River guideColorado

Arkansas River

Compare trips by distance, difficulty and current conditions. Open a trip for its map, directions and planning tools.

8trips

4with daily scores

4without daily scores

0.5–19.5 midistance range

Hard · Moderatedifficulty

Brown's Canyon Bridge (Stone Bridge) over the Arkansas River in Colorado. — **Brown's Canyon Bridge at the Stone Bridge end of the Arkansas River reach**Photo by Jeffrey Beall via Wikimedia Commons · Wikimedia Commons: CC BY 3.0

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Your tripPinnacle Rock to Parkdale Recreation SiteApproximately 17.2 river miles · About 5–8 hr · hard

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River overview

Arkansas River paddle planning

What to verify before you commit.

Water levels

These Arkansas River routes use 4 gauge references depending on the stretch.

Route options

Compare 8 routes (4 scored · 4 planning) across Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area / Royal Gorge approach, Bighorn Sheep Canyon / Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Browns Canyon / Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Pueblo / Arkansas River, Royal Gorge / Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Salida / Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Salida / Bighorn Sheep Canyon / Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Upper Arkansas River / Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area. Open a route page for put-in, take-out, distance, data reliability, and access notes.

Difficulty

Arkansas River routes here are marked hard and moderate, so choose the stretch that fits your group and conditions.

Quick answers

Arkansas River paddling FAQ

Where can I paddle the Arkansas River?

Paddle Today tracks 8 Arkansas River routes across Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area / Royal Gorge approach, Bighorn Sheep Canyon / Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Browns Canyon / Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Pueblo / Arkansas River, Royal Gorge / Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Salida / Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Salida / Bighorn Sheep Canyon / Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Upper Arkansas River / Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area. Compare the route cards on this page, then open an individual route for put-in, take-out, distance, and access notes.

How should I check Arkansas River water levels?

Check the gauge notes for your stretch and its live score where available. This hub uses 4 gauges or gauge references. Planning routes have no live score; check their source guidance and current access notices.

Which Arkansas River route is best today?

Compare current scores where available, along with water level, recent trend, weather, access, and route difficulty. Planning-only cards provide trip information without a live paddling recommendation.