South Platte River Corridor

The South Platte River Corridor near Deckers, CO has been a popular fishing location for decades. In the 1890's, Stephen Decker built a general store and later a saloon in this area. The South Platte Hotel, located at the confluence of the North Fork of the South Platte, was a popular resort in the early 1900's and was accessible only by train. The confluence provides access for fishing, kayaking, and trail use. The South Platte River is part of a 1.6 million-acre watershed that reaches from the Continental Divide to Strontia Springs Reservoir, southwest of Denver. The watershed is a recreational mecca with over 1 million acres of public lands; it provides municipal water for about three quarters of Colorado’s residents; it is renowned for its “gold-medal” fishing streams; and it is home to numerous threatened and endangered species. The Upper South Platte Watershed varies in elevation from about 6,000' to over 14,000' above sea level and contains five major municipal and several smaller reservoirs.