South Platte River
South Platte River is a major waterway in Denver and eastern Colorado. It originates in the Colorado Rockies and flows southeast, passing parks, neighborhoods, and industrial areas across the Plains.
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Geography
| Continent | North America |
|---|---|
| Region | Western United States |
| Subregion | Great Basin |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | Douglas County |
| District | South Platte Basin |
| City | Denver |
| Timezone | AmericaDenver |
| Latitude | 39.75 |
| Longitude | -105 |
| Maps |
7:14 PM LOCAL TIMEBeginning in the mid-elevations of the Colorado Rockies near Boulder and Roland Sandberg Reservoir, the South Platte River courses approximately 370 miles southeast across Colorado and into eastern Nebraska to join the Platte River. In metropolitan Denver, it becomes a focal point for urban parks, shared-use paths, and water management. Historically tied to fur trade, agriculture, and urban growth, the river now supports recreational activities like fly fishing, whitewater kayaking (in engineered channels), and trail-based transportation. Key tributaries and crossings define its passage through the region, while infrastructure embankments and flood control projects shape much of its modern course. Whether you're paddling, biking, or exploring transit corridors, the South Platte offers a direct link between natural basin processes and city-scale engineering and development.
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