Animas

Location: Southwestern Colorado, in the heart of the snowcapped San Juan Mountains, between Silverton and Durango (about 200 miles southwest of Denver).

Length of trips: Upper Animas 25 to 28 miles in two or three days; Lower Animas 5 to 12 miles in a half or full day.

Season: Upper Animas April or May through July (peak flow in late May or early June); Lower Animas April or May through August (peak flow in early June).

Weather: Due to the high altitude, temperatures are cool—50s (F) in spring, 70s in summer. It sometimes snows in June. Thunderstorms can quickly swell the river.

Lodging: Campsites in evergreen forests.

Boats: Kayaks, oar boats, paddle rafts.

Rapids: The Upper Animas has dozens of Class III and IV rapids and several Class V rapids. The Lower Animas has Class I+, II, and III rapids. The water is clear (except during peak flow) but cold (40°-45°).

Special features:

  • Dramatic alpine peaks and canyons.
  • Durango & Silverton narrow-gauge railroad parallels the Upper Animas.
  • Excellent hiking.
  • Wildflowers in spring and summer.
  • Beautiful autumn colors.
  • White-tailed deer, black bears, elk, bald eagles, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, ospreys, Canada geese, mallards.
  • Fishing for brown trout, rainbow trout, and steelhead.
  • Solitude (Upper Animas).
  • The Lower Animas provides an easy introduction to white-water rafting for families, seniors in good physical condition, and first-time paddlers. Families with young children are welcome during summer’s low-water levels; check with your outfitter about age limits.
  • Challenging alpine white water for advanced paddlers on the Upper Animas.

Nearby excursions:

  • Old mining towns of Durango and Silverton.
  • Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
  • Mesa Verde National Park.

For a list of outfitters:

  • USDA Forest Service, San Juan Resource Area, 701 Camino Del Rio, Durango, Colorado 81301; +1 970 247 4874, fax +1 970 385 1375. Try to book at least two months in advance for trips in July and August; less advance notice is needed for trips at other times of the year.
  • For a list of Colorado outfitters, contact the Colorado River Outfitters Association (CROA), 4098 Surrey Court, Lafayette, Colorado 80026; +1 303 369 4632.

For more information:

  • Colorado Travel and Tourism Authority, P.O. Box 22005, Denver, Colorado 80222; +1 303 296 3384 or 800 265 6723.
  • Colorado weekend story in NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER, September/October 1990. To order a copy, please click here.

 
 
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