It’s run off season. The water level has been rising steadily the past two days and is now at the highest point since I arrived in Colorado. I spent Satruday exploring the stretch of the river north of Buena Vista to the headwaters outside Leadville.
There is an incredible amount of public access to the river and many of the areas have designated angler parking. Parts of the upper river are also under special regulations. Left is the Upper Arkansas at the Hayden Meadow access. The character of the river is very different here from downstream. For a couple of miles the Arkansas flows through a high flat valley and meanders its way through multiple channels. There are a few beaver dams and some nice pools and runs. There is excellent access between the Hayden Meadow and Kobe downstream.
On downstream much of the river runs through BLM land and there is access from multiple pull-offs along route 24. Here the river enters a steeper canyon and picks up speed again changing the character of the water. There is public access above and below the town of Granite and then again at Clear Creek.
The increased flows had the river a little off-color and running swiftly. I did fish for an hour where Clear Creek meets the Arkansas and managed to land one rainbow trout.
