Colorado

12. Big Sur(Cameo / Lucky 7)

Reach banner
DifficultyIII
Length1.2 mi
Avg Gradient15 fpm
GaugeColorado River Near Cameo, Co.
Flow Rate as of 45 minutes
3440 cfsbelow recommended
Reach Info Last UpdatedJune 9, 2017

River Description

Big Sur on the Colorado is a unique feature that occurs when flows reach 20,000cfs.  High flows are provided by coordinated reservoir operations upstream, and are intended to support endangered fish in the Grand Valley.

Lat/longitude coords are approximate.

Reaches of the Colorado River:

01. Hot Sulphur Springs to Hwy 40 bridge (Byers Canyon) (CO, IV)

02. Gore Canyon (CO, IV-V)

03. Pumphouse campground to Rancho Del Rio (Pumphouse) (CO, III)

04. Hanging Lake Exit 125 (I-70) to Shoshone Power Plant Exit 123 (I-70) (Barrel Springs) (CO, IV-V [V+])

05. Shoshone Power Plant, Exit 123 (I-70) to Grizzly Creek, Exit 121 (I-70) (Shoshone) (CO, III-IV)

06. Cameo Dam (Big Sur / Lucky 7) (CO, III)

07. Loma to Westwater (Ruby / Horsethief Canyons) (CO-UT, II)

08. Westwater to Rose Ranch (Westwater Canyon) (UT, I-IV)

09. Cisco (Rose Ranch) to Moab (Professor Valley) (UT, I-III)

10. Moab to Powell Reservoir (Cataract Canyon) (UT, I-IV)

11. Lees Ferry to Lake Mead (Grand Canyon) (AZ, I-V)

12. Black Canyon (AZ-NV, I)


River Features

Take Out

Distance: 0.1 mi
Take Out

Put In

Distance: 0.4 mi

From the Beavertail Mountain cutoff, 'Parking Area' by the signs on i70, park 250m past the off ramp and walk underneath the overpass on the concrete bike path where put-ins are plentiful.


Nathan Fey
Nathan Fey

Jun 8, 2017


Peter Holcombe riding in out on Big Sur waves on the Colorado River