Perhaps there's no better place to spend the dog days of summer than on — or in — Clear Creek.

As temperatures in Golden reached 90 degrees leading up to Labor Day weekend, hundreds of people decided to beat the heat on the creek. On Aug. 30, the creek had a steady stream of tubers, swimmers, kayakers, inflatable boaters, boogie-boarders, and people and canines dipping their toes and paws in the water.

What was a rushing river a few months ago was now a trickling stream, essentially.

Before, it'd take a full sprint or bicycle to keep up with someone floating down Clear Creek. On Aug. 30, those casually walking along the Clear Creek trail were just as fast, if not faster, than the tubers floating down the creek.

Historically, the tubing season winds down after Labor Day. However, because the tubing season started a bit later than usual, tubers might opt to continue visiting Clear Creek as long as the weather permits.

The City of Golden launched a data-collection system for tubers this summer, and staff members expect to present their findings to City Council in October.  Creek visitation has increased year-over-year since 2012, according to the city, so officials are making adjustments to the creek area each year to adapt to higher volumes and improve users' experiences.