Ogden Kayak Park

Avg Rating:

Vote Now!

Current Rating

Total Votes:

no votes

Run Length

100 Yards

Average Gradient

Difficulty

Class III-

Recommended Flow

250-1000 cfs

River

Weber River

Location

Ogden, Utah, United States

Author

Nathan Packham

Current Flow & Weather

55 cfs

N/A

Drainage

Weber

Elevation

4285ft to 4280ft

The Ogden Kayak Park offers an urban park-n-play experience just outside of downtown Ogden. The park offers good fun from about 150 cfs up to 1000 cfs.

The park was built in the year 2000 at the urging and with the help of local kayakers. It was the first professionally designed play-park in Utah and really drew attention to the area as a kayaking destination. Two years later, in 2002, more rock was brought in, and the bottom two holes were moved, and a the old dam that formed the second hole was demolished, leaving a large pool with amphitheatre style banks. Most of the time boaters will play at the first hole then float through the bottom two when it is time to get out. There is a bike trail on river left and a bridge just upstream of the first hole that provides a good vantage point for onlookers. Fifty yards upstream of the park is a low-head dam or wier that can provide a good popup if one of the gates is open.

During late summer and low water years the park is less a destination for kayakers and more a local hangout and swimming hole. During medium flows it is offers a great place for beginning and intermediate boaters to get in some friendly hole surfing. And in high water it consists of three fairly intimidating wide holes that can take a little work to get out of.

This run is eligible for the EddyFlower Vertical Challenge. Go HERE to learn more.

Ogden Kayak Park at Low Water

Disclaimer

Add Main Photo

Add Additional Photos

Show Large Images

	Put-In Take I-15 to the 24th street Ogden exit. Go east off the exit towards the downtown. Just before you come to a large bridge that crosses the railyard, turn left onto 'B' street. Go down a small hill to a T intersection and turn right. In a quarter mile you will come to the river with the park on your left. There is usually parking on the left side of the street before crossing the bridge.
	Top Hole Class III- The first hole, above the pool, is the best hole of the three. The biggest complaint is its shallow depth. At low to medium flows, catching an upstream edge means choosing the lesser of two evils, a paddle and shoulder straining upstream brace into the rock, or a quick tuck and a blow to the helmet. That said, as long as you enjoy flat spinning and stern squirts, the first hole can provide hours of fun.
	Second Hole Class II The second hole used to be pretty much a small ripple, but since the third hole collapsed in 2007 it is now steeper. It is flushy down the middle and hard to stay on but it has a lot of power for stern squirts and bow stalls.
	Third Hole Class III The third hole uesed to be a steep three or four foot drop and was usually boofed over or skipped altogether because of its intimidating nature. In 2007 though it collapsed and has become a smaller drop but now rivals the top drop in playability. Try it out.
	Flows by Nate P Class III 100 - 250 You might feel dumb wearing a pfd and helmet when the swimming kids are swarming around you without 250 - 400 Spin in the top wave and be glad there is somewhere to boat 400 - 800 Long rides and never too many people there - bottom hole is fun too 800 - 1200 Wave on river left, hole on river right - plenty to do - retentive hole, big foam pile - don't boat alone
	Pictures of all three holes at around 440 cfs Class III- Bottom run-out pool is best for calm water roll practice. Top hole best for in-current roll practice/scrapey surfing. Middle hole fun for current play/eddyline play. Hours of fun if you're a local not wanting to drive far, or a non-local willing to drive for, well, hours of fun. Update on flows- So Fall 09; we have come to the conclusion that an accurate flow for OPP is to subtract roughly 200-300 CFS from the Gateway gauge reading, currently linked to the write up. This mainly applies during summer time when the farmers are diverting water for crops at the three major diversions.

Add Rapid

Trip Report

Limit size of a comment is 0-300 characters.

	Uncharacteristically high, proceed with caution.
	Powerful, pushy and unforgiving.
	Ideal flow conditions.
	Boney with potential for boat abuse.
	Not enough water to float a boat.
	Please let us know.
	No gauge, visual required.