City of Golden prepares for "balanced" summer tubing season along Colorado's Clear Creek corridor

As the weather improves, the City of Golden will once again become a spring and summer destination for those on Colorado's Front Range. After a couple of years of new ordinances and regulations to try and alleviate foot traffic concerns along Clear Creek, everyone involved feels a nice balance has been established. 

"This is the first year in a while that it's been like [that]," says Mitch Battilla, who owns Adventure West.

The company provides tubing and bike rentals along Clear Creek and has been working in tandem with the city for the past couple of years to find solutions that benefit everyone. According to camera data, over 100,000 people recreated in the Clear Creek corridor as walkers, riders, tubers and more.

With the snowpack a little below average this year, there have been questions about the river levels and when the river will be fully open. In the spring of 2024, there were multiple closures due to high snow levels and quick thaws in May. Battilla said that it will come down to how fast the snowpack melts and makes its way downstream. 

"It definitely varies every year," he said. "This year, we're below snowpack. I do foresee there being a closure, but that all depends on how quickly it comes down."

Over the last couple of years, city leaders have had to grapple with Golden's status as a summer capital in the foothills. Traffic concerns have started to become a common discussion topic as well as the treatment of the Creek itself.

"I think community engagement has informed a lot of how we manage the creek," said Deputy City Manager Carly Lorentz. "[It's] just understanding how many people came to an event, how many people are just downtown anyway on a good day in the summer and how many are on the creek and how that puts a stress on traffic and parking."

No new ordinances are expected to be brought to the city council this spring with regard to management of the creek area, while a greater emphasis on parking enforcement has freed up other city services to help alleviate other issues.

"I think we've made some progress in just having more staff availability, staff presence at the creek and communication around what's happening at the creek," Lorentz added. 

Adventure West also runs a shuttle bus and has been one of the reliable operators for tube rentals down the creek. Battilla believes that the consistent dialogue between the city and stakeholders, especially in the last year, has made for a positive experience. 

"We don't have a whole lot that's changing," he said. "Last year, they seemed like they'd struck that balance."

Golden residents and those from all over the Front Range will converge on the corridor, getting ready for a summer of fun. There is still no date on when Clear Creek will be officially opened. While individual tubers can enter the water, the season typically begins in late June and early July when the snowpack subsides.