South Fork San Miguel River

Telluride, Colorado

Colorado

No account needed. We'll keep it on this device.

No verdict for this water

We won't guess. Here is exactly what we do and don't know.

What we do know

  • Inside Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests

    2 managing-area boundaries mapped — agency alerts for them feed this page automatically.

    Boundary data

What's missing

  • No access route mapped

    We don't yet know which road reaches this trailhead, so we can't tell you if it's gated.

Nobody's filed a report here yet — be the first.

Why you'll love it

5.1 mi run
Flows year-round
86 cfs avg flow

River facts

Water
Flows year-round
Average flow
86 cfs
Average current
1.5 ft/s
Gradient
105.5 ft/mi
Drainage area
55 sq mi

Long-term averages modeled by USGS (NHDPlus HR), not today's conditions. Check a gauge before you go.

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South Fork San Miguel River

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Photos

Directions & GPX

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Permits & access

No permit or access details on file for this water — check with the local land manager before you go.

About this water

South Fork San Miguel River is a 5.1-mile paddling stretch near Telluride, Colorado. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 86 cfs and a gradient of about 105.5 feet per mile.

Facts about this water

When to go

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Telluride 4wnw, CO weather station, 4.2 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan36° high0° low
  2. Feb38° high5° low
  3. Mar44° high13° low
  4. Apr51° high22° low
  5. May60° high29° low
  6. Jun73° high34° low
  7. Jul77° high41° low
  8. Aug74° high40° low
  9. Sep68° high34° low
  10. Oct57° high23° low
  11. Nov45° high13° low
  12. Dec36° high2° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Source: USFS EDW boundaries

Conditions

Active alerts for Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

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Keep exploring — more water worth the drive

East Fork Dallas CreekPhoto: Boyd Norton, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

East Fork Dallas Creek

~23 min drive

East Fork Dallas Creek is a 11-mile paddling stretch near Ridgway, Colorado. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 34 cfs and a gradient of about 318.4 feet per mile.

Deep Creek

~8 min drive

A worthwhile stop near Colorado.

Leopard CreekPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Leopard Creek

~23 min drive

Leopard Creek is a 14-mile paddling stretch near Placerville, Colorado. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 56 cfs and a gradient of about 146.0 feet per mile.

Caddis Flats Boat Ramp

~24 min drive

A worthwhile stop near Colorado.

Animas RiverPhoto: Clyde frogg, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Animas River

~28 min drive

Animas River is a 15-mile paddling stretch near Silverton, Colorado. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 544 cfs and a gradient of about 131.4 feet per mile.

Specie Creek Boat Ramp

~26 min drive

A worthwhile stop near Colorado.

Hermosa CreekPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hermosa Creek

~41 min drive

Hermosa Creek is a 29-mile paddling stretch near Durango, Colorado. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 270 cfs and a gradient of about 134.6 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Lower Beaver Boat Ramp

~37 min drive

A worthwhile stop near Colorado.

Henson CreekPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Henson Creek

~45 min drive

Henson Creek is a 17-mile paddling stretch near Lake City, Colorado. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 107 cfs and a gradient of about 174.4 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Haviland Lake Boating Site

~44 min drive

A worthwhile stop near Colorado.

Guided trips nearby

Local operators near Tellurideoffering guided trips. You book directly with them — Roamze doesn’t take a cut.

Cedar Creek RV Park and Lodging

Kayaking business nearby (~41 mi away) — hasn't claimed their Roamze page yet

View operator

CampV

Kayaking business nearby (~44 mi away) — hasn't claimed their Roamze page yet

View operator