Gunnison
02. Gunnison Whitewater Park
| Difficulty | II(III) |
| Length | 0.2 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Gunnison River Near Gunnison, Co. |
| Flow Rate as of 31 minutes | 677 cfs |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 9, 2017 |
River Description
The Gunnison Whitewater Park is less than a mile east of the Gunnison City limits on Hwy 50. To get there simply take U.S 50 east from Gunnison and take a left just after crossing over the river (there is a big sign). (This essentially is a duplicate listing, since it is part of the longer stretch detailed as 01. Almont to Blue Mesa Reservoir (Town Run).)
The 'Gunny Play Park' has 3 surf features that offer a variety of experiences at different levels. Respondents to AW's 2013 Gunnison River Flow study identified 600 - 5000 cfs as acceptable flows and 900 - 5000 cfs as optimal flows.
A webcam that showcases the 'top' feature, courtesy of the Upper Gunnison Water Conservation District and other partners is available to viewers here.
The whitewater park is host to the annual Gunnison River Festival each June.
The Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association describes the park as follows:
'One of Gunnison's newest recreational attractions is the Gunnison Whitewater Park on the Gunnison River, built for recreational canoeing, kayaking and rafting.
The community park associated with the water park includes a walking path, picnic area with grills. The trail runs the whole length of the park and makes fishing the river easy.
The management and maintenance of the Gunnison Whitewater Park will be overseen by the Todd Crane Center for Outdoor Leadership and the Recreation Department at Western State Colorado University.
The Gunnison Whitewater Park is a series of rock structures along a several hundred-foot section of the Gunnison River, just west of town and downstream of the Twin Bridges (just west of the town of Gunnison, Colorado). These formations create various water dynamics that make
...River Features
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Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportChris Menges, downriver through 2nd feature at @ 1200 cfs.
Jonny Meyers at the 3rd feature. Photo: Chris Menges
Chris Menges SUP surf, Gunnison 2nd feature at around 1200 cfs.
Chris Menges SUP surf, Gunnison 2nd feature at around 1200 cfs.
At a certain range of flows, the Gunnison Whitewater Park provides for excellent whitewater recreation. The Gunnison River Basin contains paddling opportunities ranging from steep alpine creeks like Oh-Be-Joyful creek to desert floats like Escalante Dominguez Canyon. By defining recreational flow needs on river sections throughout this amazing river basin, we can help guide water management practices and policies that ensure long-term protection of these invaluable paddling resources.