Buena Vista Whitewater Park (In-Town features at the Buena Vista Whitewater Park)
The Buena Vista Whitewater Park is renowned for its five primary whitewater features, designed for kayaking, surfing, paddleboarding, and rafting. Each structure offers unique characteristics that cater to a range of river users and flow conditions. All users need to come prepared for swift and cold water and possess the baseline skill set required for class III whitewater. Please watch this video to learn more.
Access- BV Boatramp, Day Use (Staircase), South Main Boat Ramp
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Uptown Wave – A fun and challenging kayaking hole best suited for intermediate to advanced paddlers. Located just above the Whipple Bridge.
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Staircase Wave – A friendly, approachable green wave and soft hole that works well for most users when flows are between 400–1,500 cfs. It’s great for surfing, SUP, and intermediate kayakers. Located below the BV Dog Park
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Pocket Wave – Just downstream of the Staircase Wave, this flat wave becomes ideal for surfing above 1,500 cfs. It’s a favorite during high water and is slated for potential improvements in 2025.
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Downtown Wave/Hole – Positioned at the heart of South Main Town Square, this feature is excellent for kayaking at flows between 300–1,000 cfs. It’s a popular spot due to its accessibility and consistency. Located in front of the Surf Hotel.
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LoDo Wave – A dynamic and powerful feature that forms a strong hole. Best suited for intermediate to advanced kayakers and river surfers, with ideal flows between 450–900 cfs. Located just below the Surf Hotel and just above Beaver Falls Rapid (class III)
What is going on the Arkansas River BELOW the Buena Vista Whitewater Park
Be aware of the challenging whitewater just below the Whitewater Park. The river character in and above Buena Vista is steep, fast, and cold. Some features to be aware of include:
Beaver Falls (Class III)
Just downstream of LoDo is Beaver Falls, a legitimate class III rapid with a long run out to the Beaver Falls Bridge that should be scouted via the trail on the west side of the Whitewater Park.
Silver Bullet (Class III)
This section begins below the Buena Vista Whitewater Park and features fun wave trains and a few playful surf spots. There is a well-signed boat chute portage, allowing for safer passage around an old irrigation diversion. Be aware of this area and follow the information provided on the signs. There is a well-marked scouting and portage trail on the river's right side just above the boat chute.
Summary
The Arkansas River around Buena Vista offers an incredible range of paddling experiences—from adrenaline-pumping rapids, bouncy surf waves, dynamic play holes to family-friendly floats. The Buena Vista Whitewater Park serves as the town's recreational hub, bridging a whitewater culture and surf vibe with accessible river play and community connection.
In advance of your visit, please check out this educational video that will better prepare you before recreating in the Park
The second half of this run, from Johnson Village down to Fisherman's bridge is commonly referred to as the Milk Run.
See *Colorado Rivers and Creeks II*, by Banks and Eckardt *(The Bible)*, for info on this and most of the other kewl runs of Colorado.
Lat/longitude coords are approximate, from TopoZone.
See also
Pinecreek (Class IV/V),
The Numbers (Class IV),
Fractions/ Frogrock(Class III),
Buena Vista (Class III),
Browns Canyon (Class III),
Salida (Class III),
Rincon (Class III),
Pinnacle Rock (Class III),
Royal Gorge (Class III/IV).