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Texas | Prairies and Lakes
Colorado River
Business 71 Crossing to Beason's Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Colorado River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
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Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
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Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
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Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch at the 71 Business Crossing and take out at Beason's Park for the official Columbus Paddling Trail around the Colorado River horseshoe. Use USGS 08161000 at Columbus with a conservative 200 cfs floor, then make a same-day call on shallow spots, wind, heat, private banks, and rising water.
Prepare this trip
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Put-in
71 Business CrossingTPWD publishes both endpoint coordinates, but the 71 Business Crossing put-in is a simple bridge-side boat-ramp access rather than a staffed livery launch.
Take-out
Beason's ParkBeason's Park is the planned public finish and has parking, restrooms, picnic tables, and a pavilion. Do not drift past the take-out assuming downstream banks are public.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- TPWD publishes both endpoint coordinates, but the 71 Business Crossing put-in is a simple bridge-side boat-ramp access rather than a staffed livery launch.
- Beason's Park is the planned public finish and has parking, restrooms, picnic tables, and a pavilion. Do not drift past the take-out assuming downstream banks are public.
- This route uses a conservative minimum-only threshold from broad lower-Colorado guidance plus local same-gauge reports. If the Columbus gauge is near or below about 200 cfs, expect shallow route-finding around islands and sandy bars.
- TPWD says private-bank use outside direct hazard portages can be trespassing. Keep stops on clearly public access points or within the navigable streambed rules.
- Do not infer legal route camping from islands, sandbars, or historic Beason's Crossing camping references. The Paddle Today route package treats official Columbus trail use as day-only.
Watch for
- Low-water shallows, sandy islands, and occasional scraping when the Columbus gauge falls toward the 200 cfs floor.
- High or rising water after rain, when broad calm-looking bends can gain current and make simple park or bridge landings less forgiving.
- Wind on open bends, summer heat, thunderstorms, soft banks, floating wood, and shifting lines around islands in the first third of the trail.
- Private banks outside the named public accesses and any direct hazard-portage corridor.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Colorado Rv at Columbus, TX |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 200 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Texas River Flows lower Colorado table |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official route shape71 Business Crossing to Beason's Park, 6.5 mi
TPWD identifies the Columbus Paddling Trail as a 6.5-mile Colorado River route through town, usually taking about 2 to 5 hours depending on water level and flow.
- Public endpoint coordinates29.7128, -96.5466 to 29.7055, -96.5360
TPWD publishes the 71 Business Crossing put-in and Beason's Park take-out with GPS coordinates; Beason's Park has parking, restrooms, picnic tables, and a pavilion.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 08161000 at 365 cfs / 9.67 ft
USGS Water Services returned same-day values for Colorado River at Columbus, TX at 2026-08-09 20:15 CDT during this run.
- Conservative low-water floor200 cfs minimum-only
The legacy Texas River Flows table lists lower Colorado segments into Columbus with 200 cfs as the minimum floating-water level. Paddle Today applies only that conservative floor to the direct Columbus gauge and does not infer an ideal or upper band.
- Safety and access contextCalm rapids, sandy islands, private banks, changing flow and wind
TPWD describes peaceful water with calm rapids, islands in the first third of the trail, sandy banks, and private-property limits; local route reports support shallow-spot and same-gauge flow caution around ordinary levels.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
Colorado River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Colorado River?
Paddle Today watches Colorado Rv at Columbus, TX and uses 200 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Colorado River route start and end?
This route starts at 71 Business Crossing and ends at Beason's Park, about About 6.5 mi on the water.
Is this Colorado River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
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