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Colorado | Lower Colorado River / Glenwood Springs
Colorado River
Two Rivers Park to South Canyon River Access
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 public city-to-BLM lower Colorado reach with a 1,000 cfs minimum-only check at USGS 09085100, Class II+/III hazards, seasonal South Canyon access, no endpoint camping, and a short I-70 shuttle.
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
Two Rivers Park Colorado River boat rampUse only the City of Glenwood Springs Two Rivers concrete ramp and the BLM South Canyon ramp as endpoints.
Take-out
BLM South Canyon River Access boat rampTwo Rivers is a high-use city park: follow 6 a.m.–10 p.m. hours, 30-minute ramp parking, no overnight parking/camping, and current commercial-permit rules.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Use only the City of Glenwood Springs Two Rivers concrete ramp and the BLM South Canyon ramp as endpoints.
- Two Rivers is a high-use city park: follow 6 a.m.–10 p.m. hours, 30-minute ramp parking, no overnight parking/camping, and current commercial-permit rules.
- South Canyon is closed November 15 through May 15 and is 4WD-recommended; park in the upper parking area as BLM directs.
- The 1,000 cfs value is a conservative low-acceptable planning floor, not a runnable guarantee or upper limit. Require current scouting and rescue readiness.
Watch for
- USGS 09085100 below 1,000 cfs, rapidly rising, unavailable, or inconsistent with the local river visual
- Glenwood whitewater-park features, bridge columns, South Canyon Rapid, bridge pylons, cold water, wood/debris, and strong current
- South Canyon seasonal closure, 4WD road conditions, city ramp parking/permit rules, commercial traffic, and a failed daylight or rescue plan
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 Below Glenwood Springs, 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 1,000 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Two Rivers to South Canyon low-acceptable flow: 1,000 cfs at USGS 09085100 |
| 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 corridorTwo Rivers to South Canyon; approximately 5 miles; Class II+ to III
RiverBrain independently names and maps the exact reach; NRP corroborates Class II(III) above South Canyon and Class I below it.
- Direct live gauge and flow gateUSGS 09085100; 1,000 cfs minimum-only
USGS provides direct continuous discharge and stage telemetry below Glenwood Springs. RiverBrain and BoaterBeta both associate this gauge with a 1,000 cfs minimum; use it conservatively as a floor only.
- Lawful endpoint accessCity of Glenwood Springs Two Rivers Park to BLM South Canyon River Access
The city documents its concrete Two Rivers ramp and commercial permit rules; BLM documents the South Canyon concrete ramp, parking, restroom, 4WD recommendation, and seasonal closure.
- Safety boundaryExperienced Class II+/III only; PFD/cold-water/rescue readiness; no runnable claim
RiverBrain identifies South Canyon Rapid as Class III. Scout bridge columns, whitewater-park features, bridge pylons, wood, traffic, cold water, and rising flows from legal locations.
- Camping and feesNo endpoint camping; city commercial permit; separate lodging/campground required
Two Rivers rules prohibit overnight camping/parking; BLM prohibits camping at South Canyon. Glenwood-area campgrounds are separate logistics and must be reserved or confirmed independently.
- Rights-clean image decisionApproved Wikimedia Commons CC BY 4.0 Two Rivers boat-ramp image
The selected endpoint image is Jeffrey Beall’s Two Rivers Park boat-ramp photograph, licensed CC BY 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons. Retain attribution and the license link; it is endpoint context, not a claim that it depicts South Canyon.
- Duplicate separationDistinct lower Colorado Two Rivers-to-South-Canyon reach
This route begins where the reviewed 09070500 Grizzly Creek-to-Two-Rivers route ends, sharing only the Two Rivers endpoint; it is not a duplicate. It is also separate from the existing Upper Colorado Pumphouse-to-State-Bridge route by reach, endpoints, and gauge.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- RiverBrain Two Rivers to South Canyon
- American Whitewater South Canyon to New Castle / gauge association
- BoaterBeta New Castle flow guidance
- USGS 09085100 monitoring location
- USGS 09085100 current conditions
- Glenwood Springs river access
- Two Rivers Park facility
- Two Rivers boat-ramp permit packet
- BLM South Canyon River Access
- Wikimedia Commons CC BY 4.0 Two Rivers ramp 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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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
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Quick answers
Colorado River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Colorado River?
Paddle Today watches Colorado River Below Glenwood Springs, CO and uses 1,000 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 Two Rivers Park Colorado River boat ramp and ends at BLM South Canyon River Access boat ramp, about Approximately 5 river miles on the water.
Is this Colorado 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.