Crystal Mill Falls
This is a park and huck at the famous Crystal Mills Falls, the scene adorning many a Colorado postcard. As we pulled over with all the other tourists and began unloading boats, I told my buddies, "Normally I never kayak just for the photos, but this one, it's just for the photo." At low flows this drop is fairly easy, but beginner and intermediate boaters should still take heed as getting flipped in the upper slot and running this one upside down could result in a serious injury. At higher flows, a strong hole forms on river left at the base of the falls, which frequently doles out beatdowns and swims.
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the Crystal River are between a bare minimum of 400cfs and a high of 2,000cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 09081600, the Crystal River Ab Avalanche C
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Crystal Mill Falls.
Run Stats
| Status | Too Low |
| Class Level | V- to V |
| Elevation | 6,920 ft |
| Streamflow Discharge | 58.5 cfs |
| Gage Height | 0.7 ft |
| Air Temperature | 38° |
| River | Crystal River |
| Reporting Streamgage |
Crystal River Ab Avalanche C
USGS 09081600 |
| Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
Cochetopa Creek Below Rock Creek Nr Parlin
USGS 09118450 |
25 cfs | 2.5 ft |
|
Taylor River At Taylor Park
USGS 09107000 |
31 cfs | 1.3 ft |
|
North Fork Fryingpan River Near Norrie
USGS 09078500 |
21 cfs | 2.7 ft |
|
North Fork Gunnison River Near Somerset
USGS 09132500 |
40 cfs | 1.7 ft |
|
Piney River Near State Bridge
USGS 09059500 |
17 cfs | 2.7 ft |
|
Castle Creek At Aspen
USGS 09075400 |
43 cfs | ft |
|
Missouri Creek Near Gold Park
USGS 09063900 |
2 cfs | 1.4 ft |
|
Lake Creek Near Edwards
USGS 09067200 |
8 cfs | 0.3 ft |
|
Terror Creek At Mouth Near Bowie
USGS 09132995 |
2 cfs | ft |
|
Uncompahgre River Near Ridgway
USGS 09146200 |
43 cfs | 1.8 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
Park Cone
SNOTEL 680 |
32" | 0" |
|
North Lost Trail
SNOTEL 669 |
43" | 1" |
|
yampa 5.1 s, co
SNOTEL CO-RT-26 |
16.69" | 0.24" |
|
Crosho
SNOTEL 426 |
40" | 1" |
|
Tower
SNOTEL 825 |
88" | 3" |
|
Trapper Lake
SNOTEL 827 |
9" | 3" |
|
hayden coop
SNOTEL HAYC2 |
14.4" | 1.46" |
|
crested butte 6.2 n, co
SNOTEL CO-GN-18 |
45.15" | -0.23" |
|
Ivanhoe
SNOTEL 547 |
41" | 4" |
|
silverton 0.3 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-SJ-4 |
23.02" | -0.14" |
|
Chapman Tunnel
SNOTEL 1101 |
40" | 5" |
|
carbondale 4.6 nne, co
SNOTEL CO-GF-49 |
9.77" | 0.11" |
|
Slumgullion
SNOTEL 762 |
26" | 2" |
|
gunnison 3wsw
SNOTEL GUXC2 |
1.28" | -0.02" |
|
Mc Clure Pass
SNOTEL 618 |
31" | 2" |
|
Lily Pond
SNOTEL 580 |
29" | 2" |
|
ouray .23 nnw, co
SNOTEL CO-OR-2 |
0.77" | -0.08" |
|
Upper Taylor
SNOTEL 1141 |
40" | 5" |
|
bayfield 6.2 n, co
SNOTEL CO-LP-98 |
9.94" | -0.09" |
|
Burro Mountain
SNOTEL 378 |
30" | 2" |
|
carbondale 5.9 ene, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-51 |
12.22" | 0.05" |
|
Dry Lake
SNOTEL 457 |
46" | 1" |
|
gothic
SNOTEL GTHC2 |
41.05" | -0.13" |
|
Schofield Pass
SNOTEL 737 |
77" | 3" |
|
Upper San Juan
SNOTEL 840 |
56" | -1" |
|
Vallecito
SNOTEL 843 |
29" | 1" |
|
Moon Pass
SNOTEL 1124 |
7" | 3" |
|
Wager Gulch
SNOTEL 1188 |
16" | 1" |
|
Nast Lake
SNOTEL 658 |
25" | 1" |
|
Zirkel
SNOTEL 1033 |
55" | 0" |
|
Butte
SNOTEL 380 |
37" | 2" |
|
Lynx Pass
SNOTEL 607 |
23" | 1" |
|
crested butte coop
SNOTEL CBUC2 |
26.59" | -0.24" |
|
Cochetopa Pass
SNOTEL 1059 |
9" | 3" |
|
Ripple Creek
SNOTEL 717 |
59" | 5" |
|
pitkin 1.1 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-GN-59 |
21.85" | -0.25" |
|
Red Mountain Pass
SNOTEL 713 |
43" | 0" |
|
Bison Lake
SNOTEL 345 |
54" | 2" |
|
Beartown
SNOTEL 327 |
36" | 1" |
|
Wolf Creek Summit
SNOTEL 874 |
73" | 2" |
|
Bear River
SNOTEL 1061 |
20" | 0" |
|
Columbine
SNOTEL 408 |
49" | 0" |
|
Lost Dog
SNOTEL 940 |
52" | 2" |
|
Molas Lake
SNOTEL 632 |
39" | 0" |
|
Stump Lakes
SNOTEL 797 |
34" | 0" |
|
glenwood springs 7.0 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-GF-67 |
12.22" | 0.58" |
|
rifle 3.2 ene, co
SNOTEL CO-GF-28 |
6.14" | 0.38" |
|
glenwood springs .64 s, co
SNOTEL CO-GF-1 |
10.86" | 0.34" |
|
basalt 5.8 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-6 |
14.54" | 0.06" |
|
Buffalo Park
SNOTEL 913 |
38" | 2" |
|
steamboat springs 0.7 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-RT-53 |
24.45" | 0.85" |
|
Idarado
SNOTEL 538 |
24" | 0" |
|
bayfield 7n
SNOTEL BYFC2 |
9.84" | -0.08" |
|
pagosa springs 9.1 nnw, co
SNOTEL CO-MN-1 |
22.34" | -0.18" |
|
Upper Rio Grande
SNOTEL 839 |
12" | -1" |
|
Brumley
SNOTEL 369 |
30" | 1" |
|
Mccoy Park
SNOTEL 1040 |
30" | 1" |
|
Grayback
SNOTEL 1058 |
3" | -1" |
|
wolcott 2.3 n, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-8 |
17.47" | -0.14" |
|
Independence Pass
SNOTEL 542 |
39" | 3" |
|
cimarron 8nw ham
SNOTEL CKDC2 |
1.28" | -0.02" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gothic | 4 | 9,657 ft | |||
| Avalanche | 13 | 7,320 ft | |||
| Redstone | 17 | 7,299 ft | |||
| Lake Irwin | 32 | 10,400 ft | |||
| Lost Lake | 19 | 9,621 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aspen Mountain | 39" | 30° | 0.97" |
| Aspen Highlands | 40" | 29° | 0.76" |
| Crested Butte Mountain Resort | 37" | 25° | 0.54" |
| Buttermilk Mountain | 40" | 29° | 0.76" |
| Sunlight Mountain Resort | 31" | 32° | 0.33" |
| Snowmass | 40" | 29° | 0.76" |
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoshone (Power Plant to Grizzly Creek) | 531.0cfs | 1.7 Mi | III- to IV |
| Barrel Springs | 531.0cfs | 4.0 Mi | IV+ to V+ |
| Shoshone (Power Plant to Grizzly Creek) | 531.0cfs | 1.7 Mi | III- to IV |
| Glenwood Springs Whitewater Park | 1220.0cfs | 0.25 Mi | II to IV- |
| Grizzly Creek to Two Rivers Park | 531.0cfs | 6.0 Mi | II to III |
| Oh Be Joyful | 217.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | V |
| Waterfall to Confluence | 201.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | V- |
| Castle Creek | 97.8cfs | 2.0 Mi | IV+ to V- |
| Catherine Store Section | 201.0cfs | 4.0 Mi | II to II+ |
| Carbondale to Westbank (Pink to Black) | 370.0cfs | 7.0 Mi | II |
| Bogan Canyon | 58.5cfs | 6.85 Mi | III to III+ |
| Barrel Springs | 531.0cfs | 4.0 Mi | IV+ to V+ |
| Crystal Mill Falls | 58.5cfs | None Mi | V- to V |
| Two Rivers to South Canyon | 1220.0cfs | 5.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Avalanche Down | 58.5cfs | 12.0 Mi | III |
| Cemetery | 370.0cfs | 12.0 Mi | II+ to III+ |