Dolores River
San Juan Co. · 150 mi · Class II–IV
203CFS/ 7.42 ft
Below Optimal
→Stable
Water temp: 62°F
Optimal: 800–5000 CFS · USGS #09180000
⚡Flow data is live from USGS·Rapid classifications and CFS ranges need community verification·Know this river?
150 mi
Length
Class II–IV
Difficulty
800–5000 cfs
Optimal
1,800 cfs
Avg Flow
1,500 cfs
Hist. Median
#09180000
USGS Gauge
BLM Dolores River Canyon · Slickrock Canyon

The Dolores River offers 150 miles of remote desert canyon paddling through the Slickrock Canyon country of southeastern Utah. Class II–IV whitewater through Ponderosa Gorge and Slickrock Canyon makes this one of the great multi-day desert river trips, but McPhee Dam limits the runnable window to spring snowmelt years.

Trip sections
Bradfield Bridge to Slickrock — 75 mi, Class II–III, Ponderosa Gorge
Slickrock Canyon — 45 mi, Class III–IV, deepest canyon
Lower Dolores to Colorado River — 30 mi, Class II, widening canyon
Outfitters
Dvorak Expeditions
Dolores River multi-day canyon trips
72-Hour Flow Forecast
NOAA NWPS
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10-Year Flow Patterns
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Data Quality

River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and trip sections may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level. If you spot an error, use the Improve This River button at the top of the page — your local knowledge is what makes this atlas accurate.