Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
State Park in Salida, CO
Hours:
Park: Open 24 hours a day, year-round
Visitor Center: Mon.-Tues., Thur.-Fri.: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wed. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sat.-Sun.
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: Mon.-Tues., Thur.-Fri.: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wed. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sat.-Sun.
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:
Fire Restrictions -
AHRA campgrounds are covered by Federal and County fire restrictions; the most restrictive applies. Because conditions change rapidly, check the Colorado Fire Restrictions map before your visit to ensure you have the most up-to-date information for your specific location. Read more details.
AHRA Waterflow
Announcements
| Date | Announcement | Details |
|---|---|---|
| April 12, 2026 | Increase at Turquoise Lake | From USBR: We're going to increase the release from Turquoise today by 3 cfs between 0930 and 1000 hrs. After this gate change, we'll be releasing approximately 14 cfs native. |
| April 8, 2026 | Decrease at Turquoise Lake | From USBR: We're going to decrease the release from Turquoise today by 6 cfs at 1600 hrs. After this gate change, we'll be releasing approximately 9 cfs native. |
| March 29, 2026 | Decrease at Twin Lakes | From USBR: We're going to decrease the release from Twin today by 15 cfs at 1630 hrs. After this gate change, we'll be releasing approximately 15 cfs about 1 cfs from accounts and the rest native. |
| March 24, 2026 | Increase at Twin Lakes | From USBR: We're going to increase the release from Twin today by 10 cfs at 1600 hrs. After this gate change, we'll be releasing approximately 34 cfs native and about 1 cfs from accounts. |
| March 23, 2026 | Increase in Twin Release | From USBR: We're going to increase the release from Twin Lakes down Lake Creek by 10 cfs at 16:30 this afternoon. After the gate operation, we'll be releasing 25 cfs, all of which is native. |
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. |
|
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Colors of Water
View the Colors of Water report on the Arkansas Basin Water Operations Dashboard.
Waterflow Summary
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 Gauge Locations (7 A.M. Reading)
| Gauge | Value | Water Flow Data |
|---|---|---|
| Wellsville | 242 cfs | |
| Below Granite | 216 cfs | |
| Nathrop | 273 cfs | |
| Parkdale | 262 cfs |