07. Dead Deer to Poudre Park Wild

Lower Mishawaka is an easy stretch of III sandwiched between harder sections on the river, it's a good upgrade for beginners who want to progress beyond the Filter Plant run. The lines are easy and there are no man-made obstacles to maneuver around. However, intermediate paddlers should have a guide as there are a couple of large holes to avoid. Compared to other sections of the Poudre, this is relatively shallow and rocky. The best gauge is a hand-painted rock above Pineview Falls, a few miles downstream of this run. A local boater reads the gauge and posts it on his website at www.poudrerockreport.com most mornings during the boating season. Logistics: The public put-in is at Dead Deer but you can also utilize the private access just upstream at the Mishawaka Inn (mile marker 108.2). Take out at Poudre Park Access (mile marker 110.7). For descriptions of Colorado runs, see Whitewater of the Southern Rockies by Stafford and McCutchen, or Colorado Rivers and Creeks by Banks and Eckert. Other runs in the Poudre River watershed: Big South (Class V/VI), Joe Wright Creek (Class V), Spencer Heights (Class V/VI), South Fork (Class IV/V), White Mile Run/Upper Rustic (Class III), Grandpa's Gorge/Lower Rustic (Class III/IV), The Narrows (Class IV/V/V+), Upper Mishawaka (Class III/IV), Lower Mishiwaka (Class III), Poudre Park (Class IV), Bridges (Class III/IV), Upper North Fork (Class IV/V), Lower North Fork (Class II/III), and Filter Plant (Class III).