ROARING FOR RIVER Cemetery Section

Put-in	Westbank
Takeout	Veltus Park (or Two Rivers Park)
Length	7 miles
Difficulty	< 1,000 cfs	II+
	1,000-3,000 cfs	II+(III-)
	3,000-6,000 cfs	III- (III)
	> 6,000 cfs	III

Special Beta: Beautiful rural class II+

Fun Factor:
Fear Factor:

Cemetery is not dramatic, stout or playful enough to be a classic, but I love it. I learned to kayak in large part on these waters and you descend into the heart of Glenwood Springs, my home for the past fifteen years. There is some play here at various levels and at high water the rapids are actually quite fun.

I have paddled Cemetery from around 600 cfs to 9,000 cfs. It is a very different run at these extremes but still maintains its particular rural charm.

Immediately below the put-in upstream of the Westbank Bridge, move right or left of a pylon that could easily spoil your day. Still, it would take an inattentive boater to blow it here. After the bridge you enter a lengthy and surprising rapid. Easy chutes and cruiser rock dodging defines it at low water, but several powerful waves and holes develop as the water comes up (II/II+).

The river mellows but remains swift for a few corners. The occasional rock allows for mediocre play and eddy turn possibilities. At mm __ the river bends left and splits around a series of islands. The left channel holds the most water and is the common route. Here a crashing wave or sleeper at low water blocks much of the channel (II/II+). Move right to avoid.

Below here the main channel regains all its water and you float past a pretty log cabin on river left. This used to be one of my favorite spots on the run. Cool eddies made for a good place to rest and the river is down in a “canyon” and feels very rural and serene. In recent years, however, a paranoid landowner decided it was necessary to erect No Trespassing signs every 20 feet along both sides of the river. While I can understand the problem of boaters not respecting the private property they are floating through, especially on this busy section of river, it is sad that this age of liability paranoia and “this land is my land, this land is my land” mentality has spawned this unsightly intrusion.

The river gets all from all roads and homes briefly after this, and enters a very pretty and mellow section of river. Here you will find an island with very shallow channels at low flows. Not far downstream the river bends left into a fun wave train alongside red rocks on river right (II/II+). The river flattens and gets very deep below here and there is a possible RIVER ACCESS on the right at a church and site of the former Buffalo Valley restaurant.

After crossing under a cable the river bends right into the first in the series of rapids called Cemetery. The first drop has a hole/sleeper in the center that is easy to miss. The second is where the river bends back to the left and consists of a fun wave train and a huge eddy on the right (II). Immediately downstream lies a series of disjunct rapids, one with huge boulders on river left (popular low-water jump rocks dubbed “the boogers”) that form very large holes at high water, and the beginning of Cemetery proper.

Cemetery is a lengthy rapid with some rocks/holes to maneuver through/around. The crux comes at a right elbow in the channel next to the Riverside Cottages (river right). This series of rapids rates from II+ at the lowest levels to solid III above around 4,500 cfs. After a brief and swift reprieve you enter Lower Cemetery where Three Mile Creek enters on  the left. An excellent and popular beach on the left, accessed by a trail from either Glenwood Park or Mountain Market off Midland Ave, marks the end of the Cemetery sequence.

The river mellows below these fun rapids and crosses beneath the Old Cardiff Bridge. A big rock/hole on the right and several other rocks make for some obstacles/opportunities to play.

Below this point the river is never more than class II. The town of Glenwood Springs makes its presence increasingly known. A big wave/hole forms in the center of the channel adjacent to the Safeway on river right (quite a ways above river level). After a few swift corners you arrive at Veltus Park on river left, a good and popular RIVER ACCESS. Small rafts and kayaks usually land just upstream of the obvious eddy with the wrought-iron fence. Bigger craft, or any boat wanting a little more space, usually continue a quarter-mile farther to the confluence with the Colorado River and the boat ramp at Two River Park on river right.