Colorado whitewater, Animas River La Plata county, Purple Cliffs to State line section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS II-III     12 miles   The scenic beauty of Colorado and the cool fresh water beats anything. The starting location is a reasonable drive from Durango, as you can see on the road map further down. If you've been whitewater rafting and kayaking outside this state you might find the rivers here a bit more challenging, so you'd better keep in mind that the rivers in this state are less manageable. This section is long enough for an overnight trip if you take your     time, so go ahead and pack your camping stuff. You can pitch a tent or park your RV at a nearby campground. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination. The Purple Cliffs to State line section is one of many paddling sections in this river system. The Purple Cliffs to State line section of Animas River is 12 miles long and is according to American Whitewater a class II-III section of whitewater. A good workout and just being out on the river for a while are great attractions for lots of people. Some people prefer whitewater rafting   and some kayaking, either way in this general area you'll find lots of paddling rivers. Briefly about the general area: Near Animas River you find Sanchez Draw which is a splendid place to take a look at, and Animas River is not far at all from Durango. Around Animas River you don’t get a lot of rain. Through the month of August you get the most rain around here, and June meanwhile is the driest month. The warmest time of the year brings highs in the 80's to Animas River, and all through summer nights temperatures are in the 40's. The wintertime brings highs down to the 30's with temperatures at Animas River dipping down into the 0's all through winter nights. Animas River, Purple Cliffs to State line 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 Animas River.   Whitewater Near Animas River: Animas River, La Plata County, 7 miles away       Class II-III - 12 miles long (Purple Cliffs to State line) Whitewater Outfitter - 4 Corners Whitewater, La Plata County, 7 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Whitewater Outfitter - Outlaw Rivers & Jeep Tours, La Plata County, 9 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Whitewater Outfitter - Durango Rafting, La Plata County, 9 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Whitewater Outfitter - Flexible Flyers Rafting, La Plata County, 10 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Animas River, La Plata County, 10 miles away       Class III - 6.5 miles long (32nd St. Park to Purple Cliffs) Animas River, San Juan County, 10 miles away       Class I-II - 25 miles long (Cedar Hill to Farmington City Park) Animas River, San Juan/ La Plata County, 23 miles away       Class IV-V - 2.6 miles long (Tacoma to Rockwood Rail Yard) Canyon Creek, La Plata County, 23 miles away       Class V+ - 3 miles long (to Animas River) San Juan River, San Juan County, 24 miles away       Class II - 50 miles long (Navajo Dam to Four Corners)   Ski Areas Near Animas River: Hesperus Ski Center, Colorado , 16 miles away, 700 foot drop, 2 lifts, 5 runs Purgatory, Colorado , 28 miles away, 2029 foot drop, 11 lifts, 85 runs Silverton, Colorado , 40 miles away, 3200 foot drop, 1 lifts, 1 runs Kendall Mountain, Colorado , 41 miles away, 400 foot drop, 1 lifts, 3 runs Telluride, Colorado , 45 miles away, 3845 foot drop, 18 lifts, 115 runs Wolf Creek, Colorado , 77 miles away, 1604 foot drop, 7 lifts, 77 runs   Hotels Near Animas River: La Quinta Inn & Suites Durango, Durango , 7 miles away Homewood Suites By Hilton Durango CO, Durango , 7 miles away Super 8 Durango, Durango , 7 miles away Comfort Inn & Suites Durango, Durango , 7 miles away Best Western Plus Rio Grande Inn, Durango , 8 miles away   Campgrounds Near Animas River: Durango East KOA, Durango, 8 miles away K O A Kampgrounds, Durango, 8 miles away Cotton wood RV Park, Durango, 9 miles away   Public Lands Near Animas River: Aztec Ruins National Monument, Aztec - NM , 18 miles away Mesa Verde National Park, Mesa Verde National Park - CO , 40 miles away Navajo State Park, Colorado , 22 miles away Navajo Lake State Park, New Mexico , 26 miles away Mancos State Park, Colorado , 32 miles away   Golf Courses Near Animas River: Hillcrest Golf Club, Durango , 9 miles away Hunter's Run Golf Course, Ignacio , 11 miles away Dalton Ranch Golf Club, Durango , 15 miles away   Lakes Near Animas River Pastorius Reservoir, La Plata , 6 miles away Mormon Reservoir, La Plata , 19 miles away