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Colorado whitewater, Clear Creek

Clear Creek county, Lawson to Idaho Springs section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 

CLASS III-IV     5.5 miles
  If you've been out of state whitewater rafting and kayaking you might find the rivers here more demanding, so if you're not from around here don't forget that rivers here are not as easy as elsewhere. The Lawson to Idaho Springs stretch of Clear Creek in Colorado is 5.5 miles long and it is classified as a class III-IV section by American Whitewater. The scenic beauty of Colorado and the water flowing gracefully down Clear Creek have people
    coming here. The beautiful Front Range scenery is an added bonus. Great exercise and just hanging out with mother nature will make you glad you came. The put-in location is a reasonable drive from Boulder, there's a road
map further down the page with more info on that. Since you're on this site you are probably into whitewater rafting or kayaking, either way around here you'll find a large number of good places. There are plenty of other sections in this river system that can be paddled as well. This section is long enough to enjoy a good non stop paddle, it's perfect for a one day trip. You can pitch a tent or park your RV at a nearby campground. You might  
have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, but if you don’t have reservations you might end up sleeping in your car.

Briefly about the general area:
Head up to Eldora and strap some skis to your feet. Golden Gate Canyon State Park is a great spot to stretch your legs a bit, and Spring Gulch is also a pleasant site to discover. Coming to this river is always a good idea. Go for a hike on the Chicago Lakes Trail, and lots of people from Idaho Springs come here. Good hiking is available along the James Peak Lake Trail. Summertime highs at Clear Creek commonly tend to be in the 60's, and during the night it cools down to the 30's.

Clear Creek, Lawson to Idaho Springs road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

   

Map
map
Detailed Map


Stats
map
Stats for this river stretch


Weather
weather
Local weather forecast


OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Clear Creek.
 Whitewater Near Clear Creek:
Whitewater Outfitter - Clear Creek Rafting, Clear Creek County, 1 miles away
      Whitewater outfitter
Whitewater Outfitter - Mile HI Rafting, Clear Creek County, 1 miles away
      Whitewater outfitter
Whitewater Outfitter - Arkansas Valley Adventures Idaho Springs Outpost, Clear Creek County, 4 miles away
      Whitewater outfitter
Clear Creek, Clear Creek County, 4 miles away
      Class III-IV - 5.5 miles long (Lawson to Idaho Springs)
Clear Creek, Clear Creek County, 10 miles away
      Class V+ - 1 miles long (Silverplume to Georgetown)
Boulder Creek - South, Boulder County, 10 miles away
      Class IV - 6 miles long (Rollinsville to Pinecliffe)
Boulder Creek, Boulder County, 12 miles away
      Class V - 2.5 miles long (Gun Shy to Jasper Creek)
Jasper Creek, Boulder County, 13 miles away
      Class V+ - 1 miles long (to Boulder Creek)
Whitewater Outfitter - Mad Adventures, Grand County, 14 miles away
      Whitewater outfitter
Boulder Creek - South, Boulder County, 15 miles away
      Class V+ - 2.6 miles long (Pinecliffe to Gross Mountain Reservoir)
 Ski Areas Near Clear Creek:
Eldora, Colorado , 10 miles away, 1600 foot drop, 12 lifts, 53 runs
Winter Park, Colorado , 14 miles away, 3060 foot drop, 26 lifts, 145 runs
Arapahoe Basin, Colorado , 21 miles away, 2270 foot drop, 7 lifts, 105 runs
Loveland, Colorado , 22 miles away, 2410 foot drop, 10 lifts, 92 runs
Keystone, Colorado , 27 miles away, 3128 foot drop, 20 lifts, 135 runs
SolVista Basin, Colorado , 27 miles away, 1000 foot drop, 6 lifts, 37 runs
Breckenridge, Colorado , 35 miles away, 3398 foot drop, 27 lifts, 146 runs
Copper Mountain, Colorado , 41 miles away, 2601 foot drop, 23 lifts, 125 runs
Ski Cooper, Colorado , 53 miles away, 1200 foot drop, 5 lifts, 26 runs
Vail, Colorado , 55 miles away, 3450 foot drop, 31 lifts, 193 runs
 Hotels Near Clear Creek:
Miners Pick Bed And Breakfast, Idaho Springs , 5 miles away
Ameristar Casino Resort Spa Black Hawk, Black Hawk , 7 miles away
Americas Best Value Inn Georgetown Lodge, Georgetown , 8 miles away
Winter Park Mountain Lodge, Winter Park , 14 miles away
Zephyr Mountain Lodge, Winter Park , 14 miles away
 Campgrounds Near Clear Creek:
Shwayder Camp-Temple Emanuel, Idaho Springs, 1 miles away
Cottonwood RV Camp, Idaho Springs, 3 miles away
Columbine Campground - Arapaho National Forest, Fort Collins, 4 miles away
 Trails Near Clear Creek:
Chicago Lakes Trail, Clear Creek , 7 miles away
James Peak Lake Trail, Gilpin , 8 miles away
South Boulder Creek Trail, Gilpin , 9 miles away
Guinn Mountain Ski Trail, Boulder , 10 miles away
Lost Lake Trail, Boulder , 11 miles away
 Public Lands Near Clear Creek:
Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park - CO , 33 miles away
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Florissant - CO , 51 miles away
Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Colorado , 14 miles away
Eldorado State Park, Colorado , 21 miles away
Arapaho National Forest, Colorado , 33 miles away
 Golf Courses Near Clear Creek:
Hiwan Golf Club, Evergreen , 17 miles away
Evergreen Golf Course, Evergreen , 18 miles away
Eagle Indoor Golf, Bailey , 19 miles away
 Lakes Near Clear Creek
Idaho Springs Reservoir, Clear Creek , 6 miles away
Clear Lake, Clear Creek , 9 miles away
Yankee Doodle Lake, Boulder , 11 miles away

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Some content, including Reach Name, Class, Coordinates, and Length, comes from American Whitewater with permission.