Colorado tubers hit Clear Creek on Fourth of July after delayed opening due to rushing water

With runoff running a little longer this year, there was a question, between the water levels and the tubing ordinances in Golden, just how busy the Fourth of July would be. On Clear Creek, it's shown no signs of slowing down. People are enjoying the weather and the water even if it is a little bit colder.

"My buddy John here picked it out," said Denver resident Philip Kwasinski. Just wanted to come out here, have a few beers, have a good time, and celebrate the fourth.

While Clear Creek can turn into something of a slow river later in the summer, it was moving quickly to start July.

"I've been up to Centennial, there's a couple of places over there that you can go tubing," Kwasinski adds. "It's a lot slower, almost lazy river-like. This is like borderline rapids."

There was plenty of foot traffic in downtown Golden and all over the Clear Creek area. At Golden River Sports, travelers lined up starting in the late morning to rent tubes and get out on the water. 

"By the time we get to the first of July, runoff is usually done and we're on our way down so we're usually in pretty good shape by July Fourth," said Jon Baskin, who works at Golden River Sports. 

After a longer-than-normal closure due to sustained high water flows, the Golden Fire Department – in conjunction with other safety agencies – opened up the river to recreation at the beginning of the week. 

"We didn't have a huge historical peak like sometimes what we expected for this year but it ran high and it actually ran high for a little bit longer than expected," said GFD Battalion Chief Rick Vandervelde. 

Typically the river opens to recreation when the river is running around 500 cubic feet per second. Later in the year, it slows down to as low as 300. But the speed of the river, the rapids, and the congestion from holiday tubers can create problems if recreators aren't careful.

"So if you look right here we have kind of a pinch point," Vandervelde says, gesturing out at the rapids on the Creek behind the fire station. "If we have congestion right here we can have people that can go off their tubes and not be able to hold on."

If the Fourth of July is any indication it should be a busy summer again on the banks of Clear Creek.

"They're just coming out to enjoy themselves and have a good time in the cool water in 90-degree temperatures," said Baskin. "Certainly can't blame them for that."