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 5 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday.
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 5 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday.
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: Parkdale Boat Ramp, Ruby Mountain -
Parkdale Boat Ramp will be under construction from 1/13/25 through 4/15/25. 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 to Salida section has 8 river access sites. There are two campgrounds located at Ruby Mountain and Hecla Junction, and boat-accessed disbursed camping is available in Browns Canyon National Monument.
What to Do at This River Section
- Biking
- Camping
- Education Programs
- Fishing
- Gold Panning
- Horseback Riding
- OHV
- Picnicking
- Rockclimbing
- Whitewater Boating
- Wildlife Viewing
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 8 river access sites are listed in order from Buena Vista to Salida.
Choose a Site
- 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
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Scenic Overlook
- Camping
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
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restrooms
- Scenic Overlook
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fee Site
- Camping
- 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
- Restroom
- River Access
- Scenic Overlook
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fee Site
- Camping
Ruby Mountain is one of the most popular campgrounds at AHRA, 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 (BCNM) and Wilderness Study Area (WSA) can be accessed from the Ruby Mountain campground. Four Mile is designated for both motorized and non-motorized use, while BCNM 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 campground offers 22 sites, basic and tent-only options, at $28.00 dollars per night. Campsite 1310HA is accessible.
- Changing Facilities
- Picnic Table / Grill
- Tent Pad
- Vault Toilets
- Potable Water
- RV Hook-ups
- Trash Cans
Reservations can be made online at www.cpwshop.com or by calling 1-800-244-5613.
Located at the primary 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
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fee Site
Campsite Information:
Hecla Junction campground offers 23 basic sites at $28.00 dollars per night. Campsite 1108HA is accessible.
- Changing Facilities
- Picnic Table / Grill
- Tent Pad
- Vault Toilets
- Potable Water
- RV Hook-ups
- Trash Cans
Reservations can be made online at www.cpwshop.com or by calling 1-800-244-5613.
- 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
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Portage Trail
- Restroom
- River Access
- Fee Site
- Camping
The Big Bend site has two portions. The lower site provides river access while the upper consists of an off-highway vehicle (OHV) 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
- 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
- River Access
- Camping
- 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
- Bike Trail
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Camping
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 developed campsites available for $28.00 per night.
Camping at Hecla Junction
Hecla Junction has developed campsites available for $28.00 per night.
You can make reservations at either campground online at www.cpwshop.com or by calling 1-800-244-5613.
Dispersed camping is also available on federal land between Buena Vista and Salida.
- Changing Areas
- Grill
- Picnic Table
- Tent Pad
- Vault Toilets
- Potable Water
- RV Hook-ups
- Trash Cans
Dispersed camping is available throughout the AHRA outside of developed campgrounds and day-use areas. Popular locations include 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.
All dispersed camping is first come, first served. Camps cannot be left unattended for more than 24 hours.
Camping outside of a developed campground does not include any amenities so campers will need to:
- Bring a portable toilet device.
- Use a fire container if having a fire and follow local fire restrictions (see links under the "Use Fire Containers, Follow Fire Restrictions" tab below)
- 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. Private landowners are not required to post signs.
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
Within the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, fire containers must have at least a two-inch rigid side and must be elevated up off the ground. Always check for local fire restrictions before building a fire. Know what land you are recreating on and follow the rules for that area:
Permits for collecting firewood on Bureau of Land Management land within the AHRA are only available on the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office website.
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 (Fourmile), Texas Creek, County Road 375 Trailhead (Fourmile) 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.