Colorado River

Section 4 - Debeque to Big Sur

 
This is Big Sur. It runs only at high water. Guys with surf boards have been seen surfing this delightful wave. When the surf is up, people sit on the walkway in lawn chairs and watch the surfers. It's a day at the beach!

Don't even bother paddling from Debeque to Big Sur. It is really boring, flat, wide, and shallow. In the canyon the river is accompanied by Interstate 70. Just drive straight to Big Sur and go surfing. If the surf isn't up, paddle the flatwater at the rest area at Big Sur which departs the Interstate for about a mile. It is a nice, quiet place for paddlers who know how to enjoy perfect flatwater. Anyone up for a little interval training?

CURRENT STREAM FLOW COLORADO RIVER AT CAMEO

Put in:

The old river access at the green bridge on the frontage road one mile east of the Debeque has been closed.   New access is at the I-70 Debeque exit on the southeast intersection of the bridge to Debeque and the river itself.   Not as nice an access as the old one, but it will suffice.  It has plenty of parking, a slightly steep boat ramp, and moving water at the bottom of the ramp.

Take out:

You must be east bound on I-70 to get to the rest area where the takeout is located. The rest area is the old highway that was abandoned when the tunnel was built for the interstate. There is a boat ramp at the east end of the abandoned highway. Be sure to takeout here because there are two big dams downriver.

Length:

12 miles

River Rating:

Class I/II

Features:

BigSur&Vega6-1-03 001.jpg (174648 bytes)    streamflow.gif (7608 bytes)    streamflowcameo.gif (7572 bytes)