Paddling Browns Canyon on the Arkansas River is like solving a series of intricate puzzles. Depending on the water level, this can be a pleasantly challenging experience or a tense exercise in smashing big waves and executing critical moves to dodge boulders and pour-overs.

Contents

1. General nature and major rapids of Browns Canyon
2. Downsides of paddling Browns Canyon
3. Upsides of paddling Browns Canyon
4. Planning a Browns Canyon river trip

The Arkansas River consistently tops the list of most popular commercially run rivers in the U.S., according to industry association American Outdoors. And the most popular stretch of the Arkansas—which has several legendary whitewater runs—is undoubtedly the Browns Canyon run, an 8-mile section (from Ruby Mountain Campground to Hecla Junction) of deluxe whitewater through a relatively remote canyon surrounded by the Collegiate Peaks just outside of Buena Vista, Colorado.

You can certainly run Browns Canyon as a day run—even as a half-day run, as the commercial outfitters do zillions of times each summer (when not stymied by pandemic restrictions). But adding an overnight stay on Browns elevates this already stellar whitewater experience to a solid 11.

General nature and major rapids of Browns Canyon

Rated as a Class III whitewater run by American Whitewater, Browns Canyon changes character fairly dramatically at different water levels. The highest I’ve run it is at about 3,500 cfs in a paddle raft: It was fast and fun but demanded focused attention throughout. (Here’s our guide to predicting future river flows to help with your planning.)

At lower levels (for those of us with intermediate abilities), this is an outstanding run for kayakers, including inflatable kayaks. Some years, the river level drops fairly early in the season, but you can extend the fun by switching to smaller boats. At about 1,500 to super-low levels of 650 cfs or so, small paddle rafts (like a 10-footer) and IKs are perfect crafts. The lowest we’ve ever run Browns was about 500 cfs, in a 14-foot paddle raft, and it was an absolutely painful exercise in squeezing through impossibly narrow channels and easing past rocks. We now don’t even consider putting on when the river is below 600 cfs.

Although nearly every rapid on Browns is distinctive, here’s our perspective on a few that we think deserve special attention for anyone paddling in relatively low water (about 600 cfs to 1,500 cfs) in a small boat (inflatable kayak or small raft).

1. Pinball Rapid at low water is much harder for bigger rafts than for IKs. It requires threading through boulders, but if the water is low and slow, this is fairly straightforward read-and-run. At high water, this one becomes much more difficult.
2. Zoom Flume is easy to scout, which we do about half the time. At lower water levels, in IKs, we enter left of center and pretty much just stay to the left past Pyramid Rock. You’ll need to forge through a couple of big drops, but these waves are more forgiving than they look.
3. Big Drop is a monster hole at high water that requires skirting on the right. But in low water, there’s a handy channel on the left of that pour-over that both IKs and small rafts can sail through.
4. Staircase is a series of drops, one or two of which can flip rafts at high water. At lower water in an IK, we approach most of these drops a bit left of center and if the lateral waves seem squirrelly, we just gut the center.

1. Widowmaker is the trickiest rapid for small boats at lower water because of the interesting (and sometime exasperating) Toilet Bowl feature at the top of the run. You’ll come up to an enormous boulder that the river splits around. You want to go left of that boulder, but as soon as you pass it you’ll see that the river cascades over a ledge that creates a recirculating hole that’s angled toward the right bank. If you pause to ponder this situation, you’ll end up in the Toilet Bowl. Our consistently successful tactic is to orient toward the right bank as we’re passing the huge boulder, and paddle like we’re ferrying to the right bank. Then you can surf around the outside edge of that swirling hole and catch the water heading downstream. Beyond the Toilet Bowl you’ll encounter more boulders to dodge.
2. Raft Ripper is another one that’s harder for full-size rafts at low water but is read-and-run for kayaks and little rafts.

Beyond that, you’ll have a few splashy waves or more rock gardens, depending on the water level, before you reach the nearly always-hopping Hecla Junction takeout.

Downsides of paddling Browns Canyon

Browns Canyon might be our favorite whitewater day run of all time, so it can essentially do no wrong in our eyes. But here are some aspects about it to consider.

1. Dodging crowds can be difficult. That has been true for several decades, since the Arkansas River started soaring in popularity among the whitewater crowd in the mid-80s. Of course in 2020, most of the outfitters had some limitations to work around because of the pandemic. The several times we ran Browns as private boaters in summer 2020, the level of activity was much lower than in past years. However, in a typical year, Browns is teeming with commercial boats. All these happy people running the river is a joy to see, and it’s useful to see how other folks are running a rapid when you’re scouting. But it can be hard to maintain comfortable spacing on a busy Saturday on Browns. To keep your private group together, plan to post up together after major rapids so you’re not strung out among several commercial parties. Let the outfitters play through, as they’re likely on a tighter timetable.
2. Afternoons bring thunderstorms. It’s a general rule that when you put in at Fisherman’s or Ruby, the sun will be shining and it will feel so hot you can’t stand to wear a paddle jacket. By the time you get to Widowmaker, the sky will be dark with clouds, thunder will be rolling through the canyon, and you’ll be pelted with rain or even hail from Raft Ripper to Hecla. Gear up for this inevitability: We are happiest in some light neoprene, paddling jackets, and paddling pants even if it seems hot at first.

3. Serious whitewater that demands respect. The Arkansas River has an astounding array of different levels of whitewater. Although not as hard-core as the Numbers, Pine Creek, or the Royal Gorge, Browns Canyon is solid Class III whitewater. It’s serious fun, but don’t underestimate it. If there’s any hesitancy among your group, consider doing a guided half-day with one of the local outfitters first so everyone in the group can scope it out before deciding to run it as a private trip.

Upsides of paddling Browns Canyon

Most everything about Browns is good.

1. Several memorable rapids in a 13-miles stretch. Anyone looking to improve their whitewater skills could hardly do better than just running Browns Canyon a zillion times at different water levels. It’s an excellent teacher.
2. Easy-to-access slice of remote canyon. In a state that’s getting more populous, dropping into Browns Canyon for a few hours helps you turn off the noise for a bit. In 2015, President Barack Obama designated a 21,586-acre area as Browns Canyon National Monument, invoking the Antiquities Act of 1906. Although the dormant Union Pacific railroad runs along the river through the canyon, Browns Canyon has no road access.
3. Scenery. Browns Canyon is surrounded by the highest concentration of 14,000-foot peaks in the lower United States. Yes, it’s pretty.
4. Excellent fishing. Colorado Parks & Wildlife has designated a 102-mile segment of the upper Arkansas River that passes through Browns Canyon as a Gold Medal Trout Water, meaning that it’s a high-quality cold-water habitat for trophy trout that’s accessible to the public.
5. Several choice overnight camping spots. One way to beat the crowds and soak in the scenery is to run Browns as an overnight. Campsites aren’t designated, so you’ll have to be somewhat cagey about your put-in timing so you aren’t stuck without a spot. But you have several possibilities for stay-overs, all of which are detailed in the aforementioned RiverMaps guide. Our favorite place to camp is above Zoom Flume at Browns Creek Right Camp.

6. Impressive photos of your Zoom Flume run, courtesy of Whitewater Photography. Part of the ritual in the ride back from Hecla for us is looking up the photos of our Zoom Flume run on the Whitewater Photography site. This outfit does an outstanding job of capturing commercial rafts and private boaters through Zoom Flume, which always looks like serious whitewater in pictures, even at low water.
7. Strategic supplementation of water flow through Voluntary Flow Management Program, the brainchild of a group of interested parties that ensures water levels stay high enough for paddling (700 cfs at the Wellsville Gauge) from July 1 through August 15. The supplemental water comes from moving water from Clear Creek Reservoir to Pueblo Reservoir.

Planning a Browns Canyon river trip

Here are details to help organize a Browns Canyon trip. (Also check out our general river planning guide.)

1. Choose your timing. The difficulty of running the Ark through Browns Canyon fluctuates dramatically with the water levels. In general, Browns is a Class III run, but the stakes are higher for flips and cold swims at levels above about 3,000 cfs. Early in the season, we gear up and run this with a wide-awake paddle raft crew and an oar rig or two. Our personal cut-off on the high side is about 3,500 cfs. Later in the summer, we switch to IKs, canoes and smaller rafts when the levels drop below 1,500. The comfortable cut-off for a raft on the low end is about 700 cfs.
2. Bring layers of gear. The weather is fickle in Browns Canyon, so wear your shorts and river sandals but keep a supply of neoprene and paddle jackets handy. Also consider wearing helmets—there are lots of rocks on this run.

1. Choose your put-in. For the Browns Canyon run, you can put in at Fisherman’s Bridge or at Ruby Mountain Campground. The Fisherman’s put-in adds less than a couple of miles to the trip (including a fun Class II rapid called Screaming Right Hand Turn) and has a large parking lot. But the Ruby Mountain put-in is better for heavy rafts as you can back trailers down to the edge of the wide boat ramp. To get to Fisherman’s, head south from Buena Vista on US 285 about 4.5 miles and turn left on Country Road 301—you’ll see signs for River Runners and Noah’s Ark rafting company. Fisherman’s will be on the right after you cross the bridge over the Arkansas. To reach Ruby, continue on 301 just past Fisherman’s and turn right on County Road 300. This dirt road gets narrow as it squeezes between a bluff and the river just before you get to the campground. Sometimes you’ll encounter a incongruous but operational traffic light that presumably prevents crashes between road-raging boaters.

4. Choose your take-out. We usually take out at Hecla Junction (Ruby to Hecla is about an 8-mile river trip), but you can get in one more spectacular rapid—Seidel’s Suckhole—by taking out at Stone Bridge, which extends the trips to 13 miles if you start at Fisherman’s. This take-out is just past Hecla (from 285, turn left on CO 291, then left on County Road 191).
5. Plan your shuttle. Total shuttle time out and back from Ruby to Hecla will be about an hour. (Or it’s pretty easy to hitch a ride from Hecla back to Ruby.)
6. Buy a parks pass. You need a Colorado State Parks Pass to leave your vehicle at Ruby. Daily vehicle passes are $9, and you can leave cash in a drop box at the parking lot. You don’t need a permit to run the river.
7. Plan your camp. Consider an overnight on Browns, which will put you in the best position to avoid crowds on the river. You can launch late in the afternoon, snag a camp above Zoom, and run most of the whitewater the next morning. Camps aren’t designated, so observe how many other parties are on the river with the same great idea you had, and choose your stopping point accordingly.
8. Plan pre-trip and post-trip accommodations. You can camp at Ruby or at Hecla, or other state campgrounds in the area, including Salida East. You can read up on camping in the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area and reserve a site with Colorado Parks & Wildlife here.
9. Study the resources:
   • The new (2019) river guide, “Guide to the Arkansas River, Colorado” by Duwain Whitis and Tom Martin, is a godsend—full of details about rapids and camps. As with all RiverMaps guides, it’s large and waterproof.
   • A classic: “River Runner’s Guide to Brown’s Canyon,” by Thomas G. Rampton, published in 1987 and out of print but available used on Amazon.
   • YouTube: Dozens of videos of Browns rapids at various levels will help you style your run.
   • Guided trip: Taking a guided half-day run through Browns is a great idea if you haven’t run it before and want to see what it’s all about before committing yourself, family, and friends. Many to choose from: here’s the list from the Arkansas River Outfitter’s Association.
10. Gather your gear. Here’s a rundown of essentials for a day trip:
    • Safety gear: It’s smart to gear up for a potential swimmer or flipped boat in Browns. Have throw ropes for every boats, wear helmets, ensure life jackets fit correctly, and bring spare warm clothes. Keep your group together on the water, and check in with everyone after each rapid.
    • What to wear: Gear up for running a cold river in the rain and you won’t be unhappy. If it turns out to be a hot, sunny day, you can strip some layers.
    • Overnight gear: If you’re camping on the river, the required gear is a river toilet and a firepan.

If you haven’t run Browns Canyon and you love whitewater, this stretch has to go on your list. It’s wildly popular for good reason.

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