See all 5 routes on Eagle River
Colorado | Eagle River / Avon–Edwards
Eagle River
Riverbend bus stop to Edwards Water Treatment Plant (Upper Eagle)
Check current paddling conditions for this Eagle River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
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
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
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 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.
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
Riverbend Bus Stop Eagle River accessRiverBrain 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.
Take-out
Edwards Water Treatment Plant Eagle River take-outThe 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.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
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
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 | Eagle River below Wastewater Treatment Plant at Avon, 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 | 1,200 cfs to 2,400 cfs |
| Low threshold | 1,000 cfs |
| High threshold | 3,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | River Run to Edwards 1,000–3,000 cfs planning band; 1,200–2,400 cfs inferred preferred window |
| 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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Rights-clean image decisionApproved CC0 Eagle River valley near Edwards context image via Wikimedia Commons
The selected image is credited to Jeremy Thomas and published as CC0 on the route source page. It is used as corridor context, not as a claim that it depicts a specific diversion, rapid, or endpoint.
- 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.
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
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
Share your trip
Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
More in Colorado
All 39 routesMore on Eagle River
All 5Nearby routes by distance
Quick answers
Eagle River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Eagle River?
Paddle Today watches Eagle River below Wastewater Treatment Plant at Avon, CO and treats 1,200 cfs to 2,400 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Eagle River route start and end?
This route starts at Riverbend Bus Stop Eagle River access and ends at Edwards Water Treatment Plant Eagle River take-out, about 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 this Eagle River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.