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Colorado River

CO, UT, AZ, NV, CA, BAJA • US

The Colorado River flows 1,450 miles from the headwaters in Rocky Mountain
National Park through the desert Southwest to the Sea of Cortez. It's the
defining river of the American West, carving the Grand Canyon and sustaining
seven states. Paddleable reaches run from Class I family floats to committing
Class V expeditions; below Morelos Dam the river is usually dry.

1450.0 mi total 37 sections 63 access points 402 camps 119 rapids

🗺 Explore map

Click any point for details. Sections without stored geometry are drawn as straight put-in → take-out lines — actual courses follow the river. Purple lines = permit-required sections.

Sections (37)

● Hot Sulphur Springs Put-in → ● Parshall Take-out

8.0 mi 💧 1,150 cfs · medium

Cataract Canyon (Potash to North Wash)

● Potash Boat Ramp → ● North Wash (Cataract Canyon take-out)

99.0 mi 🏕 62

● Kremmling Boat Launch → ● Pumphouse Recreation Site

15.0 mi 🌊 6 💧 1,150 cfs · medium

Pumphouse to Radium

● Pumphouse Recreation Site → ● Radium Recreation Site

8.0 mi 🏕 2 🌊 1 💧 1,150 cfs · medium

Radium to Rancho del Rio

● Radium Recreation Site → ● Rancho del Rio

6.0 mi 🏕 1 🌊 1 💧 1,150 cfs · medium

Rancho del Rio to State Bridge

● Rancho del Rio → ● State Bridge

4.0 mi 🏕 6 🌊 2 💧 1,150 cfs · medium

State Bridge to Catamount

● State Bridge → ● Catamount Bridge

12.0 mi 💧 1,340 cfs · medium

Catamount to Dotsero

● Catamount Bridge → ● Dotsero Landing

20.0 mi 💧 1,340 cfs · medium

Dotsero to Grizzly Creek (Upper Glenwood)

● Dotsero Landing → ● Grizzly Creek Rest Area

20.0 mi 💧 1,340 cfs · medium

Shoshone (Glenwood Canyon)

● Shoshone Power Plant Put-in → ● Grizzly Creek Rest Area

3.0 mi 🌊 4 📊 Colorado River at Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Canyon Lower (Grizzly Creek to Two Rivers)

● Grizzly Creek Rest Area → ● Two Rivers Park (Glenwood Springs)

4.0 mi 📊 Colorado River at Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Springs to New Castle

● Two Rivers Park (Glenwood Springs) → ● New Castle River Park

16.0 mi 💧 550 cfs · medium

New Castle to Rifle

● New Castle River Park → ● Rifle State Park (Riverfront)

23.0 mi 💧 550 cfs · medium

Rifle to Una (Parachute)

● Rifle State Park (Riverfront) → ● Una Bridge (Parachute)

17.0 mi 💧 1,910 cfs · medium

● DeBeque Boat Ramp → ● Cameo Take-out

13.0 mi 🌊 2 💧 1,910 cfs · medium

Palisade to Corn Lake

● Palisade Riverbend Park → ● Corn Lake (James M. Robb State Park)

10.0 mi 💧 1,910 cfs · medium

Corn Lake to Fruita (Section 32)

● Corn Lake (James M. Robb State Park) → ● Fruita Section 32 Take-out

15.0 mi 💧 1,910 cfs · medium

Ruby-Horsethief Canyon

● Loma Boat Launch → ● Westwater Ranger Station

25.0 mi 🏕 39 💧 1,680 cfs · low

Westwater Canyon

● Westwater Ranger Station → ● Cisco Landing

17.0 mi 🏕 20 🌊 10 💧 1,680 cfs · low

Cisco to Dewey Bridge (Fisher Towers Upper)

● Cisco Landing → ● Dewey Bridge

13.0 mi 🏕 2 💧 1,680 cfs · medium

Dewey Bridge to Hittle Bottom

● Dewey Bridge → ● Hittle Bottom

4.0 mi 🌊 2 💧 1,680 cfs · medium

Hittle Bottom to Big Bend (Moab Daily)

● Hittle Bottom → ● Big Bend Campground

11.0 mi 🏕 8 🌊 6 💧 1,680 cfs · medium

Big Bend to Moab (Lions Park)

● Big Bend Campground → ● Lions Park (Moab)

8.0 mi 💧 1,730 cfs · medium

Moab to Potash (Meander Canyon)

● Lions Park (Moab) → ● Potash Boat Ramp

14.0 mi 💧 1,730 cfs · medium

Cataract Canyon

● Potash Boat Ramp → ● Hite Marina

100.0 mi 🏕 7 🌊 9 💧 1,730 cfs · low

Grand Canyon — Lees Ferry to Phantom Ranch (Upper)

● Lees Ferry Launch Ramp → ● Phantom Ranch (foot access)

87.0 mi 🏕 88 🌊 29 💧 7,020 cfs · medium

Grand Canyon — Phantom to Whitmore (Middle)

● Phantom Ranch (foot access) → ● Whitmore Wash (helicopter exchange)

101.0 mi 🏕 113 🌊 39 💧 7,020 cfs · medium

Grand Canyon — Whitmore to Diamond (Lower)

● Whitmore Wash (helicopter exchange) → ● Diamond Creek

38.0 mi 🏕 54 🌊 5 💧 7,960 cfs · medium

Diamond to Pearce Ferry (Lake Mead Upper)

● Diamond Creek → ● Pearce Ferry

52.0 mi 🌊 3 💧 7,960 cfs · medium

Lake Mead (Pearce Ferry to South Cove)

● Pearce Ferry → ● South Cove

15.0 mi 💧 7,960 cfs · medium

Black Canyon (below Hoover Dam)

● Hoover Dam Put-in (Princess Cove / Arizona Hot Springs) → ● Willow Beach Marina

10.0 mi 📊 Colorado River below Hoover Dam

Willow Beach to Katherine Landing (Lake Mohave)

● Willow Beach Marina → ● Katherine Landing

60.0 mi 📊 Colorado River below Hoover Dam

Davis Dam to Bullhead / Laughlin

● Bullhead City / Laughlin Launch → ● Bullhead City / Laughlin Launch

8.0 mi 📊 Colorado River below Davis Dam

Topock Gorge (Lake Havasu NWR)

● Topock Gorge Put-in → ● Castle Rock Bay

15.0 mi 📊 Colorado River below Davis Dam

● Parker Strip Launches → ● Blythe Levee Launch

60.0 mi 📊 Colorado River below Parker Dam

Picacho to Imperial Dam

● Picacho State Rec Area → ● Imperial Dam

30.0 mi 📊 Colorado River above Imperial Dam

Yuma (Yuma East Wetlands)

● Yuma East Wetlands Launch → ● Morelos Dam

5.0 mi 📊 Colorado River above Imperial Dam