Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
State Park in Salida, CO
Hours:
Visitor Center
- Park hours: Open 24 Hours A Day, Year-Round
- Visitor Center: Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. Closed on Sundays.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
- Leashed Dogs
- Service Animals
- Horses
Park Address:
307 West Sackett Ave.
Salida, CO 81201-1654
United States
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
State Park in Salida, CO
Hours:
Visitor Center
- Park hours: Open 24 Hours A Day, Year-Round
- Visitor Center: Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. Closed on Sundays.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
- Leashed Dogs
- Service Animals
- Horses
Park Address:
307 West Sackett Ave.
Salida, CO 81201-1654
United States
Navigate to:
An overhead distance view of a section of the Arkansas River within the park
Welcome to Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
A 153-mile stretch of the Arkansas River makes up the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA). The AHRA is recognized as one of the nation's most popular whitewater rafting and kayaking locations. AHRA visitors enjoy camping, hiking, picnicking, wildlife watching, mountain biking, rock climbing and even gold panning along the river’s shores, deep canyons, broad valleys and towering mountain peaks found within the upper Arkansas River Valley.
5,355
acres
318
campsites
102
miles of Gold Medal trout fishing
152
miles of river
River Sections
From Leadville on the north end to Lake Pueblo on the south end and multiple stops in between, this is one park split into six sections.
Directions
Accessing the Park
Park Office
307 West Sackett Ave.
Salida, CO, 81201
The park office is located in downtown Salida at the corner of G St and Sackett Ave.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed for lunch 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Closed weekends.
Unlike most other Colorado State Parks, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area does not have one set of driving directions to get to the park. This is because the AHRA park is a linear recreation area that follows the Arkansas River for 152 miles from the high mountains near Leadville, Colorado, to Lake Pueblo, on the edge of Colorado’s plains, and there are several highways and roads entering the valley.
See the Leadville to Buena Vista, Buena Vista to Salida, Salida to Vallie Bridge, Vallie Bridge to Parkdale, Parkdale to Cañon City, and Cañon City to Lake Pueblo section pages for directions.
The AHRA Visitor Center is located in the same building as the park office in downtown Salida at the corner of G St and Sackett Ave. Visitors will find books and memorabilia in the gift shop, may purchase licenses and passes, and can register recreational vehicles.
Hours: Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m for lunch.
If you have questions, please call us at 719-539-7289 or email us at [email protected].
There is a ChargePoint electrical vehicle charging station outside of the AHRA visitor center.
Fees and Passes
Pass |
Description |
Duration |
Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Daily Vehicle Pass |
Single vehicle and its occupants |
1 Day |
$10 |
|
Individual Daily Pass |
For individual entry on foot, bicycle, horseback, etc. |
1 Day |
$4 |
|
DMV vehicle registration renewal option for Colorado residents |
1 Year |
$29 |
|
|
Annual Vehicle Pass (Affixed) |
Pass for a single vehicle and its occupants |
1 Year |
$80 |
|
Family Annual Pass (Hang Tag) |
Members of the same household |
1 Year |
$120 |
|
Aspen Leaf Annual Pass |
Visitors 64+ |
1 Year |
$70 |
|
Centennial Pass |
Income-eligible Colorado residents |
1 Year |
$14 |
|
Columbine Pass |
Colorado residents with disabilities |
1 Year |
$14 |
|
Veterans License Plate |
DMV vehicle registration renewal option for military veterans (disabled veterans or purple heart plates) |
Lifetime |
Free |
|
Independence Lifetime Pass |
Veterans with disabilities |
Lifetime |
Free |
|
Blue Spruce Pass |
First responders with disabilities |
Lifetime |
$10 |
Nature and Wildlife
The length of AHRA provides plenty of viewing opportunities to see water birds such as kingfishers and American dippers, raptors including eagles and red-tailed hawks, and mammals such as deer and mountain goats.
Be on the Lookout for Birds
Can you spot all the resident and visiting bird species? Download the Bird List Brochure (PDF).
Birds You Might Find
- Turkey Vulture
- Lesser Yellowlegs
- Great Blue Heron
- Bald Eagle
Mammals You Might Find
- Mule Deer
- American Beaver
- Desert Cottontail
- Ground Squirrel
Reptiles and Amphibians You Might Find
- Desert Cottontail
- Prairie Lizard
- Northern Leopard Frog
- Red-spotted Toad
Upcoming Events
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History
The name Arkansas is derived from the Les Arkansas tribe who lived along the river.
- 1706: A Spaniard, Juan de Ulibarri, was the first European to explore the area.
- Early 1800s: The first American to explore the area was Zebulon Pike in the early 1800s. Fur trappers were also among those who visited the area at this time.
- 1859: The discovery of gold near the Arkansas River attracted miners from near and far.
- 1870s: The silver boom brought miners to Leadville. With this influx of people, sufficient transportation became a necessity. Two railway companies, the Denver and Rio Grande Western and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, started the construction of a railroad. During construction, a feud surfaced regarding which railway company should have the right of way on the track. The two railway companies ended up having to settle the dispute in court.
- 1880: The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railway was up and running along the Arkansas River.
- 1989: Colorado State Parks and the Bureau of Land Management signed a Cooperative Management Agreement which officially formed the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA).
- Current day: The AHRA is one of the nation’s premier whitewater rafting rivers. People come from far and wide to experience the naturally thrilling rides this river offers.