Kayak Love

Colorado · river

Willow Creek below Willow Creek Reservoir

Live conditions for this USGS-monitored stretch of water, updated every 15 minutes.

80of 100

Good

Paddle Score, from live wind and water conditions

Photograph taken near Willow Creek below Willow Creek Reservoir
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Willow Creek Dam (Colorado).JPG by Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

3 mph

gusting to 3 mph

Air temp

47°F

0% chance of rain

River flow

34.9 cfs

very high for this date

Best day to paddle this week

Today · 82

  • Today

    82

    Best

  • Thu

    77

  • Fri

    35

  • Sat

    64

  • Sun

    23

  • Mon

    51

  • Tue

    49

Scored from each day's peak forecast wind, heat, and rain chance — river flow isn't forecastable, so check back before you load the boat.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
8a33
9a03
10a24
11a311
12p914
1p1116
2p1215
3p1116
4p1317
5p1318
6p1317
7p919

Is this flow normal for September 9?

Today's 34.9 cfs is 731% above the median for this date — which counts as very high water here.

The median flow on this date is 4 cfs, across 71 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind3 mph — calm, ideal for any boat±0
  • Cold47°F — dress for the water, not the air-20

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, so the flow and weather are real — but we haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

All paddling spots in Colorado