Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area

State Park in Salida, CO

Hours:

Park:  Open 24 hours a day, year-round

Visitor Center:  Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sunday.
Closures

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

Contact:

719-539-7289

[email protected]

Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area

State Park in Salida, CO

Hours:

Park:  Open 24 hours a day, year-round

Visitor Center:  Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sunday.
Closures

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

Contact:

719-539-7289

[email protected]

Navigate to:

Waterflow Readings

High Water Advisories

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. 


  1. Helmets must be worn at all water levels. 

  2. Wetsuits/dry suits are optional at all water levels depending upon weather and water conditions and advised when water levels are above 900 cfs as measured at the Numbers/Below Granite gage. 

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. 


  1. Helmets must be worn at all water levels. 

  2. Wetsuits/dry suits are optional at all water levels depending upon weather and water conditions and advised when water levels are above 900 cfs as measured at the Numbers/Below Granite gauge. 

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. 


  1. Helmets must be worn at all water levels. 

  2. Wetsuits/drysuits are optional at all water levels depending upon weather and water conditions and advised when water levels are above 2800 cfs as measured at the Parkdale gauge. 

Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area

Colors of Water

View the Colors of Water report on the Arkansas Basin Water Operations Dashboard.
 

Announcements

June 16, 2025

Increase in Twin Release

From USBR: We’re going to increase the release from Twin by a total of 225 cfs this morning (16 Jun) with 75 cfs increases at 7:30, 8:00 and 9:30. After the last gate operation, we’ll be releasing 545 cfs- about 128 of account and the rest native.

June 11, 2025

Decrease at Twin Lakes

From USBR: We're going to decrease the release from Twin today by 200 cfs: -50 cfs at 0730, -50 cfs at 0830, -50 cfs at 0900 and -50 cfs at 0930 hrs. After these gate operations, we'll be releasing approximately 311 cfs, about 1 cfs from accounts and the rest native.

June 10, 2025

Decrease at Twin Lakes

From USBR: We're going to decrease the release from Twin today by 200 cfs: -50 cfs at 0830, -50 cfs at 0900, -50 cfs at 0930 and -50 cfs at 1000 hrs. After these gate operations, we'll be releasing approximately 515 cfs, about 1 cfs from accounts and the rest native.

June 10, 2025

Water Order FAP 25-16

Mount Elbert Powerplant


GENERAL
Twin Lakes project space is close to full and we have made adequate space in Turquoise Reservoir for the remaining imports this year.



Twin Lakes Dam
Wednesday, June 11, 2025 0800 Hrs.
Stop releases to the Mt Elbert conduit from Sugarloaf Dam. Continue releases for fish hatchery through the bypass.



Maintain until further notice.

June 6, 2025

Increase in Twin Release

From USBR: We're going to increase the Twin release by 130 cfs this morning in 2 gate operations- 65 cfs at 08:15 and another 65 cfs at 08:45. After the gate operations, we'll be releasing 670 cfs- about 130 cfs from accounts and the rest native. 

Waterflow Levels

The information below depicts the Flow Program Target and the flow of the Arkansas River as measured in cubic feet per second (cfs) at the Wellsville Gauge near Salida, CO. This page also tracks, in acre feet (af), the amount of water released as part of the summer component of the Voluntary Flow Program. For reference, a flow of 1 cfs for 24 hours is 1.98 af.

Waterflow Summary

Program Water

1000

Flow Program Releases

793

Estimated Program Water Remaining

207

Waterflow Gauge Locations

Wellsville

1600 cfs

View Dashboard