Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area

State Park in Salida, CO

Hours:

Park:  Open 24 hours a day, year-round
Visitor Center:  Mon.-Tues., Thurs.-Sat. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wed. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed 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:  Mon.-Tues., Thurs.-Sat. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wed. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed 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]

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Announcements

July 2, 2025

Decrease in Twin Release

From USBR: We're going to decrease the Twin release by 25 cfs at 08:00 this morning (2 Jul). After the gate operation, we'll be releasing 210 cfs, less than 1 cfs of account and the rest native. 

July 1, 2025

Increase in Twin Releases

From USBR: It looks like there was a little rain up there yesterday so we're going to increase the Twin native release by 25 cfs at 08:00 this morning (1 Jul). After the gate operation we'll be releasing 250 cfs, about 1 of account and the rest native. 

June 24, 2025

Decrease in Twin Release

From USBR: The native flows into Twin and Turq continue to decline so we're going to decrease the release from Twin today by 25 cfs at 0800 hrs.  After these gate operations, we'll be releasing approximately 225 cfs, about 2 cfs from accounts and the rest native.

June 23, 2025

Decrease in Twin Release

From USBR: We're going to decrease the release from Twin today by 25 cfs at 0800 hrs.  Our Admin account is slightly negative and this cut should help zero it out.  After these gate operations, we'll be releasing approximately 250 cfs, about 2 cfs from accounts and the rest native.

June 22, 2025

Decrease in Twin Release

From USBR: We're still following the native inflows down. We'll decrease the flows from Twin by 125 cfs- 60 cfs at 07:00 and 65 cfs at 07:30 this morning (22 Jul). After the gate operations, we'll be releasing   275 cfs, 2 cfs from accounts and the rest native.

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.
 

Waterflow Summary

Program Water

1000

Flow Program Releases

0

Estimated Program Water Remaining

1000

The information above 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 Readings

Waterflow Gauge Locations

Wellsville

766 cfs

View Dashboard

Below Granite

View Dashboard

Nathrop

View Dashboard

Parkdale

View Dashboard