Parks & Recreation

Animas River

Animas River Greenway

To ensure a pleasurable experience and protect the Animas River Greenway, please read and follow these river user guidelines:

• Be Safe - It is recommended that river users wear a Coast Guard Approved life vest.  Helmets and secure foot gear are also recommended for individual crafts.
• Be Prepared - Weather and water conditions can change rapidly in any season; Inappropriate clothing and footwear can result in injury, hypothermia, dismemberment, or death.
• Be Careful - You will encounter rocks, logs, man-made obstacles and strong currents.
• Know your limits and be a strong swimmer.
• Scout unfamiliar waters and portage if necessary.
• Please Remember:
• No open containers of alcohol.
• No glass containers.
• Pack out all trash and dispose in a proper receptacle.
• Dogs must be on a leash on shore and dog waste cleaned up.
• Respect private property and do not trespass.
• Be polite and courteous to others on and near the river.
• When approaching anglers, move away to the opposite side of the river to pass by.
• Practice Leave-No-Trace Techniques.

Animas River Access Points

• 33rd Street (Limited Parking)
• 29th Street at Memorial Park
• Recreation Center (Tubing Put-in)*
• 9th Street at Schneider Park (Tubing Take-out)*
• Santa Rita Park
• Cundiff Park
• High Bridge
• Dallabetta Park
  *Free shuttle and parking for tubers

Animas River Flow

For current data on the Animas River Flow, please visit:  http://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/rt  On this webpage, move the cursor over the orange dots in the lower left-hand corner of the Colorado map until the pop-up reads: ANIMAS RIVER, DURANGO, CO.  Click on this and scroll down the webpage to view up-to-date Animas River Flow data.

The City of Durango Transit for the Main Avenue Trolley is FREE! Park at the Transit Center or Schneider Park and take the Trolley to the Recreation Center with a deflated tube. River users can walk a short distance to the river. For a Transit schedule, please visit the Transit webpage. At the Recreation Center put-in you will find a pump station to fill your tube up for FREE! Float the Animas River to 9th Street river access to take out, where you car is only a block away.

• Smelter Rapids in the Whitewater Park is for experienced boaters only and inner tubes are not recommended.
• Tubing is recommended in lower water (under 800 CFS) on the Animas River in July and August.  The water is very cold, even in the summertime.
• Dallabetta Park is the last public access on the Animas River in Durango.  Boaters and Tubers are encourage to exit the river at this location to avoid private property trespass downstream of Dallabetta Park.

Zebra Mussel Concerns

A small freshwater mollusk called the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), has been steadily invading America's rivers and lakes. Zebra mussels upset ecosystems, threaten native wildlife, damage structures, and cause other serious problems.

So that boaters and fishermen do not inadvertently transfer mussel larvae from one water body to another, it is recommended that only boats that have been cleaned, drained and dried be launched.

For more information, you may visit the U.S. Geological Survey website: http://nas.er.usgs.gov/taxgroup/mollusks/zebramussel/ or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website: http:www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/clams/zebra.html