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Colorado | Eagle River / Avon–Edwards

Eagle RiverRiverbend bus stop to Edwards Water Treatment Plant (Upper Eagle)

A guarded approximately 9-mile planning reach on the Eagle River from the Riverbend bus stop through Avon and Edwards to the Edwards Water Treatment Plant. American Whitewater labels the named reach 8 miles and pairs it directly with USGS 09067020; the verified endpoint coordinates are approximately 9.0 straight-line miles apart, so the longer planning label is retained conservatively. The corridor has sustained current, multiple diversion structures, and high-consequence swim exposure.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 9 river miles for planning (American Whitewater lists 8 miles; verified endpoints are approximately 9.0 straight-line miles apart)
DifficultyHard
Typical timePlan a full daylight window for sustained Class III current
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Eagle River valley near Edwards, Colorado, along the Riverbend-to-Edwards whitewater corridor.
Route photoEagle River valley near EdwardsPhoto by Jeremy Thomas via Wikimedia Commons

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This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceApproximately 9 river miles for planning (American Whitewater lists 8 miles; verified endpoints are approximately 9.0 straight-line miles apart)Riverbend bus stop to Edwards Water Treatment Plant (Upper Eagle)
DifficultyhardAmerican Whitewater rates the named reach Class III; RiverBrain describes sustained Class III to IV- character, few eddies, diversion hazards, and a high-consequence swim environment. Preserve experienced-paddler, rescue-readiness, scout/portage, and mandatory-takeout framing regardless of gauge value.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the Edwards Water Treatment Plant take-out, then use the Highway 6 / I-70 corridor to reach the Riverbend Bus Stop put-in. Confirm current parking, traffic, shoulder safety, signage, and the physical bank before unloading.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current Eagle County, Avon, Edwards, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and posted river-access rules. Confirm lawful public access at both named endpoints; Colorado river use does not authorize stepping onto private banks or river bottoms.
CampingOptions nearbyNeither documented endpoint allows camping. Use separate lawful lodging or a designated campground reservation; do not camp at the bus stop, treatment plant, city park, or along unmarked riverbank land.
SeasonMay-JulThe Eagle is a snowmelt-fed reach primarily used during late May through July runoff. Require same-day gauge, trend, weather, debris, diversion, bridge, and endpoint checks; early or late season conditions may be too low, icy, or wood-affected.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

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Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A guarded approximately 9-mile planning reach on the Eagle River with direct USGS 09067020 telemetry, a conservative 1,000–3,000 cfs planning band, named Riverbend and Edwards access points, sustained diversion/bridge hazards, and no endpoint camping.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Riverbend Bus Stop Eagle River access
Open mapDirections to put-in

RiverBrain identifies the Riverbend Bus Stop put-in at 39.61837124,-106.46343648 and the Edwards Water Treatment Plant take-out at 39.654168,-106.62650943. Treat these as planning coordinates and verify current signage, parking, bank condition, and lawful carry/exit on site.

Finish

Take-out

Edwards Water Treatment Plant Eagle River take-out
Open mapDirections to take-out

The Town of Eagle watershed plan says access amenities vary and Colorado property law prohibits stepping onto privately owned riverbank or river bottom. Do not substitute informal handshake access, private-bank landings, or unmarked pullouts.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • RiverBrain identifies the Riverbend Bus Stop put-in at 39.61837124,-106.46343648 and the Edwards Water Treatment Plant take-out at 39.654168,-106.62650943. Treat these as planning coordinates and verify current signage, parking, bank condition, and lawful carry/exit on site.
  • The Town of Eagle watershed plan says access amenities vary and Colorado property law prohibits stepping onto privately owned riverbank or river bottom. Do not substitute informal handshake access, private-bank landings, or unmarked pullouts.
  • The Edwards treatment-plant access is listed as a take-out with no ramp, camping, or water. Confirm the current public access arrangement and a safe exit before launch; postpone if the endpoint is closed or the carry route is not lawful and practical.
  • RiverBrain lists Avon Take Out as a downstream alternative and separately marks New Park as illegal for launching. This route is bounded at the Edwards treatment-plant take-out; do not improvise an alternative endpoint.
  • No endpoint camping is assumed. Arrange separate lawful lodging or campground use, and never treat an access point or riverbank as an overnight site.

Watch for

  • USGS 09067020 below 1,000 cfs, above 3,000 cfs, rapidly rising, unavailable, or inconsistent with the local river visual
  • Diversion Dams 1–4, Bob and the Avon playpark, the golf-course bridge wrap/pin hazard, High School Rapid, the continuous Edwards Mile, cold water, strainers, and difficult recovery from a swim
  • Highway 6/I-70 traffic, treatment-plant or bus-stop access changes, private-property boundaries, city/county closures, parking restrictions, and failure to exit at Edwards before the separate Lower Eagle reach

Plan this paddle

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

The Eagle River valley near Edwards, Colorado, along the Riverbend-to-Edwards whitewater corridor.
Eagle River valley near EdwardsPhoto by Jeremy Thomas via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: CC0 1.0

Sources

Data and sources

Read the access and hazard notes and check the linked guides. We do not issue a daily score for this trip.

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 whitewater corridorRiverbend bus stop to Edwards; source-listed 8 miles; approximately 9.0 straight-line miles between verified endpoints; Class III; approximately 60 fpm

    American Whitewater names River Run to Edwards as a distinct Class III, 8-mile Eagle River reach. The verified RiverBrain endpoint coordinates are approximately 9.0 straight-line miles apart, so route planning uses the longer distance label. The regional watershed plan independently lists the Riverbend-to-Edwards reach as a rafting corridor.

    Source

  • Direct live gauge and flow gateUSGS 09067020; 1,000–3,000 cfs conservative planning bounds; 1,200–2,400 cfs inferred preferred window

    USGS identifies the Eagle River below the Avon wastewater treatment plant with satellite telemetry. American Whitewater directly pairs the named reach with this station; RiverBrain and Wilderness Portal provide corroborating recreational flow guidance. The preferred window is an explicit planning inference.

    Source

  • Endpoint access and coordinatesRiverbend put-in 39.618371,-106.463436; Edwards treatment-plant take-out 39.654168,-106.626509

    RiverBrain provides both named access records, exact coordinates, approach descriptions, and vehicle-access classifications. The Town of Eagle watershed plan corroborates the Edwards-area boating corridor while requiring current access and private-bank verification.

    Source

  • Hazard and safety boundarySustained Class III current with four diversion structures, bridge/pin exposure, cold water, and a mandatory Edwards take-out

    RiverBrain enumerates Diversion Dams 1–4, Bob, the golf-course bridge hazard, High School Rapid, and Edwards Mile. Preserve scout/portage, rescue-readiness, cold-water, and no-improvised-landing language.

    Source

  • Lawful access and private-property contextUse only named Riverbend and Edwards access points; no private-bank landings or informal endpoints

    The Town of Eagle watershed plan identifies common Eagle River access locations, says amenities vary, and states that Colorado property law prohibits a boater from stepping on privately owned riverbank or river bottom. Current site verification remains mandatory.

    Source

  • Camping and logisticsNo endpoint or riverbank camping; separate lawful campground or lodging required

    Both RiverBrain access records list camping as not allowed, and the run page reports no river camps. Keep camping separate from the shuttle and endpoint decision.

    Source

  • Duplicate separationDistinct Riverbend-to-Edwards mainstem reach, separate from Minturn/Dowd Chute upstream and Lower Eagle downstream packages

    This route uses direct USGS 09067020 and ends at Edwards before the separate Lower Eagle reach. The Avon Whitewater Park is an in-route feature, not a substitute endpoint or a duplicate route.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in Colorado

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Colorado route guideBrowse every tracked Colorado route.Eagle River / Avon–EdwardsJump to routes in this region.

More on Eagle River

All 5
Camp Hale historical-site access to Red Cliff / Gilman Gorge put-inUpper Eagle River / Camp Hale–Red CliffHard · Approximately 4.7 river milesEdwards Water Treatment Plant to Chambers Park / Eagle Whitewater Park (Lower Eagle)Lower Eagle River / Edwards–EagleHard · Approximately 15.8 river milesFR 707 to Forest Service Visitor Center (Minturn Town Run)Upper Eagle River / MinturnHard · Approximately 4.6 river milesHighway 24 roadside access to 1/4 mile above the Eagle River confluenceHomestake Valley / Red CliffHard · Approximately 0.51 river miles

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Cross CreekAbove Snap to Cross Creek confluence near Minturn · about 4 straight-line mi awayHard · Approximately 0.68 river milesColorado RiverState Bridge Recreation Site to Two Bridges River Access · about 19 straight-line mi awayModerate · 4.7 river milesColorado RiverState Bridge Recreation Site to Catamount Bridge Boat Launch · about 19 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 16 river milesColorado RiverTwo Bridges River Access to Catamount Bridge Boat Launch · about 23 straight-line mi awayModerate · 10.1 river miles

Quick answers

Eagle River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Riverbend bus stop to Edwards Water Treatment Plant (Upper Eagle) route on the Eagle River?

This planning route has no live Paddle Today score. Review the linked water-level sources, current access notices and route-specific hazards before travel.

Where does the Riverbend bus stop to Edwards Water Treatment Plant (Upper Eagle) route on the Eagle River start and end?

This route starts at Riverbend Bus Stop Eagle River access and ends at Edwards Water Treatment Plant Eagle River take-out, Approximately 9 river miles for planning (American Whitewater lists 8 miles; verified endpoints are approximately 9.0 straight-line miles apart) on the water.

Is the Riverbend bus stop to Edwards Water Treatment Plant (Upper Eagle) route on the Eagle River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a hard route. Review the difficulty notes, hazards and current access conditions against your group's skills. No live score assesses this trip.

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