The Town Run
Location: We put-in at the Shields Street Bridge. There is a parking lot called "Shields River Access" to the north and west of the bridge. We float through Fort Collins to the Prospect Street Bridge. There is a parking lot north of the Prospect bridge. See the maps at the end of this page.
Rating: It depends on the level. At 500 cfs and higher it is Class II. The water is moving and there may be trees that have fallen into the river. At low water levels of 100-300 cfs, it is basically a class I lazy river, except the water park area, which can be portaged. You have to be able to move your boat around an occasional tree that has fallen in the river from the bank. We will help carry the boats at the two portages around dams.
Description: This is a very nice float through Fort Collins. Because of all the trees near the river, you really don't notice that you are in a city. We will stop at the water park to have a sack lunch.
You can find out how much water is flowing in the Poudre through Fort Collins by clicking on the link below. The Poudre through Fort Collins is part of the irrigation system, so the flow rate can change quickly.
Poudre River Gauge at Lincoln Street
Itinerary for Town Run:
10:00 am, Sunday, May 5, 2024 meet at Shields Street Bridge. Park in the new parking lot on the northwest corner of the bridge. It has a restroom. We can put out boats in the river under the bridge.
10:30 am. Someone will stay with the boats as one person per car drives the shuttle. The destination is a parking lot near the Prospect Street Bridge over the Poudre. To get from Shields to Prospect, you can go north on Shields, turn right and go east on Willox, then south on Lemay to Prospect, and east on Prospect. Go as far as you can and then turn north into the parking lot. This is a business parking lot, but there are a few parking spaces marked for the river trail. If you go over the bridge, turn around at the River Bend Ponds and come back. Remember to take your car keys and one or two cars will take the drivers back to Shields.
11:30 am. Finally begin the float. If you are waiting for the other boats to get ready, practice ferrying back and forth across the river.
We will pass:
Shields Bridge
A beach near the McMurry Ponds
Walking bridge near Lee Martinez Park
Swing Tree
Walking bridge near Legacy Park
Portage the dam below Legacy Park, portage river right
Railroad Bridge, watch for snags
Get out and scout. The far river right line may be a good choice.
College Ave. bridge
The whitewater park. The Coy boat chute and Cheese grater are gone.
Another railroad bridge
Linden Street Bridge
Lincoln Street, You can see the gauge on river left
Lemay Bridge
Diversion Dam. Portage on river left
Timberline Bridge We also pass under a lime slurry pipe used sugar beet refining
Where Spring Creek enters the Poudre
Prospect Bridge, exit river right just before the bridge.
Note: Be alert and watch for strainers and sweepers, trees fallen into the river.
Equipment: Life Jackets are required on all Poudre Paddler trips. The trip may take 3-5 hours, so you should bring a sack lunch or snacks. Bring sunscreen, sun glasses, sun hat, water, rain coat, and change of clothing if you get wet. You may want to include bug repellent.
See you Sunday! ( It is best to notify me if you are going, so if there is some change to the trip, I can contact you. Feel free to ask questions. )
Host:
Roger Faaborg, [email protected], cell: 970 646 5706
Rating: It depends on the level. At 500 cfs and higher it is Class II. The water is moving and there may be trees that have fallen into the river. At low water levels of 100-300 cfs, it is basically a class I lazy river, except the water park area, which can be portaged. You have to be able to move your boat around an occasional tree that has fallen in the river from the bank. We will help carry the boats at the two portages around dams.
Description: This is a very nice float through Fort Collins. Because of all the trees near the river, you really don't notice that you are in a city. We will stop at the water park to have a sack lunch.
You can find out how much water is flowing in the Poudre through Fort Collins by clicking on the link below. The Poudre through Fort Collins is part of the irrigation system, so the flow rate can change quickly.
Poudre River Gauge at Lincoln Street
Itinerary for Town Run:
10:00 am, Sunday, May 5, 2024 meet at Shields Street Bridge. Park in the new parking lot on the northwest corner of the bridge. It has a restroom. We can put out boats in the river under the bridge.
10:30 am. Someone will stay with the boats as one person per car drives the shuttle. The destination is a parking lot near the Prospect Street Bridge over the Poudre. To get from Shields to Prospect, you can go north on Shields, turn right and go east on Willox, then south on Lemay to Prospect, and east on Prospect. Go as far as you can and then turn north into the parking lot. This is a business parking lot, but there are a few parking spaces marked for the river trail. If you go over the bridge, turn around at the River Bend Ponds and come back. Remember to take your car keys and one or two cars will take the drivers back to Shields.
11:30 am. Finally begin the float. If you are waiting for the other boats to get ready, practice ferrying back and forth across the river.
We will pass:
Shields Bridge
A beach near the McMurry Ponds
Walking bridge near Lee Martinez Park
Swing Tree
Walking bridge near Legacy Park
Portage the dam below Legacy Park, portage river right
Railroad Bridge, watch for snags
Get out and scout. The far river right line may be a good choice.
College Ave. bridge
The whitewater park. The Coy boat chute and Cheese grater are gone.
Another railroad bridge
Linden Street Bridge
Lincoln Street, You can see the gauge on river left
Lemay Bridge
Diversion Dam. Portage on river left
Timberline Bridge We also pass under a lime slurry pipe used sugar beet refining
Where Spring Creek enters the Poudre
Prospect Bridge, exit river right just before the bridge.
Note: Be alert and watch for strainers and sweepers, trees fallen into the river.
Equipment: Life Jackets are required on all Poudre Paddler trips. The trip may take 3-5 hours, so you should bring a sack lunch or snacks. Bring sunscreen, sun glasses, sun hat, water, rain coat, and change of clothing if you get wet. You may want to include bug repellent.
See you Sunday! ( It is best to notify me if you are going, so if there is some change to the trip, I can contact you. Feel free to ask questions. )
Host:
Roger Faaborg, [email protected], cell: 970 646 5706
Above is the put-in for the Town Run. Park at Shields River Access parking lot.
Above is the take-out for the Town Run. Park in the Schneider Electric Parking near the river.
If you are driving east on Prospect, turn north at the sign shown below to get to the parking lot.
If you are driving east on Prospect, turn north at the sign shown below to get to the parking lot.
