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.
Cactus with pink flowers and the Lake Pueblo shoreline in the background.
Arkansas River Headwaters Recreation Area
About Cañon City to Lake Pueblo
Along the Arkansas River, the 33-mile Cañon City to Lake Pueblo section has 9 river access sites. There are no campgrounds along this section of the river, but disbursed camping is allowed on federal land.
What to Do at This River Section
- Biking
- Boating
- Education Programs
- Fishing
- Gold Panning
- Fishing
- Horseback Riding
- Picnicking
- Rockclimbing
- Whitewater Rafting
- Wildlife Viewing
- Camping
- Hunting
- OHV/Snowmobile Riding
Arkansas River Headwaters Recreation Area
The River Below Cañon City
Below Cañon City, the Arkansas changes into a quiet, meandering great plains river with Class I-II water. Cottonwood, willow, and water-loving plants along its banks create a "riparian zone" that is home to an abundance of wildlife and this stretch of river offers fantastic wildlife viewing and great fishing. The slower pace of the river also makes for excellent canoeing; however, caution and skills are still necessary to avoid low-head dams and overhanging/ fallen trees. The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area ends at Lake Pueblo State Park.
Caution: Most of the river here is bordered by private Land. Please respect landowners and do not trespass.
Cañon City to Lake Pueblo Sites
The 9 river access sites are listed in order from Cañon City to Lake Pueblo.
Choose a Site
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class I and II 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 Cañon City, CO.
The Whitewater Kayak & Recreation Park is located at Centennial Park near the 4th Street Bridge.
- Commercial Boaters: Not Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class I and II 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
- Private Boaters: Not Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class I and II rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Horse/Bike Trails
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Camping
- OHV
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class I and II rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Parking
- River Access
- Camping
- Changing Facilities
- OHV
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class I and II rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Fishing Access
- Parking
- River Access
- Camping
- Changing Facilities
- OHV
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class I and II rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Horse/Bike Trail
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Camping
- Changing Facilities
- OHV
This site is managed by the town of Florence, CO.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class I and II rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Camping
- Changing Facilities
- OHV
This site is managed by the town of Florence, CO.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class I and II rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Parking
- River Access
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Camping
- Changing Facilities
- OHV
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class I and II rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, Novice, or Advanced.
Activities and Amenities:
- Fishing Access
- Parking
- River Access
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Camping
- Changing Facilities
- OHV
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
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
Dispersed Camping on Federal Land
Dispersed camping is available on nearby Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or US Forest Service Land (USFS). Contact the USFS San Carlos Ranger District or the Bureau of Land Management Royal Gorge Field Office for details.
A family sitting at a picnic table with a tent in the background
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
Except where toilet facilities are provided, all overnight campers must provide and use a portable toilet device capable of carrying human waste out of the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area.
- The contents of the portable toilet must be emptied in compliance with the law.
- Toilet kit waste bags are sold in the AHRA Visitor Center.
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. The AHRA Visitor Center no longer sells these permits.
US Forest Service firewood collecting permits are available from the Salida Ranger District Office.