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 Distance
- 11 miles
Difficulty - class I+
Paddling Time** 1:40 at 4500
cfs*
Paddling Season:
The North Platte is a seasonal trip. The best time to go is in late May and
early June. The river can be floated at levels as low as 800
cfs*, however it is a more enjoyable trip
at flows over 3000 cfs*.
Type of Craft:
Canoes and Sea Kayaks
How to get there:
Saratoga is an old resort town located in south central Wyoming. The put-in
is located next to the hot spring pool in the middle of town. To reach Pick Bridge,
drive north from Saratoga 7 miles on hwy 130. Turn west on Pick Bridge road, and
go another 3 miles to where the bridge crosses the river. Drive time from Denver
to Saratoga is approximately 3.5 hours.
Paddling Conditions:
The river below Saratoga moves fairly fast. Immediately after launching, the
river will go under two bridges. 1.2 miles below Saratoga is an irrigation dam,
creating the only rapid in this section. Below Saratoga, the river passes along
a cliff, and it resumes it's tendency to create small islands. Where the river passes
along the cliffs, large standing waves can form on the outside of corners. The inside
passage is usually very calm, with moderate eddies. Shallows can form in the middle
of the channel, creating rock islands at lower water levels.
Hazards:
Sweepers and strainers are possibilities due to the high cottonwood density.
The most common problem paddlers have is to get pulled onto log jams at the top
of the islands. The current can be deceptively fast, causing unprepared paddlers
to be forced onto trees and jams. There is one dam 1.2 miles below Saratoga. A pronounced
V in the dam shows a clear path through some standing waves. Paddlers have flipped
in a hole to the left of the V, and the right side is very shallow. Two bridges
below Saratoga have wide bridge abutments, and are not a serious hazard. Reflective
waves can form where the river hits cliffs.
Private Property:
The river between Saratoga and Pick Bridge flows through private property. Property
boundaries are marked along the river by red and blue squares. Property behind a
red square is private, property behind a blue square is public.
For more information on Private Land on this section of river, an excellent map
is available from the:
Wyoming Game
and Fish Department
528 S. Adams
Laramie, WY 80207
(307) 745-4046
1-800-843-2352
Camping:
Camping is permitted at Pick Bridge. Camping is also permitted on public property
between Saratoga and Pick Bridge.
GPS Coordinates:
Saratoga GPS Data Missing
Maps:
USGS 7.5 min quads
Wyoming Fish and Game
Upper North Platte River Float Map
Saratoga
Overland
Overland Crossing
The following map was created using
National Geographic TOPO! Wyoming software which offers complete 7.5 min
maps for the entire state of Wyoming.
Trip Photos:
These pictures are from a June 7-8, 2003 trip from Treasure Island to Dugway.
Trip participants were Brian Curtiss and Eric Nyre. Photos by Eric Nyre.
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Saratoga Boat Ramp |
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The Saratoga boat ramp is located on the west side of the river, just north of the hot springs. |
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Panoramic of the Saratoga Boat Ramp and Hot Springs |
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Vetrans park can be seen on the island to the left, while the hot springs are located past the building to the right. |
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Brian Curtiss examines the Saratoga Hotsprings |
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Brian is sitting at the outlet of the Hobo springs, where it enters the river. Rocks have been built up in the river to divert the cold river water, creating a hot pool. |
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Approaching the diversion dam below town |
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Located 1.2 miles below Saratoga, this diversion dam is the only major obstruction between Saratoga and Pick Bridge. |
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Looking up at Dam |
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A view of the dam from the eddy below. At high water, the dam is a series of standing waves. At lower water there will be some rocks. |
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Closer view of Dam run |
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The fun run is through the shoot in the middle, though there is a more conservative run seen on the left side of this photo. |
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Cliffs below Saratoga |
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As the river flows north out of town, it passes by a series of cliffs on the right. |
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Brian below Saratoga |
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The river is still moving fairly fast below Saratoga. The river also maintains some of the beauty of the Treasure Island section, with cottonwood covered islands. |
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First Pelican contact |
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We followed a flock of pelicans down river. This photo is of our first contact with the birds. They would flee downriver, creating an unintended chase situation. |
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Pelicans in Flight |
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We had already passed these pelicans when they decided to flee their fishing spot at the base of an island. |
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Cliffs above Pick Bridge |
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As the river draws closer to Pick Bridge, the dry highlands of the Pick Bridge to Ft. Steel run can be seen in the background. |
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Pick Bridge |
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The historic Green Bridge can be seen in front of it's modern rival. The Pick Bridge ramp is on river right. |
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* River Gage Information for the
North Platte can be found at the USGS Seminoe Gage 06630000
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wy/nwis/uv?06630000
CFS refers to Cubic Feet Per Second. The North Platte from Treasure Island can
be run as low as 800 cfs, but flows above 3000 are ideal. The photos on this page
were taken at 4500 cfs on the Seminoe Gage.
** Paddling Time reflects how long it took
us to paddle this section. It is not float time, but the time taken while paddling
at a moderate pace at the given flow rate.
For more information on Private Land on this section of river, an excellent map
is available from the:
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
528 S. Adams
Laramie, WY 80207
(307) 745-4046
1-800-843-2352
Written by Eric Nyre
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Canoe
Colorado
