Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area

About Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area

Remember your OUTDOOR ETHICS when enjoying your public lands. Please RECREATE RESPONSIBLY. Overview The Arkansas River is one of the most popular river-rafting spots in the United States. The area also provides some of the best fishing in Colorado. The spectacular scenery is highlighted by the steep, narrow, rocky canyons that provide excellent opportunities to view Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. There are over 25 developed river-access areas. Popular activities include rockhounding at Ruby Mountain, fishing for brown trout at Hecla Junction, and wildlife-watching at the Five Points Watchable Wildlife Area in Bighorn Sheep Canyon. The area is jointly managed by the BLM and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. For more information, please contact the Royal Gorge Field Office.

How to Get There

The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area extends about 148 miles from Leadville to the Pueblo Reservoir through the towns of Buena Vista, Salida, Caсon City, and Florence. From Leadville to Salida, there are a number of access points along US-24/US-285. From Salida to Caсon City, there are access points along US-50.

Plan Your Visit to Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area

Heading to Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• Park map (PDF)
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)