Kayaking the arkansas
Just a three hour drive south of Denver, nestled in the heart of the Upper Arkansas River Valley and in the shadow of the Collegiate Peaks, lies the small mountain town of Salida, Colorado. Here, year-round mountain culture thrives but, in summer, this community transforms into a bustling mecca of river rats with an insatiable appetite for whitewater. They’ve come to the right place, knowing that the Arkansas River runs through the heart of downtown, providing a bountiful feast of rapids for kayakers and other paddlers during the late spring and summer months. When the snow melts from 14,000-foot peaks like Mt. Princeton, Mt. Yale and others surrounding the river basin, the Arkansas comes to life, churning out some of the most challenging, sought-after Class IV and V rapids in North America.
Beginning just outside of Leadville, Colorado—born of annual runoff from the Sawatch and Mosquito Ranges—the Arkansas follows a steep, rocky path descending quickly away from the mountains and toward the plains of the Midwest.Near its point of origin and in the late spring, the Arkansas River flows most vigorously, boiling up and over rocks, creating powerful flows that draw adventurous kayakers from around the globe. In its first 125 miles the river drops nearly 5,000 feet in elevation, cutting through the rugged walls of Browns Canyon and the Royal Gorge, offering a unique perspective into the heart of the Rocky Mountains. It then winds along the wide open plains across eastern Colorado, mellowing out as it flows through Kansas, Oklahoma and into the Mississippi River in Arkansas.
With over 100 miles of whitewater to explore on the Arkansas in Colorado alone, Salida is an ideal stop for the whitewater enthusiast. Located just 60 miles downstream from the river’s starting point in the Sawatch Range, the town provides access to well-known rapids like Zume Flume, Staircase, Raft Ripper, Screen Door and The Numbers. When the water runs high, pumping at a rate of 5,000 cubic feet per second—the same amount of energy as a fully loaded freight train moving down the tracks—veteran paddlers will find themselves challenged in every way. From playful, step-down style lines to bigger, more formidable rapid formations, be assured that most anywhere you put-in along this section of the Arkansas River will provide whitewater that’ll appease the most demanding kayaker & rafters.
