It’s Usually Safest to Tube The Poudre River In July-August

"Wait to Recreate - It's Not a Lazy River!" That's headline on the Poudre Fire Authority's website, on a page dedicated toward safety on the Poudre River.

This time of year, as people start to really get out and enjoy summer recreation, tubing on the Poudre is always a popular thing to do on hot weekends where people are looking to cool off. Problem is, this time of year the Poudre is still pretty dangerous for people to be on, as most of the water is still pretty fresh snow melt from the mountains.

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That means the water level is high, very cold and running fast through Poudre Canyon and into the City of Fort Collins. It's usually best to wait until July or August once the flow has slowed, before attempting to tube it.

People on kayaks or rafts looking for that "thrill" experience should only attempt the river with experienced guides, and only putting in at certain spots in the river - all of which are clearly identified by the PFA on their Interactive Poudre River Safety Map.

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Much as the pace and temperature of the water are a concern, the bigger concern this time of year is debris build up at certain spots along the river. As the river rises and rushes down the canyon, it picks up sticks and other debris along its banks, oftentimes collecting in certain spots along the route.

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The majority of the rescues emergency crews make are for people who have become trapped against the debris, being unable to safely navigate their kayak, raft or tube around them and becoming separated from their vessel.