Colorado whitewater - Piedra River, San Juan and Jemez Mountains, Hinsdale/ Archuleta County Hinsdale/ Archuleta county, 1st Fork Bridge to Lower Piedra Campgound section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS III-V     10 miles   The scenic beauty of Colorado and the water flowing gracefully down Piedra River have people coming here. Whitewater rafting and kayaking in this state is often more difficult than elsewhere, so don't forget that many of the rivers here are not very forgiving. The 1st Fork Bridge to Lower Piedra Campgound section is one of a few paddling sections in this river system. The wild scenery of the San Juan and Jemez Mountains is great. If you're coming from Durango it's not a long drive at all to the starting location, if you're not familiar with the area there's     a road map further down the page. Not too many hotels nearby, you'll have to drive a bit to get to one, but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way in this general area you'll find lots of paddling rivers. This stretch of Piedra River is 10 miles long and is rated by American Whitewater as a class III-V section. This stretch has enough mileage for an overnight trip, so go ahead and pack your camping stuff. Getting some good exercise and just hanging out with mother nature will have you coming back for more. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. Briefly about the general area: From a rain point of view Piedra River is a pretty normal spot; August is when you get the most rain here, and the driest   month is June. For the period of the months of summer at Piedra River highs are generally in the 80's with night lows in the 40's. Through the winter this place gets highs in the 30's; nighttime lows at Piedra River through the winter typically fall into the 0's. A glorious site in close proximity to Piedra River is Peterson Gulch. Piedra River, 1st Fork Bridge to Lower Piedra Campgound road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: III-V Length: 10 miles    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 37.24297 Longitude: -107.34124 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 37.11259 Longitude: -107.38421 Paddler input for Piedra River, Colorado: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Piedra River, San Juan and Jemez Mountains, Colorado Local climate location: VALLECITO DAM 2 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. Keyah Grande Resort, Pagosa Springs 13 miles away Keyah Grande - An exclusive getaway. A Spanish-inspired gem, intimately nestled within 4,200 acres of pristine mountain wilderness, in the heart of Colorados San Juan Mountains. The eight guest suites... Econo Lodge Pagosa Springs, Pagosa Springs 20 miles away Indoor pool, hot tub, fitness center, sundeck and picnic area. Microwaves and refrig. available. Free breakfast including fresh fruit, assorted cereals, oatmeal, bagels, danishes and muffins. All ro... Fairfield Pagosa Resort, Pagosa Springs 20 miles away Fairfield Pagosa gives you an incredible 18,000 acres to discover. Its lakes, golf course, trout streams and other natural wonders give you a million places to hide away among the magnificent Rockies....   San Juan and Jemez Mountains Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in the San Juan and Jemez Mountains. San Juan and Jemez Mountains Outdoors Info Complete outdoors info for the San Juan and Jemez Mountains. All Colorado Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Colorado. Books about whitewater paddling on Piedra River, Colorado List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Piedra River, Colorado. Find a whitewater outfitter in Colorado Whitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info. Outdoors Recreation Near Durango, Colorado Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Durango, Colorado, the metro area neareast to Piedra River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Piedra River.   Whitewater Near Piedra River: Piedra River, Archuleta County , 5 miles away, Class II-III - 20 miles long (Lower Piedra Campground to Navajo Reservation) Piedra River, Hinsdale/ Archuleta County , 7 miles away, Class II-IV - 12 miles long (Upper Piedra Campground to 1st Fork Bridge) Vallecito Creek, La Plata County , 22 miles away, Class V+ - 1 miles long (1 mile above Vallecito Campground) San Juan River, Archuleta County , 23 miles away, Class II-III - 13.4 miles long (Pagosa to Trujillo Road) San Juan River, Archuleta County , 25 miles away, Class II-III - 1 miles long (Pagosa Springs Town Run) Rio Blanco, Archuleta County , 26 miles away, Class II-III - 8 miles long (Highway 84 to San Juan River) Navajo River, Rio Arriba (NM) / Archuleta County , 26 miles away, Class I-II - 25 miles long (Lower 25 miles to San Juan confluence)   Ski Areas Near Piedra River: Silverton, Colorado , 40 miles away, 1900 vertical feet Purgatory, Colorado , 40 miles away, 2029 vertical feet Kendall Mountain, Colorado , 40 miles away, 400 vertical feet Wolf Creek, Colorado , 43 miles away, 1604 vertical feet Hesperus Ski Center, Colorado , 48 miles away, 700 vertical feet Telluride, Colorado , 53 miles away, 3845 vertical feet Irwin Lodge, Colorado , 97 miles away, 2100 vertical feet Pajarito Mountain, New Mexico , 97 miles away, 1410 vertical feet Crested Butte, Colorado , 99 miles away, 2775 vertical feet   Hotels Near Piedra River: Keyah Grande Resort, Pagosa Springs , 13 miles away Econo Lodge Pagosa Springs, Pagosa Springs , 20 miles away Fairfield Pagosa Resort, Pagosa Springs , 20 miles away Pagosa Lodge, Pagosa Springs , 21 miles away Whispering Pines Condominums, Pagosa Springs , 22 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Piedra River: Navajo, Arboles, 4 miles away Lower Piedra Campground, Archuleta County, 4 miles away Capote Campground, Archuleta County, 7 miles away   Trails Near Piedra River: Pine-Piedra Stock Driveway, Hinsdale County , 8 miles away Devil Mountain Trail, Archuleta County , 9 miles away Middle Mountain Trail, Archuleta County , 12 miles away Piedra Stock Trail, Archuleta County , 15 miles away Fourmile Stock Trail, Archuleta County , 18 miles away   National Parks Near Piedra River: Aztec Ruins National Monument, Aztec - NM , 47 miles away