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Colorado

Colorado River

No verdict for this water

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

What we do know

Inside Arapaho and Roosevelt 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

30.6 mi run

Flows year-round

2,033 cfs avg flow

River facts

Water: Flows year-round
Average flow: 2,033 cfs
Average current: 1.3 ft/s
Gradient: 53.2 ft/mi
Drainage area: 4,356 sq mi

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

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Colorado River

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Photos

Directions & GPX

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Permits & access

Managing agency: Forest Service

About this water

Colorado River is a 31-mile paddling stretch near Grand Lake, Colorado. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 2,033 cfs and a gradient of about 53.2 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

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Keep exploring — more water worth the drive

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

Willow Creek

~14 min drive

Willow Creek is a 31-mile paddling stretch near Granby, Colorado. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 119 cfs and a gradient of about 50.4 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Hilltop Boat Ramp

~10 min drive

A worthwhile stop near Colorado.

Photo: Hogs555, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

North Saint Vrain Creek

~43 min drive

North Saint Vrain Creek is a 27-mile paddling stretch near Lyons, Colorado. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 96 cfs and a gradient of about 187.4 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

West Portal

~12 min drive

West Portal is a boat launch in Colorado.

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

Fraser River

~44 min drive

Fraser River is a 22-mile paddling stretch near Fraser, Colorado. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 282 cfs and a gradient of about 105.3 feet per mile.

Green Ridge Boating Site

~13 min drive

A worthwhile stop near Colorado.

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

Saint Louis Creek

~50 min drive

Saint Louis Creek is a 13-mile paddling stretch near Winter Park, Colorado. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 36 cfs and a gradient of about 177.8 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Willow Creek Boating Site

~21 min drive

A worthwhile stop near Colorado.

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

Muddy Creek

~55 min drive

Muddy Creek is a 50-mile paddling stretch near Kremmling, Colorado. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 139 cfs and a gradient of about 42.0 feet per mile.

Arapaho Bay Boating Site

~24 min drive

A worthwhile stop near Colorado.

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