Colorado whitewater, Gunnison River - North Fork Gunnison county, Paonia Reservoir to below Somerset section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS III     8.8 miles   The scenic beauty of Gunnison County and the playfulness of the water beats anything. The starting location is a reasonable drive from Montrose, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. This section of Gunnison River - North Fork in Colorado is 8.8 miles long and is according to American Whitewater a class III section of whitewater. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. This stretch     has has enough mileage, suitable for an afternoon trip. The Paonia Reservoir to below Somerset stretch is one of a few paddling stretches in this river system. Whether you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this area has a large number of paddling places. Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in Colorado are harder than the national norm, so better not forget that many of the sections here are not safe for beginners. Great exercise and a chance to spend some time outdoors will make you glad you came. Briefly about the general area: Places like Paonia State Park are good to explore, and there are plenty of folks from Somerset here. Gunnison National   Forest is a delightful site to visit; since you're here you can take a hike along the Sunset Trail. This river is a wonderful place to visit. A delightful spot in the neighborhood of Gunnison River - North Fork is Box Canyon; going for a hike along the Hammond Trail will let you absorb the natural beauty of this area. Through the summer, highs regularly are in the 70's at Gunnison River - North Fork. Summer nighttime lows dip down to the 40's. The cold days of the wintertime come with highs in the 30's; through the dark hours in the wintertime at Gunnison River - North Fork temperatures dip to the-10's. Gunnison River - North Fork, Paonia Reservoir to below Somerset road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.     Map Detailed Map Stats Stats for this river stretch Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near Gunnison River - North Fork.   Whitewater Near Gunnison River - North Fork: Gunnison River - North Fork, Gunnison County, 4 miles away       Class III - 8.8 miles long (Paonia Reservoir to below Somerset) Crystal River, Pitkin/ Gunnison County, 17 miles away       Class III-IV - 3 miles long (Marble to Redstone) Crystal River - South Fork, Gunnison County, 18 miles away       Class V+ - 0.25 miles long (Schofield Pass to Crystal) Anthracite Creek - Ruby Fork, Gunnison County, 18 miles away       Class V+ - 11 miles long (Bridge to Erikson Springs Campground) Yule Creek, Pitkin County, 18 miles away       Class V+ - 1.3 miles long (Bible Camp to Crystal River) Crystal River, Pitkin/Gunnison County, 18 miles away       Class V+ - 2 miles long (Redstone to Penny Hot Springs) Yule Creek, Gunnison County, 19 miles away       Class V+ - 2.25 miles long (10 000' to Marble Quarry) Crystal River, Pitkin County, 20 miles away       Class IV-V - 2.1 miles long (Penny Hot Springs to Avalanche Creek) Crystal River, Gunnison County, 20 miles away       Class V+ - 1.8 miles long (Road to Crystal to Beaver Lake) Crystal River, Pitkin County, 21 miles away       Class III - 4.8 miles long (Avalanche Creek to B.R.Campground)   Ski Areas Near Gunnison River - North Fork: Sunlight Mountain, Colorado , 26 miles away, 2010 foot drop, 4 lifts, 67 runs Crested Butte, Colorado , 31 miles away, 2775 foot drop, 16 lifts, 121 runs Irwin Lodge, Colorado , 32 miles away, 2100 foot drop, 3 lifts, 15 runs Aspen Highlands, Colorado , 41 miles away, 3635 foot drop, 4 lifts, 131 runs Buttermilk, Colorado , 41 miles away, 2030 foot drop, 7 lifts, 41 runs Aspen Mountain, Colorado , 43 miles away, 3267 foot drop, 8 lifts, 76 runs Snowmass, Colorado , 45 miles away, 4406 foot drop, 21 lifts, 84 runs Powderhorn, Colorado , 51 miles away, 1650 foot drop, 4 lifts, 44 runs Telluride, Colorado , 62 miles away, 3845 foot drop, 18 lifts, 115 runs Kendall Mountain, Colorado , 63 miles away, 400 foot drop, 1 lifts, 3 runs   Hotels Near Gunnison River - North Fork: Comfort Inn & Suites, Carbondale , 29 miles away Days Inn Carbondale, Carbondale , 29 miles away Cristiana Guesthaus, Crested Butte , 30 miles away The Ruby Of Crested Butte, Crested Butte , 31 miles away Purple Mountain Bed Breakfas, Crested Butte , 31 miles away   Campgrounds Near Gunnison River - North Fork: Paonia State Park - Spruce, Somerset, 6 miles away Paonia State Park - Hawsapple, Somerset, 6 miles away Camp Id-Ra-Ha-Je West, Somerset, 6 miles away   Trails Near Gunnison River - North Fork: Hammond Trail, Gunnison , 3 miles away Sunset Trail, Gunnison , 5 miles away Hammond Trail, Gunnison , 7 miles away Minnesota Pass Trail, Gunnison , 8 miles away Through Line Trail, Gunnison , 10 miles away   Public Lands Near Gunnison River - North Fork: Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Gunnison - CO , 62 miles away Curecanti National Recreation Area, Gunnison - CO , 62 miles away Paonia State Park, Colorado , 5 miles away Gunnison National Forest, Colorado , 12 miles away Crawford State Park, Colorado , 18 miles away   Lakes Near Gunnison River - North Fork Overland Reservoir, Delta , 18 miles away Crater Lake, Delta , 19 miles away