Canoe Colorado
Performance Canoes and Sea Kayaks

North Platte River     Treasure Island to Saratoga
   12 miles     class I-II     suitable for canoes and sea kayaks

The North Platte begins as a small stream in northern Colorado. As it crosses into Wyoming, the river enters into a deep canyon with excellent whitewater. The North Gate and Six Mile Gap sections contain class III -IV water. Treasure Island is the take-out for Six Mile Gap, and the beginning of an excellent class I-II section. Saratoga was once a resort town. It is located in a scenic valley, with a natural hot spring pool next to the river. The Treasure Island trip does not have to end at Saratoga, it can continue 80+ miles into Seminoe Reservoir.

Treasure Island to Saratoga  12 miles  class I-II
Saratoga to Pick Bridge 11 miles  class I+
Pick Bridge to Ft. Steel  33 miles  class I
Ft. Steel to Dugway  14 miles  class I

Treasure Island to Saratoga

Distance - 12 miles
Difficulty - class I-II
Paddling Time**  1:30 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:
Treasure Island is located 10 road miles south of Saratoga, WY. To reach the access from Saratoga, go south on hwy 130 for 8 miles. Turn right on hwy 230 and continue south for 2 miles. There is a brown sign on the right for the dirt road to Treasure Island. The Take-out is located next to the hot springs in downtown Saratoga. Drive time from Denver to Treasure Island is approximately 4 hours.

Paddling Conditions:
The river below Treasure Island flows very fast. At higher water levels most hazards are washed out, but the current can flow in excess of 12 mph. At lower levels there can be large standing waves around corners and where the river rejoins around islands or is reflected off cliffs.

The river starts at Treasure Island going full steam ahead. From the launch, most people go to the left of the island pictured above. From there, the river moves around several sets of islands as it winds its way 12 miles to Saratoga. The take out at Saratoga is on the left side of Veterans Island.

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 are no dams, and no defined rapids. There are two bridges before Saratoga, but there is adequate space between abutments. In Saratoga, the right side of Veterans Island has a low bridge that can be a hazard. The river is rated class I-II due to the fast flow and potential for large waves.

Private Property:
The river between Treasure Island and Saratoga 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 Treasure Island. There is no camping between Treasure Island and Saratoga.

GPS Coordinates:
Treasure Island  N41 19.912'  W 106 43.640  Elevation 6963
Saratoga  GPS Data Missing

Maps:
USGS 7.5 min quads          Wyoming Fish and Game Upper North Platte River Float Map
Saratoga
Finley Reservoir
Cow Creek

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.

Bridge at Treasure Island The suspension bridge over the North Platte River at Treasure Island, WY	The Twin Bridges Looking Across the Twin Bridges at Treasure Island, WY	Beaver Pond on Treasure Island The second bridge on Treasure Island crosses this beaver pond.	Blue signs indicate Public Land This sign at the Treasure Island launch helps boaters know when they are on public or passing private land.	Brian Curtiss on the Treasure Island Bridge Brian looking downriver on the morning of June 8, 2003
Looking Upstream from the Treasure Island Boat Launch Treasure Island is in the background, with the bridges hidden by trees. Brian is checking his kayak, in preparation for the trip to Ft. Steel.	Looking Downstream from Treasure Island This is a view from the boat ramp. The island in the background has a clear channel on both sides.	Below Treasure Island The river below Treasure Island is fast with many islands. Around the corner from this photo is a series of large standing waves at the base of that cliff.	Brian Approaching Saratoga The islands are covered with large cottonwood trees and thick shrubs.	Approaching Saratoga Another view of the general terrain above Saratoga.

* 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