Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
State Park in Salida, CO
Hours:
Park: Open 24 hours a day, year-round
Visitor Center: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch. Closed Saturdays and 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:
Park: Open 24 hours a day, year-round
Visitor Center: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch. Closed Saturdays and 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:
Construction Closures: Vallie Bridge, Ruby Mountain -
Vallie Bridge Day Use Area is closed 10/28/2024 through 12/12/2024. Ruby Mountain Recreation Site is closed 9/1/2024 through 5/1/2025. There is a full road closure of County Rd. 300 near MM 2.2 at the entrance into Browns Canyon; and, full river closure of the Arkansas River from Fisherman's Bridge continuing Southeast to Ruby Mountain Campground. County Rd. 300 and this section of Arkansas River are closed to all vehicle, water craft and foot traffic as a result of unstable slope conditions encountered during construction. The full road and river closure will continue until project completion.
Person in pink kayak lifts partially out of the water in front of a crowd on the rocky bank.
Arkansas River Headwaters Recreation Area
About Buena Vista to Salida
Along the Arkansas River, the 30-mile Leadville to Buena Vista section has 9 river access sites. There are two campgrounds located at Ruby Mountain and Hecla Junction, but disbursed camping is allowed on federal land.
What to Do at This River Section
- Biking
- Boating
- Camping
- Education Programs
- Fishing
- Gold Panning
- Fishing
- Horseback Riding
- OHV
- Picnicking
- Rockclimbing
- Whitewater Rafting
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hunting
- Snowmobile Riding
Arkansas River Headwaters Recreation Area
The River Below Buena Vista
This stretch of the Arkansas is the busiest and features Browns Canyon, a spectacular brown granite gorge with whitewater rapids offering a challenging river trip. Below Browns Canyon, continue to enjoy the view as the valley widens and the river calms. The lower section offers prime trout fishing and numerous CPW easements provide anglers with river access on private land.
Buena Vista to Salida River Access Sites
The 9 river access sites are listed in order from Buena Vista to Salida.
Choose a Site
The Buena Vista Whitewater Park is located at the Buena Vista boat ramp.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and Class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Bike/Horse Trail
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Scenic Overlook
- Camping
- OHV
This site is managed by the town of Buena Vista, CO.
Collegiate Peaks Overlook group picnic site is located one mile east of Johnson Village off Highways 24 and 285, turning north onto County Road 304. The Midland Bike Trail, Barbara Whipple Trail, and Four Mile systems can be accessed from the Collegiate Peaks site. These trails offer miles of scenic motorized and non-motorized routes for all skill levels.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and Class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Hiking
- Horse/Bike Trail
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restrooms
- Scenic Overlook
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fee Site
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Camping
- Changing Facilities
- OHV
- River Access
Group Picnic Site Information:
Collegiate Peaks Overlook and Group Picnic Site can hold up to 48 people and is $30.00 dollars per day.
- Covered Pavilion with 6 Picnic Tables
- Covered Pavilion with 1 Picnic Table Each (two)
- Benches
- Interpretive Displays
- Panoramic View
- Potable Water
- Trash Cans
The Group Picnic Site can be reserved by calling the AHRA park office at 719-539-7289 or by filling out the Special Activities Agreement.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and Class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Parking
- Restroom
- River Access
- Scenic Overlook
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fee Site
- Camping
- OHV
Ruby Mountain is one of the most popular campground sites, especially for private boaters. Along with the excellent river access, several trails in the area lead into the backcountry. The Four Mile trail system and the Browns Canyon National Monument and Wilderness Study area (WSA) can be accessed at the Ruby Mountain campground. Four Mile is designated for both motorized and non-motorized use, while Browns Canyon WSA is for non-motorized use only.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and Class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Camping
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Horse/Bike Trail
- OHV
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fee Site
Campsite Information:
Ruby Mountain campsite offers 22 basic sites at $28.00 dollars per night. Campsite 1310HA is accessible.
- Changing Facilities (two)
- Picnic Table / Grill
- Tent Pad
- Vault Toilets (four)
- Potable Water
- RV Hook-ups
- Trash Cans
Reservations can be made online at www.cpwshop.com or by calling 1-800-244-5613.
Firewood Collecting Permits
Permits for collecting firewood on Bureau of Land Management land within the AHRA are only available on the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office website. The AHRA Visitor Center no longer sells these permits.
US Forest Service firewood collecting permits are available from the Salida Ranger District Office.
Located at the traditional take-out for the Browns Canyon run, you can expect to see all sorts of rafting, kayaking, and fishing activity here. A ¾-mile foot trail south of the campground leads downstream along the shoreline to Seidel's Suckhole, which is a great place to watch and photograph whitewater rafting in the summer and offers excellent fishing in the spring and summer. You can access Browns Canyon National Monument from this location.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and Class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Camping
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Horse/Bike Trail
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fee Site
- OHV
Campsite Information:
Hecla Junction campsite offers 23 basic sites at $28.00 dollars per night. Campsite 1108HA is accessible.
- Changing Facilities (two)
- Picnic Table / Grill
- Tent Pad
- Vault Toilets (two)
- Potable Water
- RV Hook-ups
- Trash Cans
Reservations can be made online at www.cpwshop.com or by calling 1-800-244-5613.
Firewood Collecting Permits
Permits for collecting firewood on Bureau of Land Management land within the AHRA are only available on the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office website. The AHRA Visitor Center no longer sells these permits.
US Forest Service firewood collecting permits are available from the Salida Ranger District Office.
- Commercial Boaters: Not Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and Class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Portage Trail
- Restroom
- River Access
- Fee Site
- Camping
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- OHV
Big Bend's OHV trail riding track.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and Class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Horse/Bike Trail
- OHV
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Scenic Overlook
- Fee Site
- Camping
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and Class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Fishing Access
- Parking
- River Access
- Camping
- Changing Facilities
- OHV
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and Class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Horse/Bike Trail
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Camping
- OHV
This site is managed by the town of Salida, CO.
High Water Advisories
| Rapid | Advisory in Effect | High Water Advisement | High Water Equipment Advisement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numbers | No | It is recommended that the Numbers (Section 1E) not be run when the river is flowing over 2400 cfs at the Numbers/Below Granite gage as read at 7:00 am for full day or morning trips and at 12:00 noon for afternoon Numbers trips. |
|
| Pine Creek Rapid | No | It is recommended that Pine Creek Rapid (within Section 1D) not be run when the river is flowing over 1250 cfs at the Numbers/Below Granite gauge as read at 7:00 a.m. for full day or morning trips. |
|
| Royal Gorge | No | It is recommended that the Royal Gorge (Section 5) not be run at flows over 3200 cfs at the Parkdale gauge as read at 7:00 a.m. for full day or morning trips and at 12:00 noon for afternoon Royal Gorge trips. |
|
Camping
Camping at Ruby Mountain
Ruby Mountain has 22 basic campsites available for $28.00 per night.
Camping at Hecla Junction
Hecla Junction has 23 basic campsites available for $28.00 per night.
You can reserve at either campsite online at www.cpwshop.com or by calling 1-800-244-5613. Disbursed camping is also available on federal land between Buena Vista and Salida.
- Changing Areas (two)
- Grill
- Picnic Table
- Tent Pad
- Vault Toilets (four)
- Potable Water
- RV Hook-ups
- Trash Cans
Disbursed camping is allowed at Granite Rock, Stone Cabin, Rapid Number 4, The Wall, Rapid Number 5 1/2, Boulderfield, Rapid Number 6, Riverside, Elephant Rock, Tunnelview, Five 1/2 Points, Texas Creek, Lazy J, Bootlegger, Red Wall, and at Brown’s Canyon National Monument.
Camping outside of a developed campsite does not include any amenities so campers will need to:
- Bring a portable toilet device.
- Use a fire container and follow local fire restrictions.
- Camping is limited to 14 days in any 28 day period.
For camping on forest land, contact the USFS Salida Ranger District, or for camping on Bureau of Land Management Land or information on Browns Canyon National Monument contact the Bureau of Land Management Royal Gorge Field Office.
The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area is comprised of over 6,000 acres of public lands, owned by and cooperatively managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the United States Forest Service (USFS).
It is the recreator's responsibility to know what land they are on, and the rules and regulations tied to those lands.
In addition to traditional paper maps, there are online tools and phone apps to help you locate and access public lands around the AHRA. Some popular tools include:
- COTREX - The Colorado Trail Explorer: Search for Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
- The Colorado Hunting Atlas
- Map apps including OnX and Avenza Maps
- Paper maps, such as those sold in the AHRA Visitor Center
- Maps and Publications offered by the US Forest Service
Permits for collecting firewood on Bureau of Land Management land within the AHRA are only available on the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office website. The AHRA Visitor Center no longer sells these permits.
US Forest Service firewood collecting permits are available from the Salida Ranger District Office.
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Riding
There are many trails for off-highway vehicle riding in the AHRA. These include Ruby Mountain (Four Mile), Texas Creek, Collegiate Peaks (Midland Bike Trail, Barbara Whipple Trail, Four Mile), and Big Bend ( Big Bend Track). Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service trails are also found nearby.
Check out Colorado's Official Trail Map, Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX).
Please check Registration/Permit requirements before hitting the trail. OHV registrations can be renewed online at cpwshop.com, at the AHRA Visitor Center, or by calling 1-800-244-5613.
Browns Canyon National Monument
The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) includes portions of Browns Canyon National Monument, which was designated in February 2015 and encompasses a rugged landscape of stunning beauty and rich biodiversity. Browns Canyon is notable because of its abundant wildlife. Access the monument through the Ruby Mountain or Hecla Junction Recreation Sites, float through the National Monument with a group of friends, or use one of AHRA's whitewater outfitters.