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

May 28, 2025

Increase in Twin release

From USBR: We're going to increase the native release from Twin by 35 cfs at 08:00 on 28 May. After the gate ops, we'll be releasing a total of 165 cfs- about 1 of accounts and the rest of native.

May 27, 2025

Increase in Twin Release

From USBR: We're going to increase the release from Twin by 80 cfs this morning (27 May) in two 40 cfs increases- the first at 08:00 and the second at 08:30. After the gate operations, we'll be releasing 104 cfs- about 1 from accounts and the rest native.

May 21, 2025

Decrease at Twin Lakes

From USBR: We are going to decrease the release from Twin Lakes by 25 cfs today at 0800 hrs.  After the gate operation, we'll be releasing 44 cfs with about 1 cfs of account and the rest native.

May 20, 2025

Decrease at Twin Lakes

From USBR: We are going to decrease the release from Twin Lakes by 25 cfs today at 1100 hrs.  After the gate operation, we'll be releasing 75 cfs with about 1 cfs of account and the rest native.

May 19, 2025

Decrease at Twin Lakes

From USBR: We are going to decrease the release from Twin Lakes by 44 cfs today at 0830 hrs.  After the gate operation, we'll be releasing  100 cfs with about 1 cfs of account 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

889 cfs

View Dashboard