Rafting

UPPER COLORADO RIVER SPECIAL RECREATION MANAGEMENT AREA

Recreation Opportunities

Map of river - Pumphouse to State Bridge

Map of river- State Bridge to Dotsero

Upper Colorado River Recreation Guide (.pdf)

River Flow data (USGS Web site)

Private Boater Information

Canoeing the Upper Colorado River

New fees for summer of 2013 on Upper Colorado River

Pumphouse and Radium Recreation Sites day-use fee for private users will increase from $3 to $5 per vehicle per day.  The commercial day-use fee will be raised from $1 to $1.25 per person per day.  The season pass will be raised from $15 to $20.  These increases will be effective May 1st, 2013.

Click Here to read Press Release

 

Please email questions or comments to hschechter@blm.gov or mail to Hannah Schechter, PO BOX 68 Kremmling, CO 80459

 

Headwaters to the Blue River

Rating: Class I-II

Land Status: Private, CPW, BLM

Fishing: See Fishing webpage  

Notes:

This section of river is mostly private with a few BLM and Colorado Parks and Wildlife fishing access sites.  Please know where you are and respect private property. *Not recommended for floating- wade fishing only.

Upper Gore Canyon

 

Rating: Class V, Expert

Mileage: 5.5 miles

Land Status: Private, BLM

Designate Launch/Takeout Site:

*Confluence  (BLM, no fee)

     -Restrooms, boat launch

*Pumphouse (BLM, $5 per vehicle- pass good at Pumphouse, Radium, State Bridge, Two Bridges, and Dotsero)

     -Camping: $10 per night, 18 indiv. first come/first serve sites, 2 reservable group sites for $30

     -Restrooms, potable water, boat launches, hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing, picnicking, geocaching

Notes: Boating is not recommended through Gore Canyon due to dangerous Class V whitewater with boulder fields, waterfalls, strong currents, and steep gradients.  The steep canyon sides and cliffs make rescue and portaging nearly impossible.  A few commercial outfitters do offer raft trips down this section of river, for a list please see below: 

 

Adventure Company 

Arkansas Valley Adventures

Bill Dvorak's Kayak and Rafting Expedition

Clear Creek Rafting Co.

Gore Range Anventures, INC. dba Lakota

Liquid Decent

Timberline Tours, Inc.

Whitewater Addictions dba Breckenridge Adventure Tours Inc.

Pumphouse to Radium

 

Rating: Class II-III, Intermediate

Mileage: 4.5 miles

Land Status: BLM

Designate Launch/Takeout Site: 

*Pumphouse (BLM, $5 per vehicle-pass good at Pumphouse, Radium, State Bridge, Two Bridges, Dotsero)

     -Camping: $10 per night, 18 indiv. first come/first serve sites, 2 reservable group sites for $30

     -Restrooms, potable water, boat launches, hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing, picnicking, geocaching

*Radium (BLM, $5 per vehicle- pass good at Pumphouse, Radium, State Bridge, Two Bridges, Dotsero)

     -Camping: $6 per night, 10 indiv. first come/first serve sites, 2 reservable group sites for $30

     -Restrooms, boat launches, pay phone, hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing, picnicking, geocaching

Notes:

Mainly Class II water, Needle's Eye Rapid is Class III with two large holes above 4000 cfs.  This section is heavily used (about 60,000 visitors annually) by private and commercial boaters.  Recreation Sites are congested at times.

 

Needle's Eye Rapid

Radium to Rancho del Rio

 

Rating: Class II-III, Intermediate

Mileage: 6.5 miles

Land Status: Private, BLM

Designate Launch/Takeout Site:

*Radium (BLM, $5 per vehicle- pass good at Pumphouse, Radium, State Bridge, Two Bridges, Dotsero)

     -Camping: $6 per night, 10 indiv. first come/first serve sites, 2 reservable group sites for $30

     -Restrooms, boat launches, pay phone, hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing, picnicking, geocaching

*Rancho del Rio (private takeout, $1 per person)

Notes:

Mainly Class II water, Yarmony Rapid located in Red Gore Canyon is a Class III rapid.

 

    


Above Yarmony Rapid

Rancho del Rio to State Bridge

 

Rating: Class II

Mileage: 4 miles

Land Status: BLM, Eagle County Open Space, private

Designate Launch/ Takeout Site:

*Rancho del Rio (private put-in, $1 per person)

*State Bridge (Eagle County/BLM, $5 per vehicle- pass good at Pumphouse, Radium, State Bridge, Two Bridges, Dotsero)

     -Restrooms, non-potable water, pay phone, picnicking, boat launch, NO CAMPING

 

State Bridge to Two Bridges

 

Rating: Class II

Mileage: 4 miles

Land Status: Eagle County Open Space, BLM, State, private

Designate Launch/ Takeout Site:

*State Bridge (Eagle County/BLM, $5 per vehicle, pass good at Pumphouse, Radium, State Bridge, Two Bridges, Dotsero)

     -Restrooms, non-potable water, pay phone, picnicking, boat launch, NO CAMPING

*Two Bridges (Eagle County/BLM, $5 per vehicle, pass good at Pumphouse, Radium, State Bridge, Two Bridges, Dotsero)

     -Restrooms, boat launch, NO CAMPING

Notes: State lands are public accessible


State Bridge boat launch

Two Bridges to Catamount

 

Rating: Class II

Mileage: 10 miles

Land Status: Eagle County Open Space, BLM, private

Designate Launch/ Takeout Site:

*Two Bridges (Eagle County/BLM, $5 per vehicle, pass good at Pumphouse, Radium, State Bridge, Two Bridges, Dotsero)

     -Restrooms, boat launch, NO CAMPING

*Catamount (BLM, No fee)

     -Restrooms, boat launch, camping

Two Bridges boat launch

Catamount to Pinball 

Rating: Class I/II/III

Mileage: 9 miles

Land Status: BLM, private

Designate Launch/ Takeout Site:

*Catamount (BLM, No fee)

     -Restrooms, boat launch, camping

*Pinball (BLM, No fee)

     -Boat launch, Camping & Restrooms 1/2 mile upriver of take-out along Colorado River Road

Note:

Mainly Class II water with a Class III drop over large boulders at Rodeo Rapid; scouting is advised.

Pinball to Colorado River Ranch

 

Rating: Class II

Mileage: 6 miles

Land Status: BLM, Eagle County Open Space, private

Designate Launch/ Takeout Site:

*Pinball (BLM, No fee)

     -Boat launch, Camping & Restrooms 1/2 mile upriver of take-out along Colorado River Road 

*Colorado River Ranch (Eagle County Open Space/BLM, No fee). Eagle County will construct a new boat launch/river access site at the south end of the Ranch under the railroad tressle.  They hope to have it ready by the summer of 2013.  If not complete, please take out at Cottonwood Island, 8 miles downriver.

Notes:

Hazardous bridges below Pinball Point Rapid and at Twin Bridges below Jack Flats.

Colorado River Ranch to Cottonwood Island

 

Rating: Class II

Mileage: 8 miles

Land Status: Private, BLM, Eagle County Open Space

Designate Launch/ Takeout Site:

*Colorado River Ranch (Eagle County Open Space/BLM, No fee). Eagle County will construct a new boat launch/river access site at the south end of the Ranch under the railroad tressle.  They hope to have it ready by the summer of 2013.

*Cottonwood (BLM, No fee)

     -Seasonal Port-a-potty, boat launch, NO CAMPING

Cottonwood Island to Lyons Gulch

 

Rating: Class I

Mileage: 2 miles

Land Status: Private, BLM, Eagle County Open Space

Designate Launch/ Takeout Site:

*Cottonwood (BLM, No fee)

     -Seasonal Port-a-potty, boat launch, NO CAMPING

*Lyons Gulch (BLM, No fee)

     -Camping, Restrooms, boat launch

Lyons Gulch to Dotsero

 

Rating: Class I

Mileage: 4 miles

Land Status: Private, BLM, Eagle County Open Space

Designate Launch/ Takeout Site:

*Lyons Gulch (BLM, No fee)

    -Camping, Restrooms, boat launch

*Dotsero (Eagle County Open Space/BLM, $5 per vehicle- pass good at Pumphouse, Radium, State Bridge, Two Bridges, Dotsero)

     -Restrooms, boat launch, NO CAMPING

Dotsero Landing

Dotsero to Bair Ranch

 

Rating: Class I

Mileage: 6 miles

Land Status: Private, BLM, Eagle County Open Space, Colorado Department of Transportation

Designate Launch/ Takeout Site:

*Dotsero (Eagle County Open Space/BLM, $5 per vehicle- pass good at Pumphouse, Radium, State Bridge, Two Bridges, Dotsero)

     -Restrooms, boat launch, NO CAMPING

*Bair Ranch (CDOT, No fee)

     -Restrooms, picnic tables, boat launch for boats that can be hand carried only.  No motoized access to boat launch.

For more information on stretches below State Bridge see Colorado River Valley Field Office