River runs

Colorado river runs

Live streamflow, whitewater class, and length for every paddleable section in Colorado with a named USGS gauge. Built for kayakers, rafters, and canoeists.

Runs in Colorado
160
Class range
I–V
Across the U.S.
331
Updated
Jun 12
Open the Colorado paddle layer on the map Whitewater + paddle runs filtered to Colorado.
Open the map →
June
12
2026
River runs
Colorado is a mecca for whitewater enthusiasts, offering a wide range of thrilling river runs for all skill levels. One of the most popular destinations is the Arkansas River, particularly the Brown's Canyon section near Buena Vista. This 14-mile stretch features exciting Class III rapids surrounded by stunning Rocky Mountain scenery. Ideal streamflow levels for Brown's Canyon typically range from 700-3,000 cubic feet per second, providing a perfect balance of challenge and enjoyment. For a more adrenaline-pumping experience, the Numbers section of the Arkansas River offers intense Class IV-V rapids that will test even the most experienced paddlers.

Another must-visit spot for whitewater adventurers is Clear Creek, just a short drive from Denver. The Upper Clear Creek segment near Idaho Springs boasts thrilling Class IV rapids with continuous action from start to finish. With streamflow levels between 500-1,000 cubic feet per second, this run will keep your heart pounding and adrenaline flowing. Safety is paramount when exploring Colorado's whitewater, so be sure to always wear a properly fitted life jacket, helmet, and appropriate footwear. Additionally, it's recommended to paddle with a knowledgeable guide or experienced group, especially on more challenging runs. With its diverse array of river runs and breathtaking scenery, Colorado offers an unforgettable whitewater experience for kayakers and rafters alike.
Full directory

Colorado river runs

Every paddleable section in Colorado keyed to a named USGS gauge. Sortable, quickly filterable. Tap any one for current discharge and the gauge it reports off.

160 entries
River run Streamflow Class
Headwaters To Confluence With Medano Creek 14 cfs II-IV
Headwaters At Medano Lake To Ends On The Sand Sheet Past The Southern End Of The Dunes 5 cfs II-III
Western Edge Of Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site To Eastern Edge Of Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site 18 cfs III
Headwaters To Ends 0.5 Miles Away From Trail Ridge Road 217 cfs III+
Begins 0.5 Miles Away From Trail Ridge Road To Ends Where River Segment Exits Rocky Mountain National Park 111 cfs III
Headwaters To Ends 0.5 Miles Upstream From End Of Fern Lake Road 111 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Boundary Of Rocky Mountain National Park 111 cfs II-III
Begins 0.5 Miles Upstream From End Of Fern Lake Road To Eastern Boundary Of Rocky Mountain National Park 217 cfs IV-III
Headwaters To Fan Lake 111 cfs ·
Headwaters To Ends 0.5 Miles Upstream From End Of County Hwy 115 54 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Confluence With Sand Creek 5 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To The Mountain Front 5 cfs II-IV
Mountain Front To Western Park Boundary 5 cfs III-IV
Eastern Boundary Of Park To Western Park Boundary 5 cfs IV
Begins 0.5 Miles Upstream From End Of County Hwy 115 To Eastern Boundary Of Rocky Mountain National Park 54 cfs III-IV
Eastern Boundary Of Dinosaur National Monument To Confluence With Green River 1,490 cfs III-IV+
Headwaters At Indian Spring To Ends Where The Creek Is Diverted Into Irrigation Ditches 5 cfs III-IV
Curecanti National Recreation Area Boundary To High Water Line Of Blue Mesa Reservoir 220 cfs III-IV
Curecanti National Recreation Area Boundary To High Water Line Of Morrow Point Reservoir 21 cfs III-IV
The Southern Boundary Of The Black Canyon Gunnison National Monument To The Painted Wall 435 cfs III-IV
The Painted Wall To The Black Canyon Gunnison National Monument Gunnison Gorge Wilderness Boundary 435 cfs III-V
South Fork Sec 19, T35n, R4e To Sec 36, T35n, R4 1/2e 125 cfs ·
Middle Fork Headwaters To Weminuche Wilderness Boundary 186 cfs III
Ef/Middle Fork At Weminuche Wilderness Boundary To Forest Development Road 631 158 cfs ·
Colorado Stateline To Nf Boundary 241 cfs III-IV
Rio Nutritas To Stewart Meadows 241 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Rio San Antonio 241 cfs III-IV
Sec 1, T33n, R3e To Confluence With East Fork Sec 17, T33n, R4e 76 cfs III-IV
Dipping Lakes Sec 5, T33n, R4e To Confluence With West Fork Sec 17, T33n, R4e 76 cfs ·
Sec 30, T41n, R2e To Sec 11, T40n, R2e 95 cfs III-IV
Source In Se 1/4 Sec 25, T10n, R75w To End Of The Four Wheel Drive Road East Of The Nf Poudre Campground (Nw 1/4 Of Sec 21, T10n, R74w 61 cfs ·
End Of Four Wheel Drive Road To Pearl Creek In Se 1/4 Sec 21, T10n, R74w 3 cfs ·
Pearl Creek To Junction Of Road West Of Creedmore Lakes In Sw 1/4 Sec 5, T10n, R73e 3 cfs ·
Fdr 631 To Indian Creek 104 cfs III
Indian Creek To Co Hwy 160 104 cfs ·
Road West Of Creedmore Lakes To Junction Of Intermittent Stream In Sw 1/4, Sec 29, T11n, R72w 51 cfs ·
Intermittent Stream To Junction With Co Division Of Wildlife Angler Access Trail In Sw 1/4 Sec 22, T11n, R72w 51 cfs ·
Co Dow Anlger Access Trail To Nf Boundary On East Section Line, Sec 24, T11n, R72w 51 cfs III-IV
Eleven Mile Canyon Dam To Private Land In Vicinity Of Lake George 144 cfs III-IV
Private Land To Confluence With Beaver Creek 144 cfs ·
Beaver Creek To Cheeseman Reservoir 144 cfs III-IV
Nf Boundary To East End Of Glenwood Canyon 2,690 cfs III-IV
Shoshone Power Plant To Nf Boundary 2,690 cfs III-IV
Jicarilla Apache Reservation Boundary To Nf Boundary 241 cfs III-IV
Jicarilla Apache Reservation Boundary To Colorado Stateline 241 cfs III-IV
Cheeseman Dam To Wigman Club 238 cfs III-IV
Wigman Club To Strontia Reservoir 480 cfs III-IV
North Fork Insmont To Estabrook 480 cfs III-IV
Estabrook To Cliffdale 480 cfs III-IV
Cliffdale To Confluence With South Platte 480 cfs III-IV
Headwaters At Deep Lake Outlet To 1/4 Mile Downstream 1,230 cfs ·
1/4 Mile Below Headwaters To Deep Creek Diversion Ditch 1,230 cfs ·
Deep Creek Diversion Ditch To Blm/Private Land Boundary 1,230 cfs ·
Headwaters To Holy Cross Wilderness Boundary 11 cfs ·
North Fork Headwaters To Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness Boundary 33 cfs ·
Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With South Fork 33 cfs ·
South Fork Headwaters To Beaver Lake 33 cfs III-IV
Beaver Lake To Sweet Jessup Headgate 643 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Flat Tops Wilderness Boundary 313 cfs III/IV-III/IV
Flat Tops Wilderness Boundary To Nf Boundary 313 cfs III-IV
West Section Line Sec 2, T38n, R16w (Below Mcphee Reservoir) To Bradfield Ranch Bridge 173 cfs III-IV
Bradfield Ranch Bridge To Dissappointment Creek · III
Dissappointment Creek To Little Gypsum Valley Bridge · III-IV
Little Gypsum Valley Bridge To One Mile Above Hwy 90 Bridge 1 cfs III-IV
West Dolores Source To Confluence With Mainstem 173 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Los Pinos 241 cfs II-III
Tierra Amarilla Grant Boundary To Colorado Stateline 241 cfs III
Roaring Fork (West Section Line Sec 28 T9n, R82w); Red Canyon (Nw1/4 Sec 5, T8n, R82w) To East Section Line Sec 34, T9n, R82w 118 cfs ·
South Sec Line, Sec 2, T11n, R80w To Co/Wy Stateline 444 cfs ·
Headwaters Of North, Middle And South Forks To Confluence Of South Fork With Encampment River 118 cfs II-III
South Section Line Sec 34, T1n, R83w To Confluence With Decker Creek 562 cfs III-IV
Lake Fork Confluence With South Fork To 1 Mile Below Town Of Platoro 125 cfs III-IV
Sec 17, T35n, R4e To Sec 36, T35n, R4e 125 cfs ·
Sec 23, T32n, R5e To Sec 20, T32n, R6e (Co/Nm State Line) 241 cfs ·
Lower Branch Sec 28, T33n, R3e; Upper Branch Sec 15, T33n, R3e To Sec 7, T32n, R4e 76 cfs III-IV
Co/Wy Stateline To Douglas Creek 444 cfs ·
Flint Creek Headwaters To Confluence With Los Pinos 182 cfs III-IV
Rincon La Osa Headwaters To Confluence With Los Pinos 186 cfs III-IV
Rincon La Vaca Headwaters To Confluence With Los Pinos 186 cfs III-IV
Snowslide Canyon Creek Headwaters To Confluence With Los Pinos 186 cfs III-IV
Sierra Vandera Headwaters To Confluence With Los Pinos 186 cfs II-II
Below Rio Grande Reservoir (Sec 13, T40n, R4w) To Spring Creek (Sec 31, T41n, R2w) 186 cfs III
Below Big Meadows Reservoir Dam To Sec 9 And 10, T39n, R3e 95 cfs III-IV
Sec 10, T42n, R1e To Sec 13, T41n, R1e 362 cfs III-IV
Confluence Of North, Middle And South Forks (Sec 4, T43n, R3e) To Nf Boundary (Sec 17, T44n, R4e) 23 cfs III-IV
North Fork Sec 8, T35n, R2e To Confluence With Middle Fork 125 cfs III-IV
Middle Fork Sec 13, T35n, R2e To Confluence Of Three Forks Sec 14, T35n, R3e 125 cfs ·
El Rito Azul Blue Lake (Sec 26, T35n, R3e) And Portion Of Conejos Above Platoro Reservoir To Upper Reach Of Platoro Reservoir Sec 6, T35n, R4e 125 cfs IV-V
Confluence With Rincon La Vaca And North Fork To Northern Line Of Granite Peak Ranch 182 cfs III-IV
Lake Creek Headwaters To Confluence With Los Pinos 182 cfs III-IV
Sec 9, T32n, R6e To Sec 22, T32n, R6e (Co/Nm State Line) 241 cfs ·
Yampa River Segment 3 175 cfs III-IV
Yampa River Segment 2 1,110 cfs III
Yampa River Segment 1 1,110 cfs III-IV
Deep Creek Segment 2b 1,230 cfs III-IV
Deep Creek Segment 3 1,230 cfs III-IV
Coyote Wash 1 cfs IV-V
La Sal Creek Segment 1 1 cfs ·
Ice Lake Creek Segment 1 1 cfs IV
Lion Creek Segment 1 1 cfs IV-V
Lion Creek Segment 2 1 cfs III-IV
La Sal Creek Segment 2 1 cfs III
Spring Creek 1 cfs IV-V
La Sal Creek Segment 3 1 cfs III
San Miguel River Segment 6 197 cfs III-IV
San Miguel River Segment 5 136 cfs III
Tabeguache Creek Segment 2 197 cfs III-IV
Tabeguache Creek Segment 1 136 cfs III-IV
North Fork Mesa Creek 177 cfs III-IV
Dry Creek 136 cfs ·
Naturita Creek 338 cfs III-IV
San Miguel River Segment 3 136 cfs III-V
San Miguel River Segment 2 338 cfs III+-IV
Beaver Creek 338 cfs BEAVER-III
Saltado Creek 338 cfs III-IV
Cottonwood Creek 98 cfs ·
Roubideau Creek Segment 2 98 cfs III-IV
Potter Creek 98 cfs III-V
Gunnison River Segment 2 618 cfs III-IV
Deep Creek 26 cfs III-IV
Lower Dolores River 2 cfs II-III
West Beaver Creek 1 cfs III-IV
Arkansas River Segment 1 41 cfs III-IV
Arkansas River Segment 3 338 cfs III-IV
Arkansas River Segment 2 318 cfs III-IV
East Fork Arkansas River 2 cfs IV-V
East Gulch 328 cfs III-IV
Fourmile Creek 1 cfs III-IV
Pass Creek 338 cfs III-IV
Grape Creek Segment 1 6 cfs III-IV
Little High Creek 1 cfs IV-IV
Eightmile Creek 1 cfs ·
Falls Gulch 364 cfs III-IV
Grape Creek Segment 3 273 cfs III-IV
Arkansas River Segment 4 328 cfs III
Rio Grande River Segment A 22 cfs II-III
Rio Grande River Segment B 22 cfs III-IV
Rio Grande River Segment C 47 cfs II-IV
Ice Lake Creek Segment 2 1 cfs ·
Colorado River Segment 4 562 cfs ·
Animas River 451 cfs III-IV
Colorado River Segment 5 562 cfs III-IV
Colorado River Segment 7 1,230 cfs ·
Mineral Creek 39 cfs III-IV
Monitor Creek 98 cfs IV-V
Roubideau Creek Segment 1 98 cfs III
San Miguel River Segment 1 85 cfs II-III
Grape Creek Segment 2 6 cfs III-IV
Dolores River Segment 2 1 cfs III-IV
Colorado River Segment 6 53 cfs IV
Star Canyon, Colo. River Segment 2 2,780 cfs IV-V
Unknown 2,780 cfs ·
Marble Canyon, Colo. River Segment 2 2,780 cfs III-IV
Colorado River 2,780 cfs III-IV
Little Dolores, Colo. River Segment 2 2,780 cfs II-III+
Big Creek 444 cfs IV-V
Skull Creek 175 cfs V-IV
Dolores River Mcphee To Bedrock Segment In Uncompahgre Field Office 1 cfs II-IV
Dolores River Mcphee To Bedrock Segment In Tres Rios Field Office 173 cfs III-IV
San Juan River 1 cfs II-III
River runs FAQ

About Colorado river runs

What does whitewater class mean?

The international whitewater scale (Class I–VI) rates a river's difficulty. I is moving water with riffles. II is straightforward rapids with clear channels. III requires complex maneuvers in fast water. IV is intense, powerful but predictable rapids requiring decisive boat handling. V is extremely long, obstructed, or violent rapids with significant hazard. VI is considered impossible to run.

Where does the Colorado streamflow data come from?

USGS streamgauges. Each Colorado paddle run is keyed to a specific gauge that paddlers and outfitters have agreed represents flow on that section. Gauges report every 15 minutes; we re-pull throughout the day.

What's a runnable level?

Run-specific. A creek that's classic at 200 cfs might be too low at 100 and dangerously flooded at 1,000. Always cross-reference with a guidebook or a Colorado paddling club for the run's accepted gauge ranges before launching.

Can I get an alert when a run hits prime flow?

Yes. Save any paddle run as a favorite in the Snoflo iOS app, set a flow window (e.g. "alert me between 800 and 1,500 cfs"), and you'll get a push the moment it crosses into range. Free with a Snoflo account.

Is this a substitute for local guidebooks and trip leaders?

No. Snoflo is informational. Always carry appropriate skills, gear, and a sober assessment of the day's flow. For high-consequence runs (Class IV+), paddle with people who know the run and never solo. American Whitewater is the authoritative source for U.S. river information.

Browse other states

River runs in every state

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming