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 is under construction through 4/15/25. Ruby Mountain Recreation Site & Fisherman's Bridge are closed through 5/18/2025. There is a full road closure of County Rd. 300 near MM 2.2 at the entrance into Browns Canyon 8am-12pm & 1pm- 6pm daily. The affected section of Arkansas River from Fisherman's Bridge, continuing Southeast to Ruby Mountain Campground, will be open to passing boat traffic. During blasting or heavy scaling, a flagger will be in the river & there may be up to a 2-hour wait to pass. Fisherman's Bridge Recreation Site is under complete closure & Ruby Mountain Recreation Site is closed to camping during this time.
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.
What to Do at This River Section
- Biking
- Education Programs
- Fishing
- Gold Panning
- Fishing
- Horseback Riding
- Picnicking
- Whitewater Boating
- Wildlife Viewing
- Camping
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.
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 Cañon City, CO.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Bike Trail
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Camping
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Restroom
- River Access
- Camping
- Parking
Activities and Amenities:
- Fishing Access
- River Access
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Camping
- Restroom
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Bike Trail
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Camping
This site is managed by the town of Florence, CO.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Camping
This site is managed by the town of Florence, CO.
Activities and Amenities:
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- River Access
- Hunting
- Camping
- Restroom
Activities and Amenities:
- Fishing Access
- River Access
- Camping
- Restroom
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- River Access
- Fishing Access
- Camping
- Restroom
Camping
There are no developed campgrounds or dispersed camping areas in this section.
- Changing Area
- Grill
- Picnic Table
- Tent Pad
- Vault Toilet
- 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 campsite 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.