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COLORADO RIVER GUIDE

Colorado River Guide

Follow the Colorado from its Rocky Mountain headwaters through Utah canyon country, the Grand Canyon and the lower river, with fishing, boating, access and live USGS water data.

River story
History, landscapes and river context
Fishing
Species, water and places to explore
Boating
Paddling, boating and access
Live data
Current USGS gauges along the river
LIVE COLORADO RIVER DATA

Colorado River levels, gauges and monitoring stations

Check the live river overview or open an individual USGS gauge for current streamflow, gauge height, trends and historical context.

Current Colorado River levels & streamflow →River overview with live USGS conditions and trendsColorado river levels →Browse monitoring stations across ColoradoUtah river levels →Browse monitoring stations across UtahArizona river levels →Browse monitoring stations across ArizonaNevada river levels →Browse monitoring stations across NevadaCalifornia river levels →Browse monitoring stations across California
COLORADO RIVER AT GYPSUM CANYON NEAR HITE, UTUSGS 09328960 · View live gauge →COLORADO RIVER AT LEES FERRY, AZUSGS 09380000 · View live gauge →COLORADO RIVER AT POTASH, UTUSGS 09185600 · View live gauge →COLORADO RIVER BELOW LAGUNA DAM, AZ-CAUSGS 09429600 · View live gauge →COLORADO RIVER NEAR CISCO, UTUSGS 09180500 · View live gauge →COLORADO RIVER NEAR COLORADO-UTAH STATE LINEUSGS 09163500 · View live gauge →COLORADO RIVER NEAR GRAND CANYON, AZUSGS 09402500 · View live gauge →
EXPLORE THE RIVER

Follow the Colorado River

Trace the mapped Colorado River mainstem from the Rocky Mountains through the Colorado Plateau, Grand Canyon and the lower Colorado River.

Loading river map…
River path derived from U.S. Geological Survey NLDI hydrography.
Colorado River and Little Colorado River confluence · 1890
THE COLORADO STORY

A river that shaped the American West

The Colorado River begins high in the Rocky Mountains and runs roughly 1,400 miles toward Mexico. Along the way it cuts some of North America's most dramatic canyon landscapes and has supported Indigenous communities, exploration, agriculture, cities, hydropower and recreation for generations.

For thousands of years
Indigenous homelands along the river
People have lived along the Colorado River and its canyon country for thousands of years. Grand Canyon alone has cultural connections to numerous contemporary Tribal nations, whose histories, traditions and sacred places remain tied to the river.
1500s–1700s
Spanish exploration reaches the Colorado
Spanish expeditions reached and crossed portions of the Colorado River beginning in the sixteenth century. Indigenous guides and established travel routes were critical to later European movement through the region.
1869
John Wesley Powell descends the canyon country
John Wesley Powell led an expedition down the Green and Colorado rivers in 1869, traveling through the Grand Canyon and helping document the geology and geography of a region still poorly mapped by the United States.
1900s
The river becomes heavily managed
Large dams, reservoirs and water-delivery projects transformed the Colorado into one of the most intensively managed rivers in North America, supplying farms, communities, hydropower and recreation across the Southwest.
1963–present
Glen Canyon Dam reshapes the river
Glen Canyon Dam began storing water in 1963, creating Lake Powell and fundamentally changing downstream flow, temperature and sediment patterns. Modern releases are managed for water supply, hydropower and river-ecosystem objectives.
Historic image: Robert B. Stanton · National Archives via U.S. Geological Survey · public domain
FISHING

Fishing the river

Fishing changes dramatically along the Colorado. The upper river in Colorado is a major trout fishery, the cold tailwater below Glen Canyon Dam supports the famous Lees Ferry trout fishery, and other reaches support native and warmwater species.

Fish you may encounter

Rainbow Trout
Brown Trout
Colorado River Cutthroat Trout
Smallmouth Bass
Channel Catfish

Where the river changes

FISHING AREA
Gore Canyon to Dotsero ↗
Colorado Parks and Wildlife identifies the river below Gore Canyon as a productive trout fishery. Colorado River Road provides shoreline access and boat ramps through this scenic upper-river reach.
FISHING AREA
Glenwood Springs to Rifle ↗
The river becomes much easier to reach around Glenwood Springs, with parks, paved trails, roadside access and public boat ramps extending downstream through New Castle, Silt and Rifle.
FISHING AREA
Lees Ferry tailwater ↗
Cold, clear releases below Glen Canyon Dam create one of the best-known trout fisheries on the Colorado. Anglers fish the roughly 15-mile reach between Lees Ferry and the dam from shore and boat.
FISHING AREA
Grand Canyon ↗
The Colorado through Grand Canyon supports a distinctive mix of native and introduced fish. Conditions, regulations and conservation measures vary by reach and can change with management actions.
Before you fish
  • Fishing regulations vary by state and by individual river reach.
  • Colorado has special trout rules and seasonal closures on portions of the upper river.
  • Lees Ferry anglers should check current Arizona and National Park Service regulations before fishing.
  • Water releases from major dams can change river level, temperature and fishing conditions.
BOATING & PADDLING

On the water

Few rivers offer a wider range of boating than the Colorado. Depending on the reach, it can be a mellow float, a multi-day desert trip or some of the most demanding big-water whitewater in North America.

Upper Colorado River ↗
Much of the upper river in Colorado supports rafting, kayaking and fishing floats. Public ramps and road access become especially useful from the Gore Canyon area downstream through Glenwood Springs and western Colorado.
Rafting Kayaking Fishing
Ruby-Horsethief Canyon ↗
The Loma, Colorado to Westwater, Utah reach is a popular multi-day desert float with mostly flat water and Class I–II rapids through canyon scenery.
Rafting Kayaking Canoeing Camping
Moab and Canyonlands ↗
Above the Green River confluence, the Colorado offers long stretches of flatwater suitable for canoes, kayaks and shallow-water boats. Moab and Potash are the principal Colorado River launches for trips into Canyonlands.
Kayaking Canoeing Rafting Camping
Cataract Canyon ↗
Below the Green River confluence, the Colorado accelerates into Cataract Canyon. National Park Service guidance describes roughly 14 miles of powerful Class III–V whitewater.
Whitewater Rafting Whitewater Kayaking
Lees Ferry and Grand Canyon ↗
Lees Ferry is the primary launch for Colorado River trips through Grand Canyon. The reach upstream toward Glen Canyon Dam is comparatively calm, while downstream trips through Grand Canyon require permits and substantial river experience.
Rafting Kayaking Fishing
Know before you go
  • Permit requirements vary sharply by reach. Canyonlands backcountry river trips and Grand Canyon river trips require permits.
  • Grand Canyon whitewater is highly technical and should not be treated as beginner water.
  • Flows can change rapidly because of snowmelt, storms and dam operations.
  • Personal flotation devices and required safety equipment should be used according to the rules for the specific reach.
  • Always check current USGS flow data, weather, closures and managing-agency regulations before launching.
PARKS & ACCESS

Places to reach the river

Colorado River Road ↗
Road corridor between the bottom of Gore Canyon and Dotsero with shoreline access and boat ramps along the upper Colorado.
Glenwood Springs area ↗
Developed parks, trails and river access make Glenwood Springs one of the easiest places to reach the Colorado in western Colorado.
New Castle, Silt and Rifle ramps ↗
Public ramps downstream from Glenwood Springs support fishing floats and recreational boating through western Colorado.
Moab Boat Ramp ↗
Common Colorado River launch for flatwater trips toward Canyonlands National Park and the Green River confluence.
Potash Boat Ramp ↗
Major downstream launch west of Moab and a common starting point for shorter Canyonlands river trips.
Lees Ferry Boat Launch ↗
Major paved launch at the beginning of Grand Canyon. Boaters travel upstream toward Glen Canyon Dam or launch permitted trips downstream through Grand Canyon.
Rocky Mountain National Park ↗
The Colorado River originates near the Continental Divide in the park's high country.
Canyonlands National Park ↗
The Colorado and Green rivers meet in the heart of Canyonlands before entering Cataract Canyon.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area ↗
Includes Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Dam and the Colorado River corridor down to Lees Ferry.
Grand Canyon National Park ↗
The Colorado forms the central river corridor through Grand Canyon and supports one of the world's iconic multi-day river trips.
UNDERSTAND THE CONDITIONS

Learn how river levels affect fishing and paddling

How river flow affects fishing →How river levels affect kayaking →How to read a USGS river gauge →What CFS means →
Colorado River Guide | Levels, Fishing, Boating & Access