The Arkansas River through the Royal Gorge and into downtown is one of Cañon City’s biggest tourism draws. And the best place to enjoy the river is on the edge of Centennial Park at the Cañon City Whitewater Park.
Spend your summertime along the banks of the Arkansas River, watching an array of people play and paddle in the whitewater. Given Cañon City’s reasonable elevation of around 5300′ and its banana belt location, this spot sees a lot of use all summer long.
Arkansas River Tubing, Kayaking, and Surfing
The design of the Cañon City Whitewater Park was done by RiverRestoration, and completed in 2010. There are several bank terraces built with sandstone steps, as well as two whitewater features.
During the project, years ago, the riverbank was stabilized for 200 feet, native wildlife planted, and several access points were added to make this a favorite community hangout. A wading pool was also built.
Upstream from Cañon City and about an hour’s drive is the Salida Whitewater Park. This cool facility sits around 7,000′ in elevation in the heart of Salida and the sunny Arkansas River Valley.
Details
Address: Centennial Park, Cañon City, CO 81212
Season: Centennial Park and river access is open year-round, late spring to summer is most popular
Admission: Free