Safety & Conditions
Live Conditions
River Details
About
The Animas River — 'River of Souls' in Spanish — was named by 18th-century explorers encountering Ute lands in southwestern Colorado, and runs roughly 60 miles from the San Juan Mountains through Durango to the state line (Source: coloradoencyclopedia.org). The 2015 Gold King Mine spill released approximately three million gallons of contaminated mine water into the watershed, becoming the most significant event in the river's modern history and driving a multi-year federal and tribal remediation effort (Source: epa.gov). Today the Animas is a Gold Medal tailwater below Lemon Dam and a recreation hub for both fly fishing and mild whitewater through the town of Durango.
River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and access points may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level.