Colorado whitewater, Purgatoire River Las Animas Otero county, US 350 to Highway 109 section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS I-V     104 miles   I tried it once and it was almost a death trap - huge strainers everywhere from past floods.  Plus, the water is almost always too shallow to paddle, so you have to try it in near flood conditions.  Skip the whole river. Nathan Ward www.icemountainadventures.com This section of Purgatoire River in Las Animas/ Otero County is 104 miles long and is rated by American Whitewater as a class I-V section. The natural beauty of Colorado     and the water flowing gracefully down Purgatoire River attract people from near and far. The put-in location is a reasonable drive from Pueblo, please print out a copy of the road map further down the page so you won’t get lost. The US 350 to Highway 109 section is the only paddling section along Purgatoire River. Great exercise and just being out on the river for a while are great reasons to come. Now this is a pretty long section, so it looks like you will be camping out. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in this state tend to be more challenging than the national average, so don't forget   that a lot of the rivers here are not suitable for beginners. There aren’t any hotels right nearby but if you're willing to drive a short distance then no problem but if you don’t have reservations you might end up sleeping in your car. Briefly about the general area: Summertime highs at Purgatoire River generally tend to be in the 90's, and during the night it cools down to the 50's. For the period of the winter highs are in the 40's, and night lows at Purgatoire River during the winter ordinarily plunge into the 10's. Around Purgatoire River you don’t get a lot of rain. Of all the months in a year July is the one with the most rain; January is the month with the least moisture. Purgatoire River, US 350 to Highway 109 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 Purgatoire River.   Hotels Near Purgatoire River: Holiday Inn Express LA JUNTA, La Junta , 33 miles away Econo Lodge La Junta, La Junta , 33 miles away Hampton Inn La Junta, La Junta , 33 miles away Super 8 Trinidad, Trinidad , 47 miles away Days Inn & Suites Trinidad, Trinidad , 48 miles away   Campgrounds Near Purgatoire River: Picket Wire Corrals, La Junta, 19 miles away   Public Lands Near Purgatoire River: Capulin Volcano National Monument, Capulin - NM , 44 miles away