Visit Website. The Arkansas River drops 5,000 feet in its first 125 miles from its headwaters in the Colorado Rockies near the Continental Divide to the plains near Cañon City, Colorado. Colorado Parks and Wildlife and BLM provide the primary management for the intensive recreation use as well as the area’s many resources. The entirety of the White River itself stretches 720 miles; the headwaters in northwest Arkansas run swiftly during the state's rainy months but are rather calm throughout the rest of the year. The … Rafting the Arkansas River in Colorado. Helpful. It offers Class II to Class V rapids for whitewater rafting. Overview. + View larger map Big Piney Creek The headwaters forks converge near Lesterville, and the Black River flows generally southwardly through Reynolds, Wayne and Butler Counties in Missouri; and Clay, Randolph and Lawrence Counties in Arkansas. The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area first started as a cooperative arrangement between Colorado State Parks and the federal Bureau of Land Management. The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area offers many fun and exciting activities. Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (Jointly managed by State Parks and the Bureau of Land Management) Communities 1" = 5 miles AHRA Recreation Site (See chart for activities available at each site.) The Numbers & Railroad Bridge Access. Make a Reservation. City: Salida. Get Directions to Ponca. The Arkansas River meanders 1,469 miles eastward through Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas before joining the Mississippi River near Napoleon, Ark. The recreation area also offers opportunities for rock climbing, … The free-flowing Strawberry River winds through the Ozark foothills some 80 miles before joining the Black River at the western edge of the delta. They built 3040 miles of rough cut trails that were technical and tough. Gold Maps; Ghost Towns; Rockhounding; Buy Gold Nuggets; Gold Nugget Jewelry; Gold Mining eBooks; Arkansas River Gold Prospecting Locations. Colorado State Park Lands W elcome to the Upper Arkansas River Valley and its famous 14’ers, whitewater, wilderness, and wildlife. Date of experience: October 2016. For the first time in more than 55 years, rafters can float the Arkansas River from Leadville to Cañon City, without portaging, thanks to a project that reconnected a section of the river between Granite and Buena Vista. There is no upstream watershed. Ruby Mountain Campground is another river hugging outdoor venture, located within earshot of the roaring Arkansas rapids. Signs mark all public fishing access points along the river. Outdoor Adventures in the Upper Arkansas River Valley Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area W elcome to the Upper Arkansas River Valley and its famous 14ers, whitewater, wilderness, and wildlife. Since we grew up in Arkansas and have seen the Arkansas River many times, we stopped at this area to see what the river looks like in Colorado. The Buffalo Wild and Scenic River is located in northwestern Arkansas. The Arkansas River is in the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) and is managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It … Read more. Charge your phones and pitch a tent in one of the area’s many campsites. Toll Free: 800-678-2267. Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area ... Great campsite right off the river with beautiful views! This segment of the river flows from its headwaters through the Upper Buffalo Wilderness to the boundary of the Ozark National Forest. Colorado's Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area includes 150 miles of the Arkansas River near its source. Sparkling streams, hills and hollows, shady rivers, mountain views, waterfalls, swimming holes, historic sites, bustling cities – the Arkansas High Country Route has it all. This makes the river a source for major metal ores such as gold, silver, and copper among others. At its headwaters, the Arkansas River is a wild mountain stream flowing south, then southeasterly. Public fishing access is available on public lands and on fishing easements crossing private lands. Share. Recent Posts. There are no major cities along its route. Helpful 0. Homestake Arkansas River Diversion allows rafters to float entire stretch of river for first time in 55 years . The upper stretches near Leadville offer tighter fishing along cut banks with willowy vegetation. USGS Water Resources Links for: 11020001 - Arkansas Headwaters Major USGS Links. Since 1908, its flows have been augmented by trans-mountain diversions of water from Colorado’s Western Slope, tunneled under the Continental Divide. Boating Permit Required: NO ; Permit Details: On the off chance you do not use a developed AHRA Recreation Site, no fee of any kind is required to float the river. Downstream of Leadville, there is a variety of public access including the popular “Hayden Meadows” and “Kobe” parking areas below the Highway 24 bridge. Arkansas River, large tributary of the Mississippi River, rising in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains near Leadville in central Colorado, U.S., and flowing generally east-southeastward for 1,460 miles (2,350 km) through Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas before entering the Mississippi 40 miles The partners have acquired important river access for the … The hydrologic unit code for this watershed is 08040101. The Arkansas River is located 90 miles west of Colorado Springs, 120 miles southwest of Denver. Cabins. Arkansas River Headwaters - fishing in Leadville, Colorado. It has a 763 square mile watershed. March 25, 2017. Here, the Arkansas cuts through Brown's Canyon and the Royal Gorge, creating some of the state's most exciting whitewater runs. The headwaters of the Arkansas River begin in the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, dropping nearly 5,000 feet in the first 125 miles. Current conditions, fishing reports, maps, water levels, boating, camping, articles, blogs, and photos. The Cimarron River (/ ˈ s ɪ m ə r ɒ n,-r oʊ n /) extends 698 miles (1,123 km) across New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Kansas.The headwaters flow from Johnson Mesa west of Folsom in northeastern New Mexico. TravelinTexans77 wrote a review Aug 2016. The Upper Ouachita (08040102) is … The river drains over 25,000 square miles of Colorado, the largest drainage area in the state. Get info on the upper Buffalo River Headwaters epic IMBA trail system near Ponca, Arkansas. Rare Gold Nuggets. The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) is one of the nation’s most popular locations for whitewater rafting and kayaking and home to the most commercially rafted river in the United States, the Arkansas River! Make Your Reservation. Arkansas River … It’s managed through a cooperative effort between the … Much of the river's length lies in Oklahoma, where it either borders or passes through eleven counties. Headwaters east of Pearson to confluence with the Arkansas River near Gleason upstream: 75: The river system is within the range of Indiana and Gray Bats and the migration route of the Eskimo Curlew, federally listed endangered species. 307 West Sackett Ave. Salida, CO 81201. Get Directions. Throughout this corridor there is extensive public access, in the form of BLM/USFS lands, state park sites administered by the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, and leased lands/state wildlife areas historically managed by the Division of Wildlife. Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Salida: Hours, Address, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area Reviews: 4.5/5 Menu . The Headwaters of the Arkansas start near Climax Mine along Fremont Pass (Highway 91 South), and then flow along Highway south of Leadville, all the way to Buena Vista. On any spring or summer day, hundreds of private and commercial rafters and kayakers will challenge the churning rapids or glide through the calmer sections of the Arkansas. Local: 719-539-7289 [email protected] A casual summer day on the river bank. No vacation to the Colorado mountains would be complete without an Arkansas River rafting trip. The Arkansas River has exceptional public access From Leadville to Canon City, the Arkansas River traverses over 100 miles of terrain. The Arkansas River headwaters, flowing from the top of Freemont Pass to Leadville offers a variety of high-quality fishing, including a “mess o’ little Brookies” in the willow flats and beaver ponds above Leadville. The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area is managed through a unique, cooperative partnership between Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Bureau of Land Management, and theUS Forest Service. Buffalo River. Arkansas River Rafting . As the Arkansas rushes southward, the river skirts the Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway, and drops 4600 feet over 120 miles. Cadron Creek is one of the last freeflowing streams in central Arkansas. Maps & Directions. Among those 4 agencies the nationally significant natural resources found in the Arkansas River Valley get well taken care of. NWIS Site Inventory Grouped by County in Arkansas Headwaters - HUC 11020001; NWIS Real-time Streamflow Stations Grouped by County in Arkansas Headwaters - HUC 11020001; NWIS Daily Streamflow Data for Major Rivers in Arkansas Headwaters - HUC 11020001 In its lowermost course the river is used to define the boundary between Independence and Jackson Counties. Almost 20 years ago, some families living in the headwaters area, where the trail now resides, decided to start building trails that would take them to the area's most beautiful spots but, unlike most trails built in Arkansas at the time, these would be ridden by mountain bikes. The upper Arkansas River is the most popular whitewater boating river in the United States. And, like all parks in the AHRA (Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area), you’ll be hard pressed to find urban amenities. These days, those 2 agencies have been joined by the National Forest Service and the Colorado Division of Wildlife. The Arkansas River has a self-sustaining brown trout population and is recognized as Colorado’s premier brown trout fishery. 1.870.861.5514. Breathtaking! Good dry fly fishing can be found here as a large variety of aquatic insects dwell in the freestone river. Tabs. Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area. Arkansas has approximately 82,366 miles of river, of which 210 miles are designated as wild & scenic—approximately 1/4 of 1% of the state's river miles. With headwaters near Salem (Fulton County) the Strawberry gains volume from dozens of spring-fed creeks before reaching its 15th mile. The White River features a series of pools and shoals with forests and pastures. Home to approximately 97,000 Arkansans (2000 Census), the Ouachita Headwaters watershed lies within the Ouachita River Basin in Western to Central Arkansas. There is a Natural Area on Cove … Plan Your Visit. The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area stretches 152 miles along the river from Leadville to Pueblo. Helpful 0. It was an interesting perspective to see this clear, little river with some whitewater that grows into a mighty, muddy river. The Arkansas River headwaters begin nearby in one of the highest towns in the world, Leadville. 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