Salida To Rincon
This is a good beginner to intermediate run. This section of the Ark' is tamer compared to some of its upstream or downstream neighbor sections. There are lots of put in and take out options as Highway 50 parallels the river.
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the Arkansas River are between a bare minimum of 450cfs and a high of 3,000cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 07087050, the Arkansas River Below Granite
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Salida to Rincon.
Run Stats
| Status | Too Low |
| Class Level | II+ to III |
| Elevation | 8,629 ft |
| Run Length | 10.0 Mi |
| Gradient | 28 FPM |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
|
Pinos Creek Near Del Norte
USGS 08220500 |
14 cfs | 0.9 ft |
|
Grape Creek Near Westcliffe
USGS 07095000 |
9 cfs | 0.6 ft |
|
Homestake Creek At Gold Park
USGS 09064000 |
11 cfs | 4.1 ft |
|
Rio Grande Near Monte Vista
USGS 08221500 |
135 cfs | 3.0 ft |
|
Columbine Ditch Near Fremont Pass
USGS 09061500 |
-999 cfs | -0.1 ft |
|
Lake Creek Above Twin Lakes Reservoir
USGS 07084500 |
69 cfs | 2.7 ft |
|
Arkansas River Near Nathrop
USGS 07091200 |
260 cfs | 3.7 ft |
|
North Crestone Creek Near Crestone
USGS 08227500 |
2 cfs | 0.6 ft |
|
S Platte R Ab 11-Mile Canyon Re
USGS 06695000 |
79 cfs | 0.9 ft |
|
Lake Fork Below Sugar Loaf Reservoir
USGS 07082500 |
4 cfs | 0.3 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
bonanza 6.6 s, co
SNOTEL CO-SA-61 |
1.17" | 0" |
|
Ivanhoe
SNOTEL 547 |
24" | -4" |
|
pitkin 1.1 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-GN-59 |
4.06" | 3.01" |
|
Elliot Ridge
SNOTEL 1120 |
8" | 0" |
|
Fremont Pass
SNOTEL 485 |
20" | 0" |
|
Bear Lake
SNOTEL 322 |
5" | 0" |
|
silverthorne 2.1 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-6 |
7.01" | 6.4" |
|
Porphyry Creek
SNOTEL 701 |
8" | 0" |
|
golden 12.5 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-JF-331 |
0.51" | 0" |
|
High Lonesome
SNOTEL 1187 |
17" | -1" |
|
silverthorne 21 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-35 |
1.48" | 0" |
|
Willow Creek Pass
SNOTEL 869 |
6" | 0" |
|
Cumbres Trestle
SNOTEL 431 |
2" | 0" |
|
aspen springs amrad
SNOTEL ASIC2 |
2.06" | 0" |
|
Hoosier Pass
SNOTEL 531 |
13" | 0" |
|
Kiln
SNOTEL 556 |
19" | 0" |
|
fairplay 2.7 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-PK-15 |
4.75" | 0" |
|
Buckskin Joe
SNOTEL 938 |
1" | 0" |
|
Never Summer
SNOTEL 1031 |
17" | 0" |
|
Hayden Pass
SNOTEL 1102 |
5" | 0" |
|
Stillwater Creek
SNOTEL 793 |
13" | 0" |
|
lake george 7.2 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-PK-39 |
0.61" | 0" |
|
Park Cone
SNOTEL 680 |
6" | 0" |
|
Jones Pass
SNOTEL 970 |
12" | -1" |
|
Independence Pass
SNOTEL 542 |
16" | -1" |
|
Lily Pond
SNOTEL 580 |
3" | 0" |
|
georgetown
SNOTEL GEOC2 |
1.24" | 0" |
|
Fool Creek
SNOTEL 1186 |
19" | 1" |
|
Grizzly Peak
SNOTEL 505 |
18" | 0" |
|
South Colony
SNOTEL 773 |
7" | -1" |
|
Buffalo Park
SNOTEL 913 |
11" | 0" |
|
Grayback
SNOTEL 1058 |
2" | 0" |
|
Vail Mountain
SNOTEL 842 |
10" | 0" |
|
University Camp
SNOTEL 838 |
9" | 0" |
|
Middle Fork Camp
SNOTEL 1014 |
2" | -1" |
|
Saint Elmo
SNOTEL 1100 |
6" | -1" |
|
ward 4.6 ne, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-202 |
0.62" | 0" |
|
Niwot
SNOTEL 663 |
4" | 0" |
|
cabin creek
SNOTEL GCRC2 |
3.62" | 0" |
|
vail 2.6 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-19 |
4.92" | 1.84" |
|
Brumley
SNOTEL 369 |
12" | 0" |
|
Medano Pass
SNOTEL 914 |
3" | 1" |
|
Sawtooth
SNOTEL 1251 |
15" | -1" |
|
Lake Eldora
SNOTEL 564 |
7" | 0" |
|
south platte river
SNOTEL ANTC2 |
1.57" | 0" |
|
Loveland Basin
SNOTEL 602 |
20" | 0" |
|
Nast Lake
SNOTEL 658 |
1" | 2" |
|
Cochetopa Pass
SNOTEL 1059 |
1" | 0" |
|
rollinsville 1.1 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-GL-17 |
1.87" | 0" |
|
grant
SNOTEL GRTC2 |
4.14" | 0" |
|
dillon 2.3 se, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-16 |
2.18" | 0" |
|
Mccoy Park
SNOTEL 1040 |
2" | 0" |
|
frisco 0.5 n, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-4 |
2.68" | 0" |
|
tabernash 2.7 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-GR-68 |
1.34" | 0.96" |
|
Echo Lake
SNOTEL 936 |
1" | 0" |
|
vail 3.5 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-53 |
6.32" | 2.61" |
|
Wild Basin
SNOTEL 1042 |
2" | -3" |
|
Phantom Valley
SNOTEL 688 |
1" | 0" |
|
Ute Creek
SNOTEL 1005 |
1" | -1" |
|
climax coop
SNOTEL CLXC2 |
11.93" | 0.69" |
|
Berthoud Summit
SNOTEL 335 |
15" | 0" |
|
Arapaho Ridge
SNOTEL 1030 |
19" | 0" |
|
Columbine
SNOTEL 408 |
11" | 0" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rincon - Arkansas Headwaters State Rec Area | 10 | 6,788 ft | |||
| Hecla Junction - Arkansas Headwaters State Rec Area | None | 7,415 ft | |||
| Buffalo Springs | 18 | 9,187 ft | |||
| Ruby Mountain - Arkansas Headwaters State Rec Area | None | 7,651 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ski Cooper | 1" | 40° | 0" |
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milk Run | 148.0cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III- |
| Salida to Rincon | 148.0cfs | 10.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Buena Vista Whitewater Park | 148.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | II+ to III+ |
| Salida Whitewater Park | 148.0cfs | None Mi | III- to III+ |
| Browns Canyon (Fisherman's Bridge to Stone Bridge) | 148.0cfs | 13.0 Mi | III to IV- |
| 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+ |
| Fractions | 148.0cfs | 7.0 Mi | III to III+ |
| Pine Creek (Granite to Numbers) | 148.0cfs | 6.0 Mi | III+ to V- |