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. You can also run it as an overnighter if you’re not hung up on a wilderness experience.
Here’s a guide to planning a Deckers Chutes paddling trip.
The Deckers Chutes section of the South Platte River is named after the nearby tiny town of Deckers and the iconic “Chutes” rapid, which is a 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. Plus, 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.
Trip-planning tips
Choose your put-in and take-out
Most of the picnic areas and campgrounds along this stretch have good access areas for small boats. The typical take-out is at the confluence of the South Platte and the North Fork, which has 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 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.
Check the water level
You can look up current flow on American Whitewater’s river info database. Minimum flows on the low end are about 200 cfs. But flows of 500 cfs or 600 cfs are typical through October, perfect for kayaks and small rafts.
Pay the fee
Be prepared to pay the U.S. Forest Service day-use fee of $7 to $11 or so for day use of campgrounds along this stretch.
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 or reserve a site at Lone Rock Campground.
- First-come, first-served tent-only camping is available at three additional campgrounds: 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.
Check out videos
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 a 10-foot raft with three paddlers at about 500 cfs.
FAQs about paddling Deckers Chutes on the South Platte River
The Deckers Chutes section on the South Platte River is 90 minutes south of Denver near the town of Deckers. 
Aside from the Deckers Chutes rapid itself, most of this section is rollicking Class II whitewater. This section is perfect for beginning kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders, and rafters. However, the water moves along quickly. Also, a low bridge about 3 miles downstream from the County Road 126 bridge could cause trouble in high water. But for the most part, this is a great stretch for intermediate paddlers to hone their skills.
Depending on the snowpack situation, this section is typically runnable in early spring based on snowmelt-powered flows. Releases from Cheesman Reservoir typically start in early summer and continue through mid-fall. Minimum flows for paddling are about 200 cfs. Flows of 500 cfs or 600 cfs are typical through October, perfect for inflatable kayaks (IKs), canoes, kayaks, and small rafts. (Check out our guide to predicting future river flows for planning purposes.)
Because of the numerous campgrounds and additional picnic sites, you have multiple options for put-in and take-out points. The 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.)
You can reserve a campsite in advance at Lone Rock Campground; three other campsites are available on a first-come basis. To pull together an overnight trip, you’ll need to coordinate stops at the developed campgrounds. Camp only in designated campgrounds. Dispersed camping is illegal between Cheesman Canyon Trailhead and the Pine Creek Road.
Deckers Chutes is a sweet little run that’s become our new go-to for three-season paddling day trips or quick overnighters. Want 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.
