Evans to Mitani-Tokuyasu State Wildlife Area (SWA)/ Kersey / Kuner
From the Evans put-in, it is about 7 miles to the to Mitani-Tokuyasu State Wildlife Area (SWA), 9 miles to Kersey bridge, or about 14 miles to Kuner bridge. The river flow for the 2003 RMCC/RMSKC/PP Joint Paddle was about 450 cfs. Below about 2,000 cfs the river is all class I, with two dams on the first section. The first is an easy lift-over at the right river bank. The second is a short portage on river left. The second dam is a great place to stop for lunch.
Where is Riverside Ballfields Park (put-in)?
The entrance to Riverside Park is located at the intersection of 42nd St. & Golden St. in Evans, Colorado. Evans is on Hwy 85 a few miles south of Greeley, Colorado. Go to the traffic light at Hwy 85 and 37th Street in Evans. Go 0.5 miles east on 37th Street. Turn right (south) on Riverside Parkway. There is a big blue sign for Colorado State Patrol at the turn. Go 0.2 miles south, where you come to the edge of the big park. Bear left onto the ballfields access road, then drive to the far end (southeast) of the ballfield parking lot, and park there [note: in March the road around the ballfields was closed on the left --- we just followed it around on the right and ended up at the same place]. The river is just on the other side of the large berm.
What facilities are there at the put-in?
From the City of Evans website:
Riverside Park features a 7-acre finshing lake. Over two miles of scenic trails, fishing docks, two lighted ball fields, spacious playground area, pavilion, basketball courts, restrooms and many acres of undeveloped open space.
How long will it take me to get there?
Riverside Park is about 50 miles / 70 minutes from Boulder or 55 miles / 70 minutes from Denver.
Shuttle Route and Mitani-Tokuyasu State Wildlife Area (SWA) Access
You can go back out to US Hwy 85 North and then take US Hwy 34 East, but there's a good shortcut. Drive back up to 37th Street and turn right (east). From there, go 4.3 miles east. 37th Street becomes County Road (CR) 54 as you leave Evans. Turn left (north) at CR 49 and go 1.0 miles north. Turn right (east) at US Hwy 34 and go 2.0 miles east to Kersey. Turn left (north) onto CO 37. At 1.4 miles you'll cross the bridge over the S. Platte. After about another mile you'll reach a 'T' in the road, turn left (west) on CO 263 and go about 1.8 miles west. Keep an eye out for the sign (on your left) for the Mitani-Tokuyasu State SWA. There are two dirt roads near the sign: take the one on the right and follow it south to the parking area near the river.
This take-out is harder to recognize from the river than either the Kersey or Kuner take-outs. Take a close look at the overall route map: the Mitani-Tokuyasu SWA is adjacent to the first east-west section of the river after the bridge after the second portage. It is also immediately after where the Poudre River flows into the South Platte.
Shuttle Route and Kersey Access
You can go back out to US Hwy 85 North and then take US Hwy 34 East, but there's a good shortcut. Drive back up to 37th Street and turn right (east). From there, go 4.3 miles east. 37th Street becomes County Road (CR) 54 as you leave Evans. Turn left (north) at CR 49 and go 1.0 miles north. Turn right (east) at US Hwy 34 and go 2.0 miles east to Kersey. Turn left (north) onto CO 37 and go 1.4 miles north to the bridge.
You can park in the small pullout north of the river and west of the road, but please pull to the side to allow others to pass. The embankment on the northeast corner of the bridge is best for river access. When moving boats, please stay outside the fence lines and within the highway right-of-way.
Shuttle Route and Kuner Access
Drive towards Kersey according to the previous directions. At Kersey, do not turn off at CO 37. Keep heading east on US Hwy 34 for another 4.6 miles. Pass the feed lots. Turn left at CR 61 and go north. In early 2000 there was construction here on Hwy 34, and the CR 61 north turnoff was gravel and badly marked. Also beware of an unmarked split in the road right after you turn; don't take the road to the east (right) by mistake. From this turnoff, go 1.4 miles north on CR 61 and cross the first river bridge.
The river access is under this bridge. Park along the shoulder of the road, pulling off as far as is practical. The pullout on the right should be avoided because it is full of very soft sand.
Please use the southern bridge at Kuner (this is the first one via the road and the second one when on the river), and stay outside the fence lines and within the highway right-of-way. The northern bridge and surroundings are heavily posted.
Portages
Please use extreme caution around the diversion dams. You'll hear the first dam before you see it --- it is just down river from a right-hand bend in the river. At lower water levels (i.e. <500cfs at the Kersey gauge), the safe portage at the first dam is a lift-over at the bank on river right. The second dam has a short land portage on the left bank. (These portages get more difficult above 1000 cfs.)
Other sources of info about this route
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