Clear Creek Management Strategies

Efforts in 2024

• Add an Ambassador Station with increased visibility and staffing at Vanover Park
• Enhanced collateral including translating major materials and signage into Spanish
• Updates sent throughout the season to 3,000 City Weekly Digest email subscribers with 60-68% open rate
• Weekly posts about safety and logistics of the creek (not
• advertising) reached over 42,000 people at their highest.
• Created “Inflation Station” at Ambassador Stations to funnel users to resources
• Ambassador Program success, most visitors were friendly and appreciative with successful interventions regarding safety

2025 Proposed Efforts

• Continue focus on stewardship, rules, and resources
• Continue to enhance bilingual communication
• Continue to improve signage

Efforts in 2024

• Limited access points
  • Sections of fencing and gates were added to protect the creek and regulate the flow of creek users
• Modified the beach layout
  • Improved the ability to observe users and limit large gatherings.
• Widened the RV Park trail
  • Eliminated a bottle neck to allow pedestrians to flow more freely. Officers can now travel through the area on the UTV.
• Outfitter Shuttles
  • 3,372 people purchased public shuttle tickets, with most taking two shuttle rides. 246% increase from last year. 70-75% of people who rented tubes from Adventure West (the only outfitter directly offering shuttles) rode shuttle vs. walking with their tubes.

2025 Proposed Efforts

• Continue use of flaggers at Ford St.
• Continue use of public shuttle

Efforts in 2024

• Interstate Parking Management to regulate parking including Golden Community Center parking lot
• Violation revenue is higher than paid parking revenue due to more consistent enforcement
• Increased parking enforcement
  • July/August 2023: Violations: 563
  • July/August 2024: Violations: 2,652
  • Over 90% compliance.
• Expand 9th Street neighborhood permit zone to include 8th street
• All Golden residents allowed up to two hours free parking in the garages and surface lots daily without having to register at a kiosk or pay by smartphone system

2025 Proposed Efforts

• Expanded Interstate enforcement hours to 7 p.m. for neighborhood zones
• Continue monitoring compliance with the program and increase wayfinding for parking structures and better tracking of available spots

Efforts in 2024

• More data to review compared to past years
• Camera and RFID data were collected continuously through the season with video analysis software that included advanced AI capabilities
• More RFID tags distributed (4,000 in 2023 vs 11,000 in 2024)
• Restricting rental tubing on Buffalo Bill Saturday made tubing traffic look like a typical weekend instead of one of the busiest days of the year.
• The decision to restrict outfitter rentals in 2021 has stopped growth in rental tubes, any growth has been personal tube usage.
• Total number of tubers for the season counted by the Billy Drew camera: 114,884

2025 Proposed Efforts

• With two years of more reliable data collected 2025 season can be compared to 2024.
• Continue to limit tube rentals per day
• City Council will consider if they want to
  • Not restrict tube rentals this year based on special event or City resources
  • Restrict tube rentals on the Saturday of Buffalo Bill’s Day again
  • Or restrict tube rentals on any additional days of special events or limited City resources.

Efforts in 2024

• Volunteer Cleanups
• 14 weekly cleanups
• 82 individual volunteers (19 of these were walk-ups)
• Total volunteer visits: 181
• 4 private group cleanups (totaling an additional 130 volunteers)
• Conducted study on fish health

2025 Proposed Efforts

• Further development of volunteer clean-up program
• Continue to study and monitor water and fish health

Efforts in 2024

• No fatalities or serious injuries for the second year in a row.
• Two fire stations staffed 24/7 within the city (as of October 2023)
• Reunification point for separated tubing / swimming groups at Vanover Park
• Brush clearing in rescue areas (north bank behind Gold Apartments)

2025 Proposed Efforts

• Continue to work towards safe creek experience for all.

Efforts in 2024

• Officers' perception of this season is that it was a significant improvement over previous years.
• 474 citations issued, an increase of 315% over last year. 78% of citations were for alcohol.
• Focus by our Community Service Officers and Patrol Officers on creek corridor rules and regulations rather than parking, which was effectively outsourced.

2025 Proposed Efforts

• Continue to recruit for full staffing and staff for the busiest hours 1-3pm and after 6pm when possible.

Efforts in 2024

• Spent $604,975 on creek management in 2024. Included significant infrastructure changes (path widening, beach improvements) and staffing. Proposing $450,316 in 2025 to maintain the level of management currently.

2025 Proposed Efforts

• Continue to track and consolidate creek expenses to fully understand and easily report on creek management costs.

Communication & Information Efforts in 2023

• Added two Ambassador Stations with 10 Ambassadors (two fluent Spanish speakers)
  • Safety and compliance information
    • Water safety video
    • Creek Responsibly RFID stickers
    • Rules and map in English and Spanish
  • Distinct tent, banners, and signage at peak times
    • 304 Parking Lot - Welcome Center
    • 
      
• Added Variable Message Boards (VMB) for traffic, parking, and rule compliance
• Communicated stewardship, rules, and resources through Ambassador program, social media, Informer, and Weekly Digest
  • 67 social media posts (75% increase from 2022)

Proposed Efforts for 2024

• Add an Ambassador Station with increased visibility and staffing at Vanover Park
• Increase signage and materials for English and Spanish speakers
  • Audit and refine wayfinding marker signs
  • Add banner on Washington St. Bridge - “Prepare to Exit”
  • Update map and rules
  • Increase social media
  • Increase materials at Golden Visitor Center
• Communicate new RFID wristband strategy to creek users through social media, Ambassador Stations, Weekly Digest, and Visit Golden
• Create “Inflation Station” at Ambassador Stations to funnel users to resources
• Continue focus on stewardship, rules, and resources

Please provide your feedback below.

Challenges:

• Large crowds, gathering location, and cookouts on the Beach
• Low rule compliance at the Beach
• Sand issues
  • soiling the creek
  • trail hazards
• Native vegetation conservation
• Over 40 entrance points to creek encouraging crowding and code violations
• RV Park area pinch point for trail users year-round

Efforts to Meet Challenges in 2023

• Lane painting on trail
• Offered a shuttle option for bring-your-own tubers and outfitter customers
• Saved 22,000 trips on the trail by 11,000 people used traditional shuttle program
• Saved 3,300 trips on the trail with 1,650 people using the new public shuttle

Proposed for 2024

• Formalize Beach area for access and smaller/shorter visits
• Protect vegetation and support re-establishment
• Add fencing and gates to 25 of the entrances
  • Limit crowds in off-limit areas
  • Support rehabilitation of vegetation
  • Make activity data collection easier
• Widen trail along RV Park
• Continue use of flaggers at Ford St.
• Continue use of public shuttle

Proposed Gate and Fence Locations

Fencing and gates are proposed for 25 of the creek entrances (see map below). Different fencing and gate options are possible, including sleeved fencing, sliding gates, and swinging gates. We want to hear which options you prefer!

Proposed Beach Improvements

A number of beach improvements are recommended to encourage and shorter visits, and to protect vegetation and support re-establishment.

Proposed RV Park Trail Improvements

Widening of the RV Park Trail in the areas indicated on the map below are proposed to help prevent bottlenecking.

For a closer look at the three maps posted above, open the 2024 Clear Creek Meeting Maps document, then give us your feedback below!