freestone river · trout

North Fork South Platte (Bailey)

Live conditions for North Fork South Platte (Bailey): the gauge, the water temperature, the trend, and what the water is doing today — read the way a guide reads it.

Right now

320cfs→ highnot now

Above the wade band · 0% over the last 6 hours.

Water temp—

Engine callOFF 320 cfs outside wade band 30–200

Gauge read 1:15 AM CDT · CDSS PLABAICO. Readings refresh every few minutes.

The water

North Fork South Platte (Bailey) is a freestone river in Denver, fished for trout — brown, rainbow, cutbow, brook. On free-flowing water the trajectory is the story: falling and clearing after a bump is the window, rising water pushes fish to the banks and brings colour.

troutbrown troutrainbow troutcutbow troutbrook troutWade only

Wade and float bands in cfs, the safety notes and the 14-day trend are on the signed-in river page.

Access

Grant Roadside Access (near Roberts Tunnel outflow)walk in
Shawnee Bridge (US 285 crossing)bridge
Bailey Canyon Pullouts (Glen Isle / US 285 above Bailey)walk in
McGraw Parkwalk in
Lynwood Park (Bailey)walk in
Pine Valley Ranch Park / Narrow Gauge Trailwalk in
Buffalo Creek / Foxton Road Day-Use Access (Denver Water)walk in
North Fork Confluence / South Platte Hotel Trailheadwalk in

Directions to the put-in or wade access ride on every briefing.

The briefing

Know before you drive to North Fork South Platte.

Every morning OUTFISH reads this gauge, the dam schedule, the water temperature, the sky and the tips library, and writes one plain-language call for the waters you track: go or stay home, wade or float, when to be on the water, where to put in, what to tie on — with directions.

Start free — 7 days of Guide

Signed in: the wade and float bands, the full hatch calendar, safety notes, the 14-day trend, shop reports and today's briefing for this water.

This month

Active in September:

Terrestrials

The full calendar by month, with notes, is on the signed-in river page.

Verify it yourself

The same sources the engine reads, straight from the agency:

dwr.state.co.us/Tools/Stations/PLABAICO ↗

More water in Denver

Arkansas River (Cañon City)Cache la Poudre River (Fort Collins)Bear Creek (Evergreen/Morrison)Big Thompson (Estes Tailwater)Boulder Creek (Canyon)Clear Creek (Golden)South Platte — Eleven Mile Canyon South Platte (Cheesman Canyon)South Platte (Deckers)South Platte (Denver Urban)South Platte (Dream Stream)South Platte River — Cheesman Canyon (Deckers)St. Vrain Creek (Lyons)