Crowds Flock To Clear Creek Whitewater Park
The Clear Creek Whitewater Park in Golden is very popular with outdoor enthusiasts in the summer. The park gets used by tubers, canoers, kayakers, swimmers, families taking picnics and more.
"Originally when the whitewater park was designed, this was a neglected creek corridor," Colorado Parks board member Jeff Oxenford said. "Now we've been able to design all sorts of recreation features that brings everyone downtown."
Micki Reeves with the USA Canoe/Kayak Team frequents the park for training.
"I'm training for the world championships in Slovenia this September," Reeves said.
Oxenford said Colorado Parks thought they were building the park for just paddlers. But they found the park was being used by many more.
"The park is now being used by tubers, canoers, kayakers, swimmers, families taking picnics; people walking down for a great place for lunch," Oxenford said.
Beginning whitewater paddlers can train in the park. There are commercial outfitters that do canoe and kayak instruction on the creek.
"So if you want to learn, you can take lessons from a commercial outfitter on the river," Oxenford said.
"I think it's fun. I know a 6-year-old who does this and he enjoys it a lot," kayaker Alyse Oxenford said. "I've gotten my friends in it before and they all love it. They've asked me to come paddle with them again. So it's for everyone."
Additional Resources
Find out more about the Clear Creek Whitewater Park by logging on to the City of Golden's website ci.golden.co.us. Get there by taking Highway 6 west and follow it around to 19th Street. Take 19th Street into Golden. The whitewater park is located a few blocks west of 10th and Washington.
Golden has received nearly $3 million from the Colorado Lottery over the years. Some of those funds have gone toward improvements along Clear Creek to help create the whitewater park. Jefferson County has been awarded about $147 million in lottery funds for outdoor projects. Since the early 1990s, $2.2 billion have been distributed to worthy projects throughout the state of Colorado.
