Colorado Parks & Wildlife logo Colorado Parks & Wildlife logo
Donate to CPW

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

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 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

Contact:

719-539-7289

[email protected]

Navigate to:

    Go

    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.
    Rafting

    River Outfitters

    For Visitors Seeking a River Guide​​​​​​

    Many people use a river outfitter to enjoy the whitewater of the Arkansas River. Look up an AHRA river rafting or fishing outfitter, photographer or shuttle service in the Outfitter List.

    You can also go to the Arkansas River Outfitters Association website and learn how to choose a river outfitter.

    For River Outfitters Wanting to Guide on the Arkansas River

    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​All river outfitters operating in Colorado are required to first obtain a river outfitter license from Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Visit the River Outfitter Licensing Page to learn more.

    River Outfitter List River Outfitter Licensing
    Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area

    Colors of Water

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

    Announcements

    January 10, 2025

    Water Order FAP 25-05

    Mount Elbert Powerplant


    GENERAL
    Mt Elbert Generating Units will both be down for maintenance.


    Sugarloaf Dam
    Monday, January 13, 2025 @ 0800 Hrs.
    Stop releases to the Mt Elbert conduit from Sugarloaf Powerplant. Continue minimum bypass flows.


    Maintain until further notice.

    December 4, 2024

    Water Order FAP 25-04

    Mount Elbert Powerplant


    GENERAL
    The installation of the stoplogs for MTE Unit 2 is complete and the conduit from Sugarloaf
    Dam to Mt. Elbert Forebay is ready to run water again. The current plan is to run the
    conduit at full capacity (~375 cfs) until we fill the forebay back up to the minimum
    pumping elevation of 9630 ft. The fish hatchery will continue to run 15 cfs so the water
    available for the powerplant will be less.


    Sugarloaf Dam
    Wednesday, December 4, 2024 @ 1400 Hrs.
    Start releases to the Mt Elbert conduit from Sugarloaf Dam, run the conduit at full capacity.


    Maintain until further notice.

    November 25, 2024

    Water Order FAP 25-03

    Mount Elbert Powerplant


    GENERAL 
    The conduit from Sugarloaf Dam to Mt. Elbert Forebay will be closed for an outage from 11/26/2024 at 0800 hrs until 12/3/2024 at 1700 hrs. This outage is for installation of stop logs in MTE Unit 2 for repair work. 


    Sugarloaf Dam 
    Tuesday, November 26, 2024 @ 0800 Hrs. Stop releases to the Mt Elbert conduit from Sugarloaf Dam. 


    Maintain until further notice.

    November 19, 2024

    Water Order FAP25-02 Amended

    Mount Elbert Powerplant


    GENERAL
    We will begin the winter water program operations on November 15, 2024. We will increase the release from Twin Lakes for winter operations. CSU will not store their 3 cfs right in Turquoise.


    Sugarloaf Dam
    Friday, November 15, 2024 at 00:00 Hrs.
    Continue the 3 cfs native release to Lake Fork Creek.


    Twin Lakes Dam
    Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 09:00 Hrs.
    Increase the release from Twin Lakes by 40 cfs of project water.


    Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 09:00 Hrs.
    Increase the release from Twin Lakes by 45 cfs of project water.


    Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 09:00 Hrs.
    Increase the release from Twin Lakes by 45 cfs of project water.


    Friday, November 15, 2024 at 00:00 Hrs.
    Convert the 15 cfs native release to project.


    Store all native inflows to Twin Lakes for Twin Lakes Canal Company.


    Maintain these flows until further notice.

    November 12, 2024

    Water Order FAP 25-02

    Mount Elbert Powerplant


    GENERAL
    We will begin the winter water program operations on November 15, 2024. We will increase the release from Twin Lakes for winter operations.


    Sugarloaf Dam
    Friday, November 15, 2024 at 00:00 Hrs.
    Convert the release down Lake Fork Creek to project water.
    Begin storing 3 cfs of native inflow for Colorado Springs.


    Twin Lakes Dam
    Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 09:00 Hrs.
    Increase the release from Twin Lakes by 40 cfs of project water.


    Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 09:00 Hrs.
    Increase the release from Twin Lakes by 45 cfs of project water.


    Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 09:00 Hrs.
    Increase the release from Twin Lakes by 45 cfs of project water.


    Friday, November 15, 2024 at 00:00 Hrs.
    Convert the 15 cfs native release to project.
    Store all native inflows to Twin Lakes for Twin Lakes Canal Company.


    Maintain these flows until further notice.

    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. 

    Water Flow 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 Gage 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 your reference, 1 Cubic Foot/Second (cfs) = 1.98 Acre Feet (af).

    Waterflow Summary

    Program Water

    1000

    Flow Program Releases

    793

    Estimated Program Water Remaining

    207

    Waterflow Readings

    Waterflow Gauge Locations

    Wellsville

    390 cfs

    View Dashboard