Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area

State Park in Salida, CO

Hours:

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

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]

Two people on an inflatable raft on the river.

Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area

State Park in Salida, CO

Two people on an inflatable raft on the river.

Hours:

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

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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AHRA Waterflow

Announcements

November 17, 2025

Water Order FAP 26-03

Mount Elbert Powerplant, Attn: Facility Manager
Subject: Project Operations


GENERAL
We started the winter water program operations on November 15, 2025.

Sugarloaf Dam
Friday, November 15, 2025 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
Friday, November 15, 2025 at 00:00 Hrs.
Store all native inflows to Twin Lakes for Twin Lakes Canal Company.
Maintain these flows until further notice.

November 5, 2025

Water Order FAP 26-02

Mount Elbert Powerplant, Attn: Facility Manager
Subject: Project Operations


GENERAL
Native flows into Turquoise and Twin Lakes have declined.

Twin Lakes Dam
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 00:00 Hrs.
Convert the 15 cfs native release from Twin Lakes down Lake Creek to project.

Maintain until further notice.

October 15, 2025

Increase in Twin Release

From USBR: There's been a little moisture in the upper reservoirs this week. We're going to release the excess native. At 10:30 am, the release from Twin Lakes will increase from 15 cfs to 50 cfs, less than 1 cfs from accounts and the rest native. 

October 1, 2025

Water Order FAP26-01

From USBR: We're going to end releases through the Sugarloaf Powerplant to the conduit at 08:00 this morning. There are no changes to river releases. 

September 24, 2025

Increase at Twin Lakes

From USBR: We are going to test equipment at Twin Lakes Reservoir tomorrow from 0900 to 1300 hrs.  The release from the dam will increase by 25 cfs in 5 cfs increments every 20 minutes up to 40 cfs and then back down to 15 cfs.

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. 

A calm lake surrounded by rocky hills under a clear blue sky

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)

Wellsville

364 cfs

View Dashboard

Below Granite

View Dashboard

Nathrop

View Dashboard

Parkdale

View Dashboard