Gross Reservoir, Colorado - paddling destinations by Wayfarer

Location: Gross Reservoir is located on South Boulder Creek in the foothills southwest of Boulder.

Directions: From Golden/Denver, take hwy 93 north to hwy 72 (Coal Creek Canyon). Go west on hwy 72 to Crescent Village. As hwy 72 turns west just outside of town, there will be a paved road going north, possibly with references to Gross Reservoir on signs. Take this road until the pavement ends. At the end of the pavement, turn right and follow it around for several miles to Gross Dam. At the Denver Water Headquarters, there will be a sign showing various access points.

From Boulder take Flagstaff Road west until it becomes Gross Dam Road.

Elevation: 7,285 ft (2,220m)

Size: 440 acres

Controling agency: Denver Water Board

Entrance fee: none

Boating: Sea Kayaks, Canoes, Rowing Sculls. Car top carried boats only! No sail boats, no windsurfers, no belly boats, no motors. Day use, no camping.

Paddling season: Memorial Day to September 30th. Boating is not allowed from October 1st to Memorial Day, except for whitewater kayakers on South Boulder Creek using the Osprey Point Take-out.

Water level

Named for Denver Water former Chief Engineer Dwight D. Gross, the reservoir was completed in 1954. It serves as a combination storage and regulating facility for water that flows under the Continental Divide through the Moffat Tunnel.

Standing 340 feet above the South Boulder Creek streambed, Gross Dam contains some 627,559 cubic yards of concrete. Gross Reservoir has a surface area of 440 acres and 10.9 miles of shoreline.

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