Cache la Poudre

About the River

The Cache la Poudre River is Colorado's only federally designated National Wild & Scenic River, a distinction earned in 1986 for its exceptional natural character and free-flowing corridor through the Roosevelt National Forest. Rising near Cameron Pass at more than 10,000 feet in the Medicine Bow Mountains, the river descends through nearly 50 miles of Poudre Canyon before emerging onto the Colorado plains at Fort Collins. No dams interrupt the main canyon corridor, making the Poudre one of the few unimpounded rivers of its size in the state.

Paddlers come to the Poudre for a spectrum of experiences. The Mishawaka section, named for the beloved riverside amphitheater venue at the canyon's midpoint, is the main commercial rafting corridor: a sustained Class III run through granite walls accessible from US 14. Further up-canyon, the Upper Reach delivers Class III-IV technical whitewater in a more remote setting, while below Ansel Watrous the river mellows into Class I-II float water ideal for families and anglers. Peak season is April through June during snowmelt; flows often drop significantly by late summer.

Fishing on the Poudre is primarily wild-trout catch-and-release wade fishing. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has designated key canyon reaches as Gold Medal water, requiring artificial lures and flies only. Brown and rainbow trout hold in pocket water and deep pools throughout the canyon. The primary flow reference for all sections is the USGS gauge at Fort Collins (06752260), which captures the cumulative snowmelt and tributary input from the full upper watershed.