Arkansas River

Headwater pocket water through historic mining ground. Smaller, technical, and less crowded than the corridor downstream. Hayden Meadows offers a catch-and-release stretch near Leadville. Cold high-elevation water that fishes best in summer.

Best for: Wild brown trout and small rainbows on dry-dropper rigs and small attractor dries. Best Jun-Sep. Good place to escape the lower-river crowds.

Classic Arkansas freestone water — continuous riffles, pocket water, and bouldery runs. Highway 24 parallels the river with road-side access at multiple AHRA pullouts. Strong wild brown trout fishery; growing rainbow population. Fishes from clear-up post-runoff through October.

Best for: Wild brown trout and rainbow trout on caddis dries, hoppers, and stonefly nymphs. Best Jul-Oct. The Mother's Day caddis hatch in late April / early May is a top regional event.

Class III-IV whitewater canyon between Buena Vista and Salida — the most famous rafting stretch on the river. Drift boats are out; rafts and kayaks dominate floating traffic in summer. Walk-in access at Hecla Junction and Ruby Mountain. Big bouldery pocket water with deep slots and pillows.

Best for: Wild brown trout in the pocket water on rubber-legs nymphs and big attractors. Best evening hours when raft traffic dies down. Best Jul-Oct.

Wider river through the F.O.A.M. catch-and-release section in Salida and downstream toward Cotopaxi and the upper Bighorn Sheep Canyon. Excellent walk-and-wade water with strong caddis and PMD hatches.

Best for: Wild brown trout and rainbow trout on caddis evening dries, PMD nymphs, and hopper-droppers. Best Jun-Oct.

Highway 50 parallels the river through Bighorn Sheep Canyon with constant road-side access. Bouldery pocket water and deeper runs. Heavy commercial raft traffic in summer afternoons. Holds the river's biggest browns in the deeper slots.

Best for: Wild brown trout and rainbow trout on nymph rigs and streamers. Best early morning and evening to avoid raft traffic. Best Jul-Oct.

Two-mile Class IV-V whitewater canyon between Parkdale and Cañon City. Walk-in access is extremely difficult — the canyon is 1,000+ ft deep. Most fishing is from the bottom and top of the gorge or via the tourist railroad. Not a recommended destination for most anglers.

Best for: Adventurous wade anglers willing to scramble. Brown trout in the slow water at the canyon mouths. Best Aug-Sep at low flows.

Five-mile tailwater below Pueblo Reservoir flowing through the city of Pueblo. Year-round fishery with stable cold-water releases. C&R artificial-only section through the Pueblo Nature Center. Heavy summer recreation traffic; best in winter and early spring.

Best for: Rainbow trout and brown trout on midge, BWO, and small nymph rigs. Best Dec-Apr when the upper river is closed or runoff-blown. Year-round access.