Paddling Deckers Chutes on the South Platte River

Michele Crockett

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River Beta
Deckers Chutes rapid South Platte River Colorado

The Deckers Chutes section of the South Platte River in Colorado is a terrific paddling trip for kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders, and rafters from early summer through late fall. With great whitewater close to Denver, this section is a fun day trip—or an overnighter if you’re not hung up on a wilderness experience. And if you hit it on one of those sunny autumn days, you’ll feel like you stretched summer just a bit further.

Fall view of rapids on Deckers Chutes section of South Platte River
Deckers Chutes section of the South Platte River is a perfect run for small boats

The Deckers Chutes section of the South Platte River in central Colorado is named after the nearby tiny town of Deckers and the iconic “Chutes” rapid, which is a fun little Class II+/III- rollercoaster through some huge boulders. Aside from the Chutes, this stretch is all splashy waves on a celebrated trout-fishing river surrounded by Pike National Forest.

Although it’s fairly close to Denver, this section has a remote feel. The drive to Deckers on CO 126 from Highway 285 is a beautiful journey through the Pike National Forest. Although the scenery is beautiful, it’s not a true wilderness experience: CO Highway 97 runs right along the South Platte here, and the proximity to Denver means it can get crowded on summer weekends. On the bright side, there are numerous access points, allowing many put-in and take-out options. It’s a relatively mellow scene in the fall. And if you get tired of paddling, you can grab a rod and fish this gold-medal fishery.

FAQs: Paddling Deckers Chutes on the South Platte River

Where is the Deckers Chutes section of the South Platte River?

The Deckers Chutes section (named after the Class II+ “chute” through large boulders) on the South Platte River is 90 minutes south of Denver near the town of Deckers. Deckers Chutes rapid South Platte River Colorado

Is Deckers Chutes appropriate for beginning paddlers?

Aside from the Deckers Chutes rapid itself, most of this section is rollicking Class II whitewater, perfect for beginning kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders, and rafters. A couple of considerations to keep in mind: The water moves along quickly, and there is a low bridge about 3 miles downstream from the County Road 126 bridge that could cause trouble in high water. But for the most part, this is a great stretch to hone your skills, especially for kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders who are just getting comfortable with whitewater.

During what seasons is Deckers Chutes runnable?

Depending on the snowpack situation, this section is typically runnable in early spring based on snowmelt-powered flows. Then later in the summer, paddlers will benefit from releases from Cheesman Reservoir that typically start in early summer and continue through mid-fall. Minimum flows on the low end are about 200 cfs, but flows of 500 cfs or 600 cfs are typical through October and perfect for inflatable kayaks (IKs), canoes, kayaks, and small rafts. (Check out our guide to predicting future river flows for planning purposes.)

Where are the access points (put-ins and take-outs) for the Deckers Chutes section?

Because of the numerous campgrounds and additional picnic sites, you have multiple options for put-in and take-out points. The entire stretch from Deckers to the confluence of the South Platte and the North Fork of the South Platte is about 12 miles. (See the map below for access points and campgrounds.)

Is there camping available nearby?

This isn’t a wilderness river camping experience, but the plentiful developed campgrounds along the South Platte River Corridor provide many options. You can reserve a campsite in advance at Lone Rock Campground; three other campsites are available on a first-come basis. Keep in mind that camping is restricted to designated campgrounds. To pull together an overnight trip, you’ll need to coordinate stops at the developed campgrounds. Dispersed camping is not allowed between Cheesman Canyon Trailhead and the Pine Creek Road.

Scraggy View picnic area on South Platte River near Deckers Colorado
Scraggy View picnic area is one of several potential put-ins for the Deckers Chutes section of the South Platte River

Tips for planning a Deckers Chutes paddling trip

  1. Choose your put-in and take-out. Most of the picnic areas and campgrounds along this stretch of the South Platte have good access areas for small boats. Typical take-out if you run the Chutes is the confluence of the South Platte and the North Fork, which has plenty of parking and public toilets. Here’s a snapshot of the river map at the public parking area at Deckers, just behind the little shopping area at the intersection of CO 126 and CO 67.
Map of South Platte River section Deckers Chutes with campgrounds and access points marked
Snapshot of the river map on the information board at Deckers shows several campgrounds and day use sites along the South Platte River Corridor
  1. Map your route. Deckers is about 1.5 hours southwest of Denver. From Denver, take US 285 south to Pine Junction, then turn left on County Road 126. Travel about 25 miles to the intersection of County Road 67. A little shopping area at the intersection includes the Flies & Lies fishing outpost, a coffee shop, and liquor store.
  2. Check the water level at the American Whitewater water flows listing for the Deckers to Confluence with North Fork section of the South Platte River. Minimum flows on the low end are about 200 cfs, but flows of 500 cfs or 600 cfs are typical through October and perfect for inflatable kayaks (IKs), canoes, kayaks, and small rafts.
  3. Be prepared to pay the U.S. Forest Service day-use fee of $7. You can drop the fee in an envelope at whichever access site you choose.
  4. Consider camping. As this is a terrific section for fishing and paddling, the campsites along the South Platte are in high demand. This section has four public campgrounds, one of which you can reserve in advance. The other three are available on a first-come basis. All have vault toilets, but drinking water is available only at Lone Rock.
    • Reserved camping: You can reserve a spot from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend at Lone Rock Campground. To score a spot, you’ll need to reserve at least four days in advance and commit to a two-night minimum on summer weekends and three nights on holiday weekends. Lone Rock has both tent and RV camper sites. Overnight camping fee is $22; day use fee is $7. Check-in is at 2 pm, and check-out is at noon. Check out the Lone Rock Campground info site for more details on amenities and regulations or reserve a site at Lone Rock Campground.
    • First-come, first-served tent-only camping is available at three additional campgrounds along the South Platte River Corridor: Osprey, Ouzel, and Platte River. Each of these campgrounds has 10 to 13 tent sites with a picnic table and fire ring at each site. Max limits for each site: 2 tents, 2 vehicles, and 8 people. Fees: $18 for overnight camping and $7 day use fee. No water is available at these sites.
  5. Check out videos of the Deckers Chutes. This is a great run for beginning to intermediate kayakers, but it’s always good to study some videos first. Here’s a video of the Deckers Chutes from the POV of a 10-foot raft with three paddlers at about 500 cfs.
Highlights from the Deckers Chutes run on the South Platte River

Deckers Chutes is a sweet little run not far from Denver that’s become our new go-to for three-season paddling day trips or quick overnighters. If you’re looking for more action, check out the Waterton section, which starts at the confluence of the South Platte and the North Fork. Here’s a gallery of shots from the Waterton section on an October afternoon.

Boulder-choked rapid on Waterton section of South Platte River
Kayaker with red paddle jacket surfing whitewater rapid in Waterton section of South Platte River
Water flowing next to large dark boulder in Waterton section of South Platte River

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