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Colorado | Grand Valley / Clifton to Grand Junction
Colorado River
Corn Lake State Park to Redlands Parkway Boat Ramp
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
Checking preferred range.
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
Checking the next several hours.
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
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A guarded public Corn Lake-to-Redlands Colorado River float with direct 09106485 telemetry near the take-out, conservative 810–30,000 cfs planning bounds and a 1,500–15,000 cfs preferred band, a mandatory confluence/29 Road hazard review, and no endpoint camping.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Corn Lake State Park Colorado River boat rampUse the CPW Corn Lake southeast-corner river ramp and the City of Grand Junction Redlands Parkway/Blue Heron ramp only. Verify current hours, pass requirements, parking, construction, signs, and physical carry before launching.
Take-out
Redlands Parkway Boat Ramp / Blue Heron accessThe 09106485 station is above the Gunnison confluence. Do not treat its discharge as the downstream flow after the Gunnison joins; compare the Gunnison gauge and inspect the confluence line and downstream bridge hydraulics.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Use the CPW Corn Lake southeast-corner river ramp and the City of Grand Junction Redlands Parkway/Blue Heron ramp only. Verify current hours, pass requirements, parking, construction, signs, and physical carry before launching.
- The 09106485 station is above the Gunnison confluence. Do not treat its discharge as the downstream flow after the Gunnison joins; compare the Gunnison gauge and inspect the confluence line and downstream bridge hydraulics.
- Do not use the guide’s informal bridge scramble, private banks, canal edges, or Connected Lakes trail as an improvised endpoint. If the named Redlands ramp is closed or blocked, treat the route as unavailable unless a separately verified lawful take-out is selected.
- No private-bank landing, island stop, or camping is authorized by this route. Stage the shuttle legally and finish within the public ramp and park hours.
Watch for
- USGS 09106485 below 810 cfs, above 30,000 cfs, rapidly changing, unavailable, or inconsistent with the Gunnison contribution and actual river conditions
- Gunnison confluence waves, the 29 Road rapid, bridge hydraulics, low-water rocks/gravel bars, strainers, floating debris, cold water, high-water trail impacts, and private-bank temptations
- PFD and equipment failures, city/CPW flags or closures, CPW vehicle-pass rules, Redlands ramp parking/carry, daylight, and failure to reach the mandatory take-out
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 River above Gunnison River at Grand Junction, CO |
| 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 |
| Target band | 1,500 cfs to 15,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 810 cfs |
| High threshold | 30,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Grand Junction town-run planning band: 810 cfs conservative low-water stop; 1,500 cfs minimum recommended; 3,000–15,000 cfs optimal; 30,000 cfs maximum recommended |
| 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.
- Named public corridorCorn Lake State Park to Redlands Parkway Boat Ramp; approximately 10 miles; Class I/II
The Colorado Mesa guide names the section, put-in, take-out, distance, and Class I/II rating. GVORC independently lists Corn Lake to Las Colonias and the downstream Grand Valley access network; this route uses the longer named Redlands Parkway endpoint from the guide.
- Direct live gauge and threshold gateUSGS 09106485 above Gunnison; 810 cfs conservative floor, 1,500–15,000 cfs preferred, 30,000 cfs high-water stop
USGS identifies continuous discharge and gage-height data at 09106485 above the Gunnison River. BoaterBeta publishes the broad Grand Junction town-run 1,500/3,000–15,000/30,000 cfs guidance, while the City documents a downstream river-park flow change below 810 cfs. These are conservative planning cues; the downstream Gunnison contribution must be checked separately.
- Lawful endpoint accessCPW Corn Lake river ramp to City of Grand Junction Redlands Parkway Boat Ramp
CPW confirms the Corn Lake river ramp and day-use rules; the City lists Redlands Parkway as a boat-ramp facility with parking directions. The mapped Redlands slipway is an additional coordinate anchor, not a substitute for current signs or closure checks.
- Safety boundaryClass I/II moving water with Gunnison-confluence waves, 29 Road rapid, bridge hydraulics, and mandatory Redlands take-out
The local guide documents confluence waves and the 29 Road rapid with prior rescue responses; City river-park guidance emphasizes current-dependent flags and life jackets. Preserve active scouting, PFD use, river-designed equipment, and a hard take-out before the route becomes unavailable.
- Camping and logisticsDay-use endpoints; no route camping; CPW Corn Lake no-camping rule applies
CPW identifies Corn Lake as day-use only and expressly prohibits camping. The Redlands ramp is a city facility without route-camping evidence; arrange separate lodging or a designated campground.
- Rights-clean image decisionApproved USGS public-domain Grand Junction corridor image
Use the existing USGS public-domain Grand Junction corridor image only as regional context, not as a claim that it depicts the Corn Lake ramp, Redlands ramp, confluence, or 29 Road rapid.
- Duplicate separationDistinct downstream Corn Lake-to-Redlands section using above-Gunnison 09106485
This route begins where the existing 09106150 Riverbend-to-Corn-Lake route ends and continues through the named Corn Lake-to-Redlands section. It uses the separate 09106485 station near the downstream endpoint and includes the Gunnison confluence/29 Road safety boundary.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- Colorado Mesa University Corn Lake-to-Redlands guide
- Grand Valley paddle access network
- USGS 09106485 monitoring location
- USGS 09106485 current conditions
- BoaterBeta Grand Junction Town Run flow history
- CPW Corn Lake section and river ramp
- City of Grand Junction Redlands Parkway Boat Ramp
- City of Grand Junction Las Colonias river-park flow/safety guidance
- Mapped Redlands/Blue Heron concrete slipway
- USGS public-domain Grand Junction image
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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Quick answers
Colorado River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Colorado River?
Paddle Today watches Colorado River above Gunnison River at Grand Junction, CO and treats 1,500 cfs to 15,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Colorado River route start and end?
This route starts at Corn Lake State Park Colorado River boat ramp and ends at Redlands Parkway Boat Ramp / Blue Heron access, about Approximately 10 river miles on the water.
Is this Colorado River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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