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 |
|---|---|---|
|
Taylor River Below Taylor Park Reservoir
USGS 09109000 |
75 cfs | 3.4 ft |
|
Arkansas River At Granite
USGS 07086000 |
109 cfs | 2.3 ft |
|
Berthoud Pass Ditch At Berthoud Pass
USGS 09021500 |
-999 cfs | 0.0 ft |
|
Tomichi Creek At Sargents
USGS 09115500 |
29 cfs | 1.0 ft |
|
Arkansas River Below Empire Gulch Near Malta
USGS 07083710 |
85 cfs | 3.0 ft |
|
Homestake Creek At Gold Park
USGS 09064000 |
11 cfs | 4.2 ft |
|
Wurtz Ditch Near Tenneessee Pass
USGS 09062500 |
-999 cfs | -0.6 ft |
|
Arkansas River Near Leadville
USGS 07081200 |
19 cfs | 4.5 ft |
|
Clear Creek Abv West Fork Clear Creek Nr Empire Co
USGS 06715000 |
18 cfs | 3.6 ft |
|
Snake River Near Montezuma
USGS 09047500 |
24 cfs | 1.2 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
Park Cone
SNOTEL 680 |
5" | 0" |
|
University Camp
SNOTEL 838 |
8" | 0" |
|
Hoosier Pass
SNOTEL 531 |
13" | 0" |
|
Brumley
SNOTEL 369 |
11" | -1" |
|
Willow Park
SNOTEL 870 |
6" | -1" |
|
Jones Pass
SNOTEL 970 |
11" | -1" |
|
Saint Elmo
SNOTEL 1100 |
7" | 0" |
|
Tower
SNOTEL 825 |
33" | -1" |
|
climax coop
SNOTEL CLXC2 |
11.16" | -0.31" |
|
Columbine
SNOTEL 408 |
11" | 0" |
|
Arapaho Ridge
SNOTEL 1030 |
18" | -1" |
|
Independence Pass
SNOTEL 542 |
15" | -1" |
|
Middle Fork Camp
SNOTEL 1014 |
3" | 0" |
|
Lake Irene
SNOTEL 565 |
16" | 0" |
|
Kiln
SNOTEL 556 |
19" | 0" |
|
Niwot
SNOTEL 663 |
4" | 0" |
|
Lily Pond
SNOTEL 580 |
1" | 0" |
|
Lake Eldora
SNOTEL 564 |
6" | 0" |
|
Phantom Valley
SNOTEL 688 |
1" | 0" |
|
Grizzly Peak
SNOTEL 505 |
18" | 1" |
|
Never Summer
SNOTEL 1031 |
17" | 1" |
|
Fool Creek
SNOTEL 1186 |
18" | 0" |
|
silverthorne 2.1 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-6 |
4.69" | -1.08" |
|
vail 3.5 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-53 |
4.91" | -0.83" |
|
Willow Creek Pass
SNOTEL 869 |
7" | 0" |
|
co st forest st park
SNOTEL CSFC2 |
0.7" | -1.41" |
|
Bear Lake
SNOTEL 322 |
5" | 0" |
|
Wild Basin
SNOTEL 1042 |
4" | 1" |
|
Grayback
SNOTEL 1058 |
2" | 0" |
|
Nast Lake
SNOTEL 658 |
1" | 1" |
|
Loveland Basin
SNOTEL 602 |
19" | 0" |
|
tabernash 2.7 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-GR-68 |
0.04" | -0.56" |
|
Porphyry Creek
SNOTEL 701 |
8" | 0" |
|
Rabbit Ears
SNOTEL 709 |
15" | 0" |
|
Vail Mountain
SNOTEL 842 |
10" | 0" |
|
Stillwater Creek
SNOTEL 793 |
13" | -1" |
|
Mccoy Park
SNOTEL 1040 |
2" | 0" |
|
Michigan Creek
SNOTEL 937 |
12" | 0" |
|
Long Draw Resv
SNOTEL 1123 |
14" | -1" |
|
vail 2.6 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-19 |
2.64" | -1.23" |
|
Ivanhoe
SNOTEL 547 |
26" | 3" |
|
Hayden Pass
SNOTEL 1102 |
4" | -1" |
|
Sawtooth
SNOTEL 1251 |
15" | 0" |
|
frisco 0.5 n, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-4 |
0.08" | -0.99" |
|
Buckskin Joe
SNOTEL 938 |
1" | 0" |
|
Jackwhacker Gulch
SNOTEL 935 |
9" | 0" |
|
Cumbres Trestle
SNOTEL 431 |
2" | 0" |
|
Chapman Tunnel
SNOTEL 1101 |
11" | -1" |
|
pitkin 1.1 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-GN-59 |
0.53" | -1.33" |
|
Fremont Pass
SNOTEL 485 |
18" | -1" |
|
Berthoud Summit
SNOTEL 335 |
14" | 0" |
|
Elliot Ridge
SNOTEL 1120 |
8" | 0" |
|
High Lonesome
SNOTEL 1187 |
16" | -1" |
|
Hourglass Lake
SNOTEL 1122 |
6" | 1" |
|
South Colony
SNOTEL 773 |
7" | 0" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horseshoe | 19 | 10,538 ft | |||
| Kite Lake | 5 | 12,043 ft | |||
| Buffalo Springs | 18 | 9,187 ft | |||
| Chalk Lake | 19 | 8,743 ft | |||
| Ruby Mountain - Arkansas Headwaters State Rec Area | None | 7,651 ft | |||
| Fourmile | 14 | 10,824 ft | |||
| Hecla Junction - Arkansas Headwaters State Rec Area | None | 7,415 ft | |||
| Railroad Bridge - Arkansas Headwaters State Rec Area | None | 8,039 ft | |||
| Weston Pass | 14 | 10,277 ft | |||
| Angel of Shavano | 20 | 9,147 ft | |||
| Mount Princeton | 19 | 8,618 ft | |||
| Ohaver Lake | 35 | 9,218 ft | |||
| Cascade | 22 | 9,033 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breckenridge Ski Resort | 7" | 44° | 0" |
| Ski Cooper | 1" | 40° | 0" |
| Copper Mountain Resort | 7" | 44° | 0" |
| Monarch Ski & Snowboard Area | 8" | 34° | 0" |
| Arapahoe Basin | 19" | 30° | 0.11" |
| Keystone Resort | 9" | 39° | 0.06" |
| Vail | 10" | 39° | 0" |
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Ten Mile | 24.5cfs | 3.0 Mi | III+ to IV |
| Salida to Rincon | 148.0cfs | 10.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Breckenridge Whitewater Park (Town Run) | 81.4cfs | 0.25 Mi | II+ to III |
| Pine Creek (Granite to Numbers) | 148.0cfs | 6.0 Mi | III+ to V- |
| Salida Whitewater Park | 148.0cfs | None Mi | III- to III+ |
| Upper Gore Creek | 15.7cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Lower Snake | 24.4cfs | 4.0 Mi | III to III+ |
| Fractions | 148.0cfs | 7.0 Mi | III to III+ |
| Dowd Chute | 53.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | III+ to IV+ |
| Lower Ten Mile | 24.5cfs | 3.0 Mi | II to III |
| Silverthorne Town Run | 31.2cfs | 0.5 Mi | II to III- |
| Clear Creek of the Arkansas | 12.9cfs | 2.5 Mi | IV+ to V- |
| Salida Town Run (Stone Bridge to Salida WW Park) | 148.0cfs | 12.0 Mi | II to III |
| Numbers | 148.0cfs | 4.9 Mi | III+ to IV+ |
| Upper-Upper Ten Mile | 24.5cfs | 3.0 Mi | III+ to IV- |
| Upper Gore Creek | 15.7cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Lower (Bottom Four) | 121.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | V to V+ |
| Upper Ten Mile | 24.5cfs | 2.0 Mi | IV+ to V |
| Browns Canyon (Fisherman's Bridge to Stone Bridge) | 148.0cfs | 13.0 Mi | III to IV- |
| Buena Vista Whitewater Park | 148.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | II+ to III+ |
| Milk Run | 148.0cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III- |