North Platte River is one of my favorite paddling destinations. Usually, I paddle various flatwater river sections in Wyoming, but, recently, I scouted access points to the upper North Platte River in Colorado above Northgate Canyon.

That river section is mentioned as “Upper Valley” in Paddling Colorado book by Dunbar Hardy. It is just 6 miles starting from put-in on county road 6 west of Cowdrey and ends in the Routt launch site (put-in for the Northgate Canyon run). The river is meandering in a wide valley with some beaver swamps.

North Platte River above Northgate Canyon near Cowdrey, Colorado

North Platte River above Northgate Canyon near Cowdrey, Colorado

Beaver dam on the North Platte River above Northgate Canyon near Cowdrey, Colorado

I took these three pictures from the Routt launch site looking upstream on October 16, 2003 with the river flow about 250 cfs which is much higher than usual for autumn. Recommended flow for paddling is 500-1500 cfs. I believe that 250 cfs may be sufficient for downriver run, perhaps, with some occasional shallow spots. A packraft trip with a bike shuttle? A bike leg would include some hill climbing and would be longer than a river one.

I added North Platte River pictures to my stock photography portfolio. There are available for download and licensing as royalty free pictures starting from $2 for a small size perfect for blogging or web publication.

Related posts:
Sun, Snow and Wind on the North Platte River in Wyoming
Bennett Peak to Pick Bridge on the North Platte River, Wyoming
44 Miles of the North Platte River in 2 Minutes
57 Miles of Paddling on North Platte River from Treasure Island to Fort Steele, Wyoming