Paddling near Gunnison, CO

Gunnison sits in Gunnison County on Colorado's Western Slope, where the Gunnison River and a string of high-country lakes give paddlers everything from a downtown whitewater park to multi-day canyon expeditions. The river's character shifts dramatically along its length — a playful in-town feature wave, a beginner-friendly gorge run through red-rock canyon walls, and, upstream in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, some of the most demanding Class V whitewater in the country. Blue Mesa Reservoir, Lake Irwin, Lost Lakes, and Spring Creek Reservoir round out the scene with flatwater SUP and kayaking options across the valley.