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.
A man fishing the river from the bank.
Arkansas River Headwaters Recreation Area
About Parkdale to Cañon City
Along the Arkansas River, the 10-mile Parkdale to Cañon City section has 4 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
- Camping
- Education Programs
- Fishing
- Gold Panning
- Horseback Riding
- Picnicking
- Whitewater Rafting
- Wildlife Viewing
- Rockclimbing
- Hunting
- OHV/Snowmobile Riding
Arkansas River Headwaters Recreation Area
The River Below Parkdale
Parkdale Recreation Site provides public access before the river enters the Royal Gorge. From this peaceful spot, the river plunges into the Royal Gorge, the Arkansas River's most famous achievement. Over millions of years, the river carved through the hard rock of the Royal Gorge Plateau, forming the 1,000-foot walls of the gorge.
Caution: Within the gorge class IV to class V (extremely difficult) rapids. Scouting and portaging this section of the river is very difficult.
Parkdale to Cañon City Sites
The 4 river access sites are listed in order from Parkdale to Cañon City.
Choose a Site
Parkdale Recreation Site provides public access before the river enters the Royal Gorge.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between class IV and class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Advanced.
Caution: It is recommended that the Royal Gorge (Section 5) not be run at flows over 3200 cubic feet per second (cfs) at the Parkdale gauge as read at 7:00 a.m. or as read at 12:00 p.m. for any trips that same day.
Equipment for High Water Trips
- Helmets must be worn at all water levels.
- Wetsuits/dry suits are advised when water levels are above 900 cfs as measured at the Numbers/Below Granite gage.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Fee Site
- Camping
- OHV
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between class IV and class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Advanced.
Caution: It is recommended that the Royal Gorge (Section 5) not be run at flows over 3200 cubic feet per second (cfs) at the Parkdale gauge as read at 7:00 a.m. or as read at 12:00 p.m. for any trips that same day.
Equipment for High Water Trips
- Helmets must be worn at all water levels.
- Wetsuits/dry suits are advised when water levels are above 900 cfs as measured at the Numbers/Below Granite gage.
Activities and Amenities:
- Fishing Access
- Parking
- River Access
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Camping
- Changing Facilities
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- OHV
- Restroom
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between class IV and class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Advanced.
Caution: It is recommended that the Royal Gorge (Section 5) not be run at flows over 3200 cubic feet per second (cfs) at the Parkdale gauge as read at 7:00 a.m. or as read at 12:00 p.m. for any trips that same day.
Equipment for High Water Trips
- Helmets must be worn at all water levels.
- Wetsuits/dry suits are advised when water levels are above 900 cfs as measured at the Numbers/Below Granite gage.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Horse/Bike Trails
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- River Access
- Restroom
- Wildlife Viewing
- Camping
- OHV
- Commercial Boaters: Not Allowed
- River Flow Class: between class IV and class V rapids.
- Float Skill Level: Advanced.
Caution: It is recommended that the Royal Gorge (Section 5) not be run at flows over 3200 cubic feet per second (cfs) at the Parkdale gauge as read at 7:00 a.m. or as read at 12:00 p.m. for any trips that same day.
Equipment for High Water Trips
- Helmets must be worn at all water levels.
- Wetsuits/dry suits are advised when water levels are above 900 cfs as measured at the Numbers/Below Granite gage.
Activities and Amenities:
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Horse/Bike Trails
- Parking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Camping
- OHV
This site is managed by the town of Cañon City, 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
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 man sitting at a picnic table, two tents 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.