St. Vrain Creek
Encyclopedia
St. Vrain Creek is a tributary of the South Platte River
, approximately 32.2 miles (51.8 km) long, in north central Colorado
in the United States
. It drains part of the foothills north of Boulder
and the Colorado Piedmont
area in the vicinity of Longmont
.
The creek is formed by the confluence of North and South St. Vrain creeks at Lyons
. The creek rises in several branches in the foothills of the Front Range
northwest of Boulder. Middle St. Vrain Creek rises along the continental divide
, west of St. Vrain Mountain. It descends in canyon to flow along State Highway 7
and past Raymond. It joins the shorter South St. Vrain Creek just below Raymond. North St. Vrain Creek rises northeast of St. Vrain Mountain near Allenspark
and descends in a canyon to the east along U.S. Highway 36. The two branches join at Lyons
, at the mouth of the canyon. East of Lyons, the combined stream flows southeast through farmland and ranch country, passing south of Hygiene
and entering Longmont. It passes through the south side of Longmont where it is rimmed by a greenway trail and several parks. East of Longmont it flows generally northeast, meandering through a wide river bottom in ranch country and passing under Interstate 25 south of the intersection with State Highway 66
. It joins the South Platte from the west just upstream from the ruins of Fort St. Vrain
and approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Platteville
.
St. Vrain Creek is joined by Left Hand Creek south of Longmont and Boulder Creek
east of Longmont.
South Platte River
The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River and itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West, located in the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska...
, approximately 32.2 miles (51.8 km) long, in north central Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It drains part of the foothills north of Boulder
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
and the Colorado Piedmont
Colorado Piedmont
The Colorado Piedmont is the geologic term for an area along the base of the foothills of the Front Range in north central Colorado in the United States...
area in the vicinity of Longmont
Longmont, Colorado
Longmont is a Home Rule Municipality in Boulder and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Longmont is located in Northern Colorado. Longmont is the 13th most populous city in the State of Colorado. The word "Longmont" comes from Longs Peak, a prominent mountain named for explorer Stephen H....
.
The creek is formed by the confluence of North and South St. Vrain creeks at Lyons
Lyons, Colorado
Lyons is a Statutory Town in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,585 at the 2000 census. Lyons is located at the confluence of the North St. Vrain Creek and the South St. Vrain Creek, twenty miles east of Rocky Mountain National Park. Due to its location at the...
. The creek rises in several branches in the foothills of the Front Range
Front Range
The Front Range is a mountain range of the Southern Rocky Mountains of North America located in the north-central portion of the U.S. State of Colorado and southeastern portion of the U.S. State of Wyoming. It is the first mountain range encountered moving west along the 40th parallel north across...
northwest of Boulder. Middle St. Vrain Creek rises along the continental divide
Continental divide
A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not connected to the open sea...
, west of St. Vrain Mountain. It descends in canyon to flow along State Highway 7
Colorado State Highway 7
State Highway 7 in the U.S. state of Colorado is a state highway. Approximately long, it is located in the north-central portion of the state, traversing the mountains on the east of the continental divide south of Estes Park as well as portions of the Colorado Piedmont north of Denver...
and past Raymond. It joins the shorter South St. Vrain Creek just below Raymond. North St. Vrain Creek rises northeast of St. Vrain Mountain near Allenspark
Allenspark, Colorado
Allenspark is a census-designated place in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The population was 528 at the 2010 census. The Allenspark Post Office has the ZIP Code 80510.-Geography:Allenspark is located at ....
and descends in a canyon to the east along U.S. Highway 36. The two branches join at Lyons
Lyons, Colorado
Lyons is a Statutory Town in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,585 at the 2000 census. Lyons is located at the confluence of the North St. Vrain Creek and the South St. Vrain Creek, twenty miles east of Rocky Mountain National Park. Due to its location at the...
, at the mouth of the canyon. East of Lyons, the combined stream flows southeast through farmland and ranch country, passing south of Hygiene
Hygiene, Colorado
Hygiene is an unincorporated community with a U.S. Post Office in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. Application for the first Hygiene Post Office was made by Rev. Jacob Stoner Flory of the United Church of the Brethren on May 28, 1883 HygLyAlt ZIP Code 80533...
and entering Longmont. It passes through the south side of Longmont where it is rimmed by a greenway trail and several parks. East of Longmont it flows generally northeast, meandering through a wide river bottom in ranch country and passing under Interstate 25 south of the intersection with State Highway 66
Colorado State Highway 66
Colorado State Highway 66 is a long east-west state highway in Boulder and Weld counties in Colorado. The highway extends from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at a junction with US Route 36 southeast of Lyons, proceeding east through the northern edge of Longmont, to Platteville where it ends...
. It joins the South Platte from the west just upstream from the ruins of Fort St. Vrain
Fort Saint Vrain
Fort Saint Vrain was an 1837 fur trading post built by the Bent, St. Vrain Company, and located at the confluence of Saint Vrain Creek and the South Platte River, about 20 miles east of the Rocky Mountains in the unorganized territory of the United States. This area later became part od the State...
and approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Platteville
Platteville, Colorado
Platteville is a Statutory Town in Weld County, Colorado, United States. The population was 2,370 at the 2000 census. It is adjacent to Fort Vasquez on U.S. Route 85.-Geography:Platteville is located at ....
.
St. Vrain Creek is joined by Left Hand Creek south of Longmont and Boulder Creek
Boulder Creek (Colorado)
Boulder Creek is a creek draining the Rocky Mountains to the west of Boulder, Colorado, as well as the city itself and surrounding plains.- Route :...
east of Longmont.