Horsethief And Ruby Canyons
The Ruby-Horsethief section of the Colorado River, from Loma, Colorado, to Westwater, Utah, is a 25-mile stretch of mostly flatwater with sections of Class I and II. This section of the Colorado runs through beautiful red rock canyons and has many day hike opportunities offering both solitude and exploration. The Black Rock section is composed of rock known as Vishnu schist, which dates back about 1.7 billion years. This same rock, which geologists refer to as “an unconformity”, is exposed in certain sections of the Grand Canyon. There is an abundance of wildlife including great blue herons, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, mule deer, and desert bighorn sheep.
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the Colorado River are between a bare minimum of 1,000cfs and a high of 25,000cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 09163500, the Colorado River Near Colorado-Utah State Line
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Horsethief and Ruby Canyons.
Run Stats
| Status | Runnable |
| Class Level | II to II+ |
| Elevation | 4,330 ft |
| Run Length | 27.0 Mi |
| Gradient | 5 FPM |
| Streamflow Discharge | 2210 cfs |
| Gage Height | 2.9 ft |
| Air Temperature | 42° |
| River | Colorado River |
| Reporting Streamgage |
Colorado River Near Colorado-Utah State Line
USGS 09163500 |
| Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
Piceance Creek Bl Ryan Gulch
USGS 09306200 |
2 cfs | 3.7 ft |
|
White River Near Watson
USGS 09306500 |
238 cfs | 1.7 ft |
|
Colorado River Near Cisco
USGS 09180500 |
2,330 cfs | 1.9 ft |
|
Castle Creek Below Castle Valley Near Moab
USGS 09182400 |
4 cfs | 5.8 ft |
|
Plateau Creek Near Cameo
USGS 09105000 |
113 cfs | 2.6 ft |
|
Gunnison River Near Grand Junction
USGS 09152500 |
759 cfs | 2.6 ft |
|
Colo River Blw Grd Valley Div Nr Palisade Co
USGS 09106150 |
1,270 cfs | 4.1 ft |
|
Colorado River Near Colorado-Utah State Line
USGS 09163500 |
2,210 cfs | 2.9 ft |
|
San Miguel River At Uravan
USGS 09177000 |
43 cfs | 2.6 ft |
|
Mill Creek Below Sheley Tunnel
USGS 09183600 |
3 cfs | 1.4 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
Lasal Mountain-Lower
SNOTEL 1215 |
18" | 0" |
|
Columbine Pass
SNOTEL 409 |
48" | 1" |
|
dinosaur 0.3 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-MF-28 |
6.13" | -0.04" |
|
Lasal Mountain
SNOTEL 572 |
25" | 0" |
|
redlands 1.4 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-ME-162 |
2.04" | -0.01" |
|
grand junction 1.0 e, co
SNOTEL CO-ME-67 |
0.58" | -0.01" |
|
glade park,co
SNOTEL GDPC2 |
11.41" | -0.09" |
|
Black Mesa
SNOTEL 1185 |
49" | 0" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruita - Colorado River State Park | 45 | 4,484 ft | |||
| North Fruita Desert | 35 | 5,392 ft | |||
| Mud Springs | 14 | 8,525 ft | |||
| Miracle Rock | 4 | 6,572 ft | |||
| Saddlehorn - Colorado National Monument | 80 | 4,685 ft | |||
| Highline Lake State Park | 25 | 4,725 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westwater | 2330.0cfs | 17.0 Mi | III to IV |
| Horsethief and Ruby Canyons | 2210.0cfs | 27.0 Mi | II to II+ |
| Gateway to Dewey Bridge (Colorado River) | 204.0cfs | 32.0 Mi | III- to IV |