Arkansas - III

03. Railroad Bridge Launch to Buena Vista(Fractions/ Frogrock/ Milkrun)

Reach banner
DifficultyIII
Length6.7 mi
Avg Gradient44 fpm
GaugeArkansas River Below Granite, Co
Flow Rate as of 15 minutes
306 cfsrunnable
Reach Info Last UpdatedAugust 25, 2025

Projects

Browns Canyon National Monument (CO)

Browns Canyon National Monument was designated in 2015 to protect one of Colorado’s most cherished stretches of river and surrounding public lands. Flowing between Buena Vista and Salida, the Arkansas River through Browns Canyon offers some of the most popular whitewater in the nation—combining exhilarating rapids with sweeping granite [...]Read More


River Description

Needs a new description. Spammed.


River Features

Frog Rock Sieve

Distance: 0 mi
Hazard
Frog Rock Sieve

Put In

Distance: 0 mi

Take Out

Distance: 7 mi
Take Out

AS
Adam Steel

Jun 6, 2022


Fractions feels significantly harder than Brown's. I've run Brown's and Fractions in a raft 2x each now. Most recently close together, both at ~1200 cfs on the Nathrop gauge. In a raft at 1200 cfs at least, Fractions feels at least a half grade harder and more serious than Brown's. Constant maneuvering is required, flips will follow if you don't maneuver correctly, and swims through rocky rapids will be longer than you want them to be. There are not many 'pool' sections to collect yourself and your gear in. Don't let the lack of big waves fool you (though there are a few of those, too), this is committing.

ML
Matt Lang

Jun 29, 2021


DB
David Brauer

Sep 21, 2013


Play park at Buena Vista is runnable at flows as low as 350 cfs.

RB
Ratt Boy

Jan 1, 1900


Photo courtesy of and copyright by www.allaboutrivers.com.

Dejan Smaic
Dejan Smaic

Jan 1, 1900


Dave launching a loop.

RM
Robert Maxwell

Jan 1, 1900


At each put-in and take-out there is an 'Attention Boaters' sign that will give you a variety of information and the current level of the Arkansas River.
This is the take-out for the Numbers and the put-in for the Fractions/Frog Rock section.
There is a great play hole right at the Fractions/Frog Rock Buena Vista take-out.
There's plenty of parking, restrooms, changing rooms, vollyball, soccer fields, etc... at the take-out. Lets not forget the Park-N-Play hole!! What more can a paddler want?
Dave Cannon somewhere on the Fractions/Frog Rock.
There are a lot of play spots on the Fractions/Frog Rock. This was possibly the best wave on the river that day.
There are a lot of play spots on the Fractions/Frog Rock. This was possibly the best wave on the river that day.
There are a lot of play spots on the Fractions/Frog Rock. This was possibly the best wave on the river that day.
There are a lot of play spots on the Fractions/Frog Rock. This was possibly the best wave on the river that day.
This is the play hole at the Fractions/Frog Rock Take-Out in Buena Vista
Dave Cannon getting the feel of the park-n-play hole at the Fractions/Frog Rock take-out in Buena Vista.