Eagle RiverCamp Hale historical-site access to Red Cliff / Gilman Gorge put-in

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

• Named whitewater corridorCamp Hale to Red Cliff; approximately 4.7 miles; Class IV(V)

  American Whitewater names the exact reach, length, difficulty, endpoint access points, and hazards including limited eddies, wood, and twin waterfalls.

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• Direct live gauge and flow gateUSGS 09063000; 200–1,000 cfs planning bounds; 300–700 cfs inferred preferred window

  USGS provides continuous Red Cliff discharge telemetry. American Whitewater associates the reach with this gauge and the 200/1,000 cfs low/high runnable correlation; the Colorado hazards report independently lists the same reach and gauge with 200/1,000 cfs bounds. The preferred window is explicitly an inference, not a published safety limit.

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• Endpoint access and coordinatesCamp Hale access 39.466812,-106.339310; Red Cliff take-out 39.507498,-106.378315

  American Whitewater publishes both endpoint coordinates. The Camp Hale description requires parking at the historical site and a roughly 100-yard carry because the original put-in is no longer available; verify current physical access on site.

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• Lawful access and camping contextWhite River National Forest Camp Hale public area with designated Camp Hale Memorial camping nearby

  The Forest Service map and Recreation.gov establish the public Camp Hale road/campground context and 15-site designated Camp Hale Memorial campground. They do not waive the requirement to verify the river carry or current access rules.

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• Safety boundaryExpert Class IV(V) only; cold-water/rescue readiness; mandatory Red Cliff exit before Gilman Gorge

  American Whitewater describes steep bony micro-creeking, no-eddy sections, wood exposure, and two waterfalls. Keep this route bounded at the Red Cliff/Gilman put-in and require current scouting and rescue capability.

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• Camping and logisticsCamp Hale Memorial designated campground near the put-in; no take-out or riverbank camping assumed

  Recreation.gov lists 15 standard sites, vault toilets, and no water/electric hookups. Campers must confirm reservations, seasonal road opening, fire restrictions, and water availability separately from the river decision.

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• Duplicate separationDistinct upper Eagle River Camp Hale-to-Red Cliff reach before the separate Gilman Gorge route

  This route uses the direct Red Cliff gauge and the Camp Hale/Red Cliff endpoints; it is bounded before the separate Red Cliff-to-Tigiwon Road/Gilman Gorge reach and is not a duplicate of the downstream Minturn and Eagle routes.

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Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

• American Whitewater Camp Hale to Red Cliff
• USGS 09063000 monitoring location
• USGS 09063000 current conditions
• Colorado hazards report flow bounds
• Camp Hale Memorial Campground
• Forest Service Camp Hale Memorial campground map
• Wikimedia Commons public-domain Camp Hale image