and absolutely do not defacate, camp, or build campfires on private property. No matter where you are - pack it in, pack it out. If you do get seriously injured and need to hike out before or after the canyon, please be very respectful of private property owners.
There is a historic narrow gauge railroad grade that parallels the river providing a perfect scouting trail for all the rapids. One of the bridges you duck under dates from 1886! The trail on the old railroad grade changes sides of the river. From Four Falls to The Steeps section the trail is on river right, from Super Max to the take-out it is on river left.
After four miles of mellow Class II/III is Four-Falls, the first significant rapid (Class V, V+ if you run the first drop). Public property begins directly above Four Falls. The landowners have been tolerant of paddlers in the past, but they have complained about paddlers urinating on the trail and leaving behind their broken boats. They have asked us to pee in the river, if necessary, and pack out what you pack in. We can't afford to lose access here on this awesome run!
The mile after Four Falls is collectively dubbed 'The Steeps', with numerous class
...River Features
Behind Sulley's
Dream Home
After ducking under a really low bridge, there is a stunning home river left. This is the end of the long boring II/III paddle in. From here it's continuous Class III boulder gardens until Four Falls.
Four Falls
Most choose to portage first falls, which is more dangerous than it looks as the wall below is undercut and collects debris. Watch the pointy rock below second falls and choose one of multiple lines through the rest of the rapid. When you scout/carry, you're on private land - be respectful, quick, quiet and don't defecate here.
The Notch
Immediately after Four Falls you come upon a large boulder garden. Run it straight down the middle, just to the right of the biggest boulder.
Steepness 1
A collective name for the fun continuous stretch between The Notch and Steepness 2. You can generally run it all right down the middle. It's pushy and steep but doesn't really have any big holes hiding behind the horizon lines.
Steepness 2
This one has a wicked pin spot, but if you let it, the current will push you away from it. The entrance zigs left then right, then let the current push you far left again. There is a rock jumble in the middle of the rapid just below. From here on just keep it straight to punch the holes in the bottom.
The Steeps
'The Steeps' continue in a III+/IV- fashion for about a 1/2 mile and dump you in a wide and shallow II/III stretch.
Super Max
Trash Can
This is the steepest rapid in a long stretch of pushy III/IV. Trash Can has an ugly jumble of rocks in the center and a slightly undercut wall on the right. These hazards cause more injuries than any other rapid in Bailey. Running into either is not fun. When you see a horizon line, go left and all will be well.
Big Flake O' Rock
Lookout for a 100' tall flake of rock leaning against a cliff. After this there is about 50 yards of pushy Class III leading into a big river left eddy, if you miss this eddy you'll survive but you will be gripped!
Deer Creek Rapid
Eddy out on the left and scout. Boof center right through the entrance drop and then try to stay upright and in the main flow through the rest. It boats easy, but will bust your head right open if you get upside down.
Uppercut Undercut
This is one of many narrow bedrock slots in the lower section, but this one pushes you into a neck high undercut. Boof to the right for best results.
Mystery Eddy
This is a cool little rapid. The current splits around a boulder halfway down, with the left channel somewhat hidden. If you boof left into this channel you will find yourself in a large hidden eddy. The move looks like a magic trick from upstream! This is the last fun rapid, steel yourself for 2 miles of boring flatwater.
Takeout
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportThis is a great rapid and a highlight of the run. It's not easy to recognize from above as the river suddenly explodes into this drop as it rounds the corner. One may use the portage and scouting trail on river left. Those who don't like the looks of the crux entry move can put-in to run the lower half visible in this photo which packs a pretty good punch.
After Deer Creek rapid there are a couple
more drops that demand your attention but
the pace slows considerably and you can
enjoy the canyon scenery of the lower
section.
From this guys line to river left is bad news, you will be swept directly into an undercut just barely out of the photo. It is luckily pretty forgiving. This guy, and most who go left of the launch pad, only get knocked over by the undercut rock. But if you fail to roll back up the swim isn't fun;-)
Too far right, and you will piton hard and then a vareity of neat things can happen. You can splat the rock backing up the hole or just surf the hole sideways for a while. This bold paddler surfed the hole for a few seconds but made it out OK. Better to be too far right than too far left.
Ouch!
Beleive it or not, this paddler did not surf the hole. It's not a perfect line, but not a bad one either.
Pretty, isn't it? Good news for those who are intimidated by the crux, you can put in just below the undercut(large pyramid rock at top of picture) and run the bottom half(IV+ at low, V at medium, and V+ at high water). The big hole at the bottom is asymetrical and usually is pretty darn forgiving, the mean hole is formed by the small ledge just above it!
This two step drop is very pushy. The ideal line is to drive to the left and catch the river left eddy, like the boater in the green boat. From this eddy, a REALLY squirrely eddy I might add, you can ferry right to miss the undercut. Easier said than done;-) At the bottom of the picture you can see the rapid takes a severe 90 degree right turn with most of the water pushing left into a large undercut rock.
This is the crux move of Super Max. Just a few feet after a severe 90 degree right turn in heavy current, you need to hit a 2 foot wide launch pad. Too far left and you get flushed into the undercut (the big rock bottom left of the picture. Too far right is not quite as bad, but isn't that much fun either. Most likely you will piton on the rock backing up the right side.
This is the 1st drop of Four Falls Rapid. You can see the water pouring into the uncercut cliff on river left. A sieve on the right side of the drop sucks 50% of the river under the boulder the kayakers are launching off of. It is only a Class IV move, but with Class VI consequences, so most people call it a V+ and portage. The drop isn't that big or fun and isn't worth the risk.
Check out the full-sized version of this picture by clicking here.