Arkansas Recreational River, Colorado

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.

Photo by Bob Wick, BLM.

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act provides three levels of river classification: wild, scenic, and recreational.

Wild rivers are free of dams, generally inaccessible except by trail, and represent vestiges of primitive America.

Scenic rivers are free of dams, with shorelines or watersheds that are still largely primitive and shorelines that are largely undeveloped, but accessible in places by roads.

Recreational rivers are readily accessible by road or railroad, may have some development along their shorelines, and may have been dammed in the past.