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.
Arkansas River Headwaters Recreation Area
About Vallie Bridge to Parkdale
Along the Arkansas River, the 29-mile Vallie Bridge to Parkdale section has 20 river access sites. The campgrounds are located at Vallie Bridge and Five Points, but dispersed camping is allowed at Five 1/2 Points, Texas Creek, Lazy J, Bootlegger, Maytag and Cottonwood.
What to Do at This River Section
- Biking
- Camping
- Fishing
- Gold Panning
- Horseback Riding
- OHV
- Rockclimbing
- Picnicking
- Whitewater Boating
- Wildlife Viewing
Arkansas River Headwaters Recreation Area
The River Below Vallie Bridge
This section of the Arkansas is teeming with wildlife. Herds of bighorn sheep and deer silently drink from the river banks while an abundance of birds soar overhead. This section is ideal for rafting and fishing alike, as well as for other recreational activities such as picnicking along the banks of the river. The rapids in this section range from Class II to Class V.
Vallie Bridge to Parkdale Sites
The 19 river access sites are listed in order from Vallie Bridge to Parkdale.
Choose a Site
Vallie Bridge is located in Bighorn Sheep Canyon and is a peaceful respite for overnight river trips, as well as tent campers traveling through the valley.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Caution: The Vallie Bridge campground is boat-in/walk-in only. There is no vehicle access directly to the campsites. Campsites are located 10-60 yards from the vehicle unloading areas.
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Camping
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Fee
- Accessible Fishing Pier
Campsite Information:
Vallie Bridge campground offers 16 basic sites at $28.00 dollars per night.
- Picnic Table / Grill
- Tent Pad
- Vault Toilet
- 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: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Fee Site
- Camping
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Fishing Access
- River Access
- Camping
- Restroom
Lone Pine Recreation Site has a designated river trail approximately 1/2 mile in length that begins near the restrooms and picnic site on the east end. This trail is used for wildlife and river viewing as well as fishing access.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Fee Site
- Camping
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Fishing Access
- River Access
- Camping
- Restroom
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and 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 V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Dispersed Camping
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Horse/Bike Trail
- OHV
- Restroom
- River Access
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Dispersed Camping
- Fishing Access
- River Access
- Restroom
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Dispersed Camping
- Fishing Access
- River Access
- Restroom
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Dispersed Camping
- Fishing Access
- River Access
- Restroom
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Restroom
- River Access
- Fee Site
- Camping
This site is for the active loading and unloading of boats only. No parking is allowed. Traffic must enter only from the westbound lane of US HWY 50 and exit back into the westbound lane. Five Points and Pinnacle Rock can be used to turn around.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- River Access
- Camping
- Restroom
- Parking
Five Points is easily accessible from Hwy 50 and has a passageway under the bridge to the day-use site on the north side of the highway. At this site, you will find a "Watchable Wildlife" exhibit, an observation deck over the river, and excellent picnicking spots.
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Access McIntyre Hills Wilderness Study Area (WSA)
From the Five Points Campground take the trail between campsites #4 and #5. Much of the McIntyre Hills WSA consists of undesignated, or social trails. A trail map on the entrance station shows the trail's alignment.
Activities and Amenities:
- Camping
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Horse/Bike Trail
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Scenic Overlook
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fee Site
Campsite Information:
Five Points campground offers 20 basic sites at $28.00 dollars per night. Campsite 1010HA is accessible.
- Picnic Table / Grill
- Tent Pad
- Vault Toilet
- 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: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Dispersed Camping
- Fishing Access
- River Access
- Restroom
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Fishing Access
- River Access
- Camping
- Restroom
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Hiking
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Fee Site
- Camping
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Disbursed Camping
- Fishing Access
- River Access
- Restrooms
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Fishing Access
- River Access
- Camping
- Restroom
- Commercial Boaters: Allowed
- River Flow Class: between Class II and V rapids
- Float Skill Level: Beginner, novice or advanced
Activities and Amenities:
- Boat Ramp/Slide
- Changing Facilities
- Fishing Access
- Picnic Tables / Grills
- Restroom
- River Access
- Fee Site
- Accessible Picnic Area
- Camping
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
Vallie Bridge
Vallie Bridge has developed campsites available for $28.00 per night.
Five Points
Five Points has developed campsites available for $28.00 per night.
You can reserve any campsite online at www.cpwshop.com or by calling 1-800-244-5613.
Dispersed camping is also available at other select sites between Salida and Vallie Bridge and on federal land.
A person relaxing in their tent
- 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 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 Canyon City 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.
Arkansas Headwater Recreation Area Park
Off-Highway Vehicle 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.