Buena Vista Whitewater Park
This park has 5 or so holes/waves. Found at the end of Main street in Buena Vista, CO. There are 2 main locations. The upper starts at the soccer field area adjacent to the Whipple Bridge which crosses the river. That is the Uptown Wave. The second access area is to the south and is accessable in the South Main Neighborhood. Both are public put ins and take outs. The park is fun at all levels. Anything 250 cfs plus makes it worth a trip to play in the park.
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the Arkansas River are between a bare minimum of 200cfs and a high of 5,000cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 07087050, the Arkansas River Below Granite
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Buena Vista Whitewater Park.
Run Stats
| Status | Too Low |
| Class Level | II+ to III+ |
| Elevation | 8,629 ft |
| Run Length | 1.0 Mi |
| Streamflow Discharge | 148 cfs |
| Gage Height | 11.1 ft |
| Air Temperature | 55° |
| River | Arkansas River |
| Reporting Streamgage |
Arkansas River Below Granite
USGS 07087050 |
| Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
Tarryall Creek At Upper Station
USGS 06696980 |
7 cfs | 5.0 ft |
|
Chicago Creek Blw Devils Canyon Nr Idaho Sprgs Co
USGS 06717400 |
-999 cfs | -1,310.7 ft |
|
Fryingpan River At Meredith
USGS 09080100 |
426 cfs | 3.2 ft |
|
Arkansas River Near Nathrop
USGS 07091200 |
260 cfs | 3.7 ft |
|
Arkansas River At Granite
USGS 07086000 |
228 cfs | 2.7 ft |
|
Arkansas River Near Wellsville
USGS 07093700 |
371 cfs | 3.3 ft |
|
Clear Creek Near Lawson
USGS 06716500 |
25 cfs | 2.5 ft |
|
Arkansas River Below Empire Gulch Near Malta
USGS 07083710 |
85 cfs | 3.0 ft |
|
Beaver Creek At Avon
USGS 09067000 |
3 cfs | 1.9 ft |
|
Tenmile Creek Bl North Tenmile C
USGS 09050100 |
32 cfs | 2.0 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
silverthorne 21 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-35 |
15.49" | 0.11" |
|
estes park 1.8 s, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-767 |
5.11" | 1.2" |
|
silverthorne 2.1 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-6 |
25.47" | 0.25" |
|
University Camp
SNOTEL 838 |
37" | 5" |
|
vail 3.5 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-53 |
25.87" | 0.89" |
|
Fremont Pass
SNOTEL 485 |
41" | 0" |
|
Chapman Tunnel
SNOTEL 1101 |
40" | 5" |
|
Porphyry Creek
SNOTEL 701 |
43" | 6" |
|
climax coop
SNOTEL CLXC2 |
19.16" | 1" |
|
estes park 1.7 w, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-1115 |
7.25" | 1.18" |
|
Lynx Pass
SNOTEL 607 |
23" | 1" |
|
estes park,co
SNOTEL ETSC2 |
1.8" | 1.1" |
|
vail 2.6 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-19 |
23.25" | 0.75" |
|
fairplay 2.7 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-PK-15 |
7.63" | 0.95" |
|
allens park 1.5 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-22 |
10.71" | 1.74" |
|
Cochetopa Pass
SNOTEL 1059 |
9" | 3" |
|
Saint Elmo
SNOTEL 1100 |
32" | 4" |
|
nathrop 1.9 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-CF-54 |
0.2" | 0" |
|
Echo Lake
SNOTEL 936 |
14" | 7" |
|
Berthoud Summit
SNOTEL 335 |
39" | 5" |
|
Brumley
SNOTEL 369 |
30" | 1" |
|
Grizzly Peak
SNOTEL 505 |
44" | 4" |
|
Park Cone
SNOTEL 680 |
32" | 0" |
|
Tower
SNOTEL 825 |
88" | 3" |
|
cabin creek
SNOTEL GCRC2 |
12.95" | 1.67" |
|
Columbine
SNOTEL 408 |
49" | 0" |
|
Ivanhoe
SNOTEL 547 |
41" | 4" |
|
Lily Pond
SNOTEL 580 |
29" | 2" |
|
Jones Pass
SNOTEL 970 |
38" | 0" |
|
pitkin 1.1 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-GN-59 |
21.85" | -0.25" |
|
crestone,co
SNOTEL CSTC2 |
0.11" | 0" |
|
frisco 0.5 n, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-4 |
18.46" | 0.28" |
|
estes park 1.8 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-987 |
1.4" | 0" |
|
Mccoy Park
SNOTEL 1040 |
30" | 1" |
|
Grayback
SNOTEL 1058 |
3" | -1" |
|
lake george 7.2 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-PK-39 |
0.23" | 0" |
|
Upper Taylor
SNOTEL 1141 |
40" | 5" |
|
Copper Mountain
SNOTEL 415 |
36" | 0" |
|
Sargents Mesa
SNOTEL 1128 |
19" | 5" |
|
Hayden Pass
SNOTEL 1102 |
11" | 5" |
|
south platte river
SNOTEL ANTC2 |
0.21" | 0" |
|
Middle Fork Camp
SNOTEL 1014 |
25" | 1" |
|
georgetown
SNOTEL GEOC2 |
3.7" | 0.73" |
|
Vail Mountain
SNOTEL 842 |
37" | 3" |
|
Buffalo Park
SNOTEL 913 |
38" | 2" |
|
rollinsville 1.1 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-GL-17 |
10.62" | 1.72" |
|
Phantom Valley
SNOTEL 688 |
26" | 1" |
|
dillon 2.3 se, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-16 |
16.37" | 0.29" |
|
buena vista,co
SNOTEL BNVC2 |
0.91" | 0" |
|
Arapaho Ridge
SNOTEL 1030 |
54" | 1" |
|
Bear Lake
SNOTEL 322 |
38" | 3" |
|
co st forest st park
SNOTEL CSFC2 |
20.08" | 0.08" |
|
Moon Pass
SNOTEL 1124 |
7" | 3" |
|
Summit Ranch
SNOTEL 802 |
25" | 2" |
|
great sand dunes natl mon
SNOTEL GSDC2 |
0.07" | 0" |
|
Loveland Basin
SNOTEL 602 |
43" | 2" |
|
Hoosier Pass
SNOTEL 531 |
35" | 3" |
|
Niwot
SNOTEL 663 |
28" | 5" |
|
bonanza 6.6 s, co
SNOTEL CO-SA-61 |
0.1" | -0.23" |
|
wolcott 2.3 n, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-8 |
17.47" | -0.14" |
|
estes park 3.3 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-247 |
1.36" | 1.1" |
|
Copeland Lake
SNOTEL 412 |
23" | 4" |
|
South Colony
SNOTEL 773 |
38" | 12" |
|
dillon,co
SNOTEL DLLC2 |
12.5" | 0.36" |
|
tabernash 2.7 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-GR-68 |
18.64" | 0.25" |
|
nederland 0.4 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-322 |
6.48" | 1.21" |
|
nathrop 3.3 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-CF-19 |
0.3" | 0" |
|
grant
SNOTEL GRTC2 |
2.46" | 0.06" |
|
High Lonesome
SNOTEL 1187 |
50" | 2" |
|
Elliot Ridge
SNOTEL 1120 |
48" | 2" |
|
Hourglass Lake
SNOTEL 1122 |
30" | 4" |
|
crestone 5.3 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-SA-66 |
0.12" | 0" |
|
Independence Pass
SNOTEL 542 |
39" | 3" |
|
Nast Lake
SNOTEL 658 |
25" | 1" |
|
Rough And Tumble
SNOTEL 939 |
12" | 6" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruby Mountain - Arkansas Headwaters State Rec Area | None | 7,651 ft | |||
| Railroad Bridge - Arkansas Headwaters State Rec Area | None | 8,039 ft | |||
| Horseshoe | 19 | 10,538 ft | |||
| Mount Princeton | 19 | 8,618 ft | |||
| Buffalo Springs | 18 | 9,187 ft | |||
| Angel of Shavano | 20 | 9,147 ft | |||
| Hecla Junction - Arkansas Headwaters State Rec Area | None | 7,415 ft | |||
| Ohaver Lake | 35 | 9,218 ft | |||
| Fourmile | 14 | 10,824 ft | |||
| Kite Lake | 5 | 12,043 ft | |||
| Weston Pass | 14 | 10,277 ft | |||
| Cascade | 22 | 9,033 ft | |||
| Chalk Lake | 19 | 8,743 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breckenridge Ski Resort | 36" | 28° | 1.32" |
| Copper Mountain Resort | 36" | 28° | 1.32" |
| Vail | 37" | 25° | 1.54" |
| Keystone Resort | 8" | 22° | 2.44" |
| Arapahoe Basin | 43" | 18° | 1.92" |
| Monarch Ski & Snowboard Area | 43" | 19° | 0.28" |
| Ski Cooper | 1" | 19° | 1.33" |
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Ten Mile | 31.9cfs | 3.0 Mi | III+ to IV |
| Browns Canyon (Fisherman's Bridge to Stone Bridge) | 148.0cfs | 13.0 Mi | III to IV- |
| Upper Gore Creek | 15.7cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Upper-Upper Ten Mile | 31.9cfs | 3.0 Mi | III+ to IV- |
| Numbers | 148.0cfs | 4.9 Mi | III+ to IV+ |
| Lower Ten Mile | 31.9cfs | 3.0 Mi | II to III |
| Lower Snake | 24.4cfs | 4.0 Mi | III to III+ |
| Salida to Rincon | 148.0cfs | 10.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Upper Ten Mile | 31.9cfs | 2.0 Mi | IV+ to V |
| Buena Vista Whitewater Park | 148.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | II+ to III+ |
| Salida Town Run (Stone Bridge to Salida WW Park) | 148.0cfs | 12.0 Mi | II to III |
| Upper Gore Creek | 15.7cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Fractions | 148.0cfs | 7.0 Mi | III to III+ |
| Dowd Chute | 53.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | III+ to IV+ |
| Silverthorne Town Run | 24.8cfs | 0.5 Mi | II to III- |
| Salida Whitewater Park | 148.0cfs | None Mi | III- to III+ |
| Pine Creek (Granite to Numbers) | 148.0cfs | 6.0 Mi | III+ to V- |
| Breckenridge Whitewater Park (Town Run) | 81.4cfs | 0.25 Mi | II+ to III |
| Lower (Bottom Four) | 121.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | V to V+ |
| Milk Run | 148.0cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III- |
| Clear Creek of the Arkansas | 12.9cfs | 2.5 Mi | IV+ to V- |