The Gunnison River is a tailwater in Colorado, listed as Gold Medal Water by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
1 USGS gauge on the water reports flow. 4 guides and 2 shops nearby are listed here.
The Gunnison River at the North Fork confluence, Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area. Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gunnison River is a tailwater in Colorado.
Pick one of its USGS gauges and hear from us when the flow moves into or out of its usual range for the date, or crosses a flow you set. We check the public USGS reading every 2 hours and email only when it crosses, at most once every 6 hours. Flow alone is not a fishing forecast or a safety call.
Signed in: one step. Otherwise we email a confirmation link first. Every alert has one-click links to stop it.
Start from the agency's public access map. Nothing on this page grants or implies access: check the agency map, posted signs and landowner permission before you fish.
Nothing on this page grants or implies access.
Gauges, shops and guides within 40 miles
Map of Gunnison River: gauges, shops and guides
Map of Gunnison River with 1 USGS gauge, and shops and guides with an exact address within 40 miles.
Restrooms within 2 miles of Gunnison River in a straight line, nearest first, with what anglers found when they went. The map says a restroom is there, not whether it is clean or open today.
Map of 2 restrooms near Gunnison River
Skip the map; every place is in the list belowMap of 2 restrooms near Gunnison River, numbered as in the list, with the water’s point marked.
Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
At a campground · National Parks Service
Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom locations and map details: © OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database License, read Oct 24, 2026. Ratings, answers and photos are members' own; who shared them is never shown, and every photo is reviewed before it appears. Visits older than 18 months no longer count. Distances are straight-line miles, not driving. Nothing here grants access to private land. Community guidelines.
Gold Medal WaterThe Taylor River, Gunnison County, Colorado. Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Colorado · about 44 mi
Featured sport-fishing waterRepresentative photo · not Uncompahgre RiverThe Animas River from Santa Rita Park, Durango, Colorado. Photo: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Not Uncompahgre River.
Colorado · about 15 mi
Featured sport-fishing waterRepresentative photo · not Blue Mesa ReservoirNavajo Lake from Navajo Lake State Park, New Mexico. Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Blue Mesa Reservoir.
Colorado · about 24 mi
Catch and releaseRepresentative photo · not Cochetopa CreekThe Rio Grande near South Fork, Colorado. Photo: Kevin Stroup, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Cochetopa Creek.
Colorado · about 49 mi
Catch and releaseRepresentative photo · not Los Pinos CreekThe Los Pinos River in La Plata County, Colorado. Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Los Pinos Creek.
Colorado · about 49 mi
Catch and releaseRepresentative photo · not Rito Hondo CreekThe Piedra River in Hinsdale County, Colorado. Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Rito Hondo Creek.
Colorado · about 50 mi
Seasons, limits, special regulations and closures for each reach are on the agency pages below. Read them before you go.
Each comes from the agency's own published list; where the list names a reach it is quoted. A designation applies to the listed reach, not necessarily the whole water. Listed in the finder under trout.
On the Gold Medal Streams list (Colorado Parks and Wildlife, read 2026-11-05). All waters with this designation
On the Special Regulations: Fishing Waters (trout rules: artificial flies and lures, trout limits) list (Colorado Parks and Wildlife, read 2026-11-05). All waters with this designation
Measured from the NHDPlus High Resolution (flowlines and waterbodies) (U.S. Geological Survey, read 2026-11-04) for this water’s own mapped feature. Rounded figures; they describe the channel, not today’s conditions.
Areas the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), public access (U.S. Geological Survey, Gap Analysis Project, read 2026-11-05) lists as owned or held in easement and open to the public, crossed by the mapped channel. Boundaries are mapped, not surveyed. Nothing on this page grants or implies access: check the agency map, posted signs and landowner permission before you fish.
37.7 of 161.3 mi on public land
+1 smaller areas
Nothing on this page grants or implies access.
Listings marked Unclaimed are built from open map records and the business's own website: confirm licensing, rates, dates and hours directly.
3 guides name it on their website
Hotchkiss, CO · 20 mi
Float trips · Jet boat · Gunnison River
Names this water
Austin, CO · 22 mi
Float trips · Walk-and-wade · Gunnison River
Names this water
Cotopaxi, CO · 107 mi
Float trips · Wade trips · Colorado & Arkansas
Names this water
What 2 nearby guide websites mention: what guides advertise, not a survey or a promise of what you will catch.
Named on 2 nearby guide websites
1 hatch charted for the region, not measured on this water. From Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
Green drake (June to July)
None of our destination hubs is within 40 miles in a straight line. The trip planner builds a trip around the water itself: the guides and shops listed within 40 miles of it, its gauges and its nearest towns and airports.
No hub within 40 miles
A wade-fishing checklist for big western trout rivers: a 9 ft 5–6 weight outfit, nymph, dry and streamer setups, waders, boots and a wading staff, with estimated prices by tier and where to buy.
9′ rod, 5–6 weight, floating line · Rainbow and brown trout, whitefish
Open the checklistSeams, shelves and soft water, shown on real rivers.
Public YouTube videos from established channels, chosen by us to support this page. Not sponsored; the creators are not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear.
Not sponsored All videos on reading water
Indicator rigs, depth and detecting the take.
Public YouTube videos from established channels, chosen by us to support this page. Not sponsored; the creators are not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear.
Not sponsored All videos on nymphing
Trip stories anglers chose to share publicly and tagged with Gunnison River.
No stories from here yet.
Not a statement of access, fish presence or conditions.
A water page organises discovery. It does not assert public access, legal access, current fish presence, guide availability or fishing conditions.
Flows, gauge statistics and flood stages come from USGS and the National Weather Service when the page is shown. Regulations, stocking, species and season statements link to the agency that publishes them; this page copies only the species names and the quoted sentences. Guide and shop listings come from the Legendary directories. Position: the USGS gauge GUNNISON RIVER BELOW GUNNISON TUNNEL, CO. Water type is our own classification.
Limited data: Normal flow for the date: no water temperature here
No water temperature here.
At GUNNISON RIVER BELOW GUNNISON TUNNEL, CO (USGS 09128000) Provisional USGS data
USGS 09128000 · NWS GEPC2
What the agencies suggest
Anglers should use a handheld thermometer to test water conditionsColorado Parks and Wildlife
General guidance from the readings and the published lines named above, not a fishing forecast. Local rules and closures come first.
Reading Nov 5, 4:30 PM MST · provisional USGS data
Below normal for Nov 5 Steady · 24 h
Discharge, last 7 days: 169 readings from Oct 29, 5:30 PM MDT to Nov 5, 4:30 PM MST; ranging 200 to 258 ft³/s; latest 205 ft³/s.
USGS provisional data may be revised. Source: USGS instantaneous values.
| Time | Discharge (ft³/s) | Gauge height (ft) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 4:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 5, 3:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 5, 2:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 5, 1:30 PM MST | 202 | 1.39 |
| Nov 5, 12:30 PM MST | 202 | 1.39 |
| Nov 5, 11:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 5, 10:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 5, 9:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 5, 8:30 AM MST | 202 | 1.39 |
| Nov 5, 7:30 AM MST | 202 | 1.39 |
| Nov 5, 6:30 AM MST | 202 | 1.39 |
| Nov 5, 5:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 5, 4:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 5, 3:30 AM MST | 202 | 1.39 |
| Nov 5, 2:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 5, 1:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 5, 12:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 11:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 10:30 PM MST | 202 | 1.39 |
| Nov 4, 9:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 8:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 7:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 6:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 5:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 4:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 3:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 2:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 1:30 PM MST | 200 | 1.38 |
| Nov 4, 12:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 11:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 10:30 AM MST | 202 | 1.39 |
| Nov 4, 9:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 8:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 7:30 AM MST | 202 | 1.39 |
| Nov 4, 6:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 5:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 4:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 3:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 2:30 AM MST | 202 | 1.39 |
| Nov 4, 1:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 4, 12:30 AM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 3, 11:30 PM MST | 202 | 1.39 |
| Nov 3, 10:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 3, 9:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 3, 8:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 3, 7:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 3, 6:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 3, 5:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 3, 4:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 3, 3:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 3, 2:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 3, 1:30 PM MST | 205 | 1.4 |
| Nov 3, 12:30 PM MST | 207 | 1.41 |
| Nov 3, 11:30 AM MST | 216 | 1.45 |
| Nov 3, 10:30 AM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 3, 9:30 AM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 3, 8:30 AM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 3, 7:30 AM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 3, 6:30 AM MST | 216 | 1.45 |
| Nov 3, 5:30 AM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 3, 4:30 AM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 3, 3:30 AM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 3, 2:30 AM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 3, 1:30 AM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 3, 12:30 AM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 2, 11:30 PM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 2, 10:30 PM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 2, 9:30 PM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 2, 8:30 PM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 2, 7:30 PM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 2, 6:30 PM MST | 216 | 1.45 |
| Nov 2, 5:30 PM MST | 216 | 1.45 |
| Nov 2, 4:30 PM MST | 216 | 1.45 |
| Nov 2, 3:30 PM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 2, 2:30 PM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 2, 1:30 PM MST | 213 | 1.44 |
| Nov 2, 12:30 PM MST | 216 | 1.45 |
| Nov 2, 11:30 AM MST | 218 | 1.46 |
| Nov 2, 10:30 AM MST | 218 | 1.46 |
| Nov 2, 9:30 AM MST | 220 | 1.47 |
| Nov 2, 8:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 2, 7:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 2, 6:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 2, 5:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 2, 4:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 2, 3:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 2, 2:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 2, 1:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 2, 12:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 11:30 PM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 10:30 PM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 9:30 PM MST | 225 | 1.49 |
| Nov 1, 8:30 PM MST | 225 | 1.49 |
| Nov 1, 7:30 PM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 6:30 PM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 5:30 PM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 4:30 PM MST | 225 | 1.49 |
| Nov 1, 3:30 PM MST | 227 | 1.5 |
| Nov 1, 2:30 PM MST | 229 | 1.51 |
| Nov 1, 1:30 PM MST | 229 | 1.51 |
| Nov 1, 12:30 PM MST | 225 | 1.49 |
| Nov 1, 11:30 AM MST | 225 | 1.49 |
| Nov 1, 10:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 9:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 8:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 7:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 6:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 5:30 AM MST | 220 | 1.47 |
| Nov 1, 4:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 3:30 AM MST | 220 | 1.47 |
| Nov 1, 2:30 AM MST | 220 | 1.47 |
| Nov 1, 1:30 AM MST | 222 | 1.48 |
| Nov 1, 1:30 AM MDT | 220 | 1.47 |
| Nov 1, 12:30 AM MDT | 220 | 1.47 |
| Oct 31, 11:30 PM MDT | 220 | 1.47 |
| Oct 31, 10:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 9:30 PM MDT | 220 | 1.47 |
| Oct 31, 8:30 PM MDT | 220 | 1.47 |
| Oct 31, 7:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 6:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 5:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 4:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 3:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 2:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 1:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 12:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 11:30 AM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 10:30 AM MDT | 220 | 1.47 |
| Oct 31, 9:30 AM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 8:30 AM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 7:30 AM MDT | 220 | 1.47 |
| Oct 31, 6:30 AM MDT | 220 | 1.47 |
| Oct 31, 5:30 AM MDT | 220 | 1.47 |
| Oct 31, 4:30 AM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 3:30 AM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 2:30 AM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 1:30 AM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 31, 12:30 AM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 30, 11:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 30, 10:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 30, 9:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 30, 8:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 30, 7:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 30, 6:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 30, 5:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 30, 4:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 30, 3:30 PM MDT | 222 | 1.48 |
| Oct 30, 2:30 PM MDT | 225 | 1.49 |
| Oct 30, 1:30 PM MDT | 241 | 1.56 |
| Oct 30, 12:30 PM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 30, 11:30 AM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 30, 10:30 AM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 30, 9:30 AM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 30, 8:30 AM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 30, 7:30 AM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 30, 6:30 AM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 30, 5:30 AM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 30, 4:30 AM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 30, 3:30 AM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 30, 2:30 AM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 30, 1:30 AM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 30, 12:30 AM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 29, 11:30 PM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 29, 10:30 PM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 29, 9:30 PM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 29, 8:30 PM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 29, 7:30 PM MDT | 258 | 1.63 |
| Oct 29, 6:30 PM MDT | 256 | 1.62 |
| Oct 29, 5:30 PM MDT | 251 | 1.6 |
Normal for Nov 5: 330–968 ft³/s (middle half of 116 years of record). Now: 205 ft³/s, below normal.
Below normal for this date. 205 ft³/s is between the 10th and 25th percentiles of daily mean flow for Nov 5 at this gauge over 116 years of record: 10th 190, 25th 330, median 550, 75th 968, 90th 1,492 ft³/s.
Daily means on record for Nov 5: lowest 0.3 ft³/s, highest 1,850 ft³/s.
Classes as USGS labels them (hyswap: flow categories (WDFN_stats schema) (U.S. Geological Survey) ); percentiles from the USGS daily statistics (U.S. Geological Survey) (approved daily means; the reading is provisional and instantaneous).
Steady over 24 hours (+0% discharge). Rising or falling means a change of more than 10% in discharge (or 0.2 ft of gauge height) over 24 hours; our rule of thumb, not a USGS class.
NWS observed 1.4 ft stage, 205 ft³/s at Nov 5, 4:00 PM MST (NWS gauge GEPC2; its stage datum can differ from the USGS gauge height).
NWS has not set flood categories for this gauge.
NWS river forecast forecast issued Nov 5, 9:06 AM MST. Highest point: 1.4 ft, 205 ft³/s on Nov 5, 8:00 AM MST.
| Day | Stage | Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Nov 5 | 1.4 ft | 205 ft³/s |
| Fri, Nov 6 | 1.4 ft | 205 ft³/s |
| Sat, Nov 7 | 1.4 ft | 205 ft³/s |
| Sun, Nov 8 | 1.4 ft | 205 ft³/s |
| Mon, Nov 9 | 1.4 ft | 205 ft³/s |
| Tue, Nov 10 | 1.4 ft | 205 ft³/s |
| Wed, Nov 11 | 1.4 ft | 205 ft³/s |
| Thu, Nov 12 | 1.4 ft | 205 ft³/s |
Open the NWS gauge page · What the categories mean (National Weather Service)
No current water-temperature reading at this gauge, so no temperature guidance is given. Take a stream thermometer: the trout lines Colorado Parks and Wildlife uses are 71°F.
This gauge is on our page for Gunnison River, but no agency page we read lists its species.
Turn Around Don't Drown. “A mere 6 inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult.” No flow number makes a crossing safe; if in doubt, stay out.
Turn Around Don't Drown (National Weather Service)Guidance from the readings above and the published thresholds named with each line; not a fishing forecast, a safety guarantee or a statement about access. Local rules and closures come first.
Checked Nov 5, 4:51 PM MST; readings refresh at most every 15 minutes and statistics daily. Provisional USGS data can be revised. Conditions change: re-check before you go. This is general guidance, not a fishing forecast, a safety guarantee or a statement about access.
Gold Medal WaterThe Taylor River, Gunnison County, Colorado. Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Featured sport-fishing waterRepresentative photo · not Uncompahgre RiverThe Animas River from Santa Rita Park, Durango, Colorado. Photo: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Not Uncompahgre River.
Featured sport-fishing waterRepresentative photo · not Blue Mesa ReservoirNavajo Lake from Navajo Lake State Park, New Mexico. Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Blue Mesa Reservoir.
Colorado · about 24 mi
Catch and releaseRepresentative photo · not Cochetopa CreekThe Rio Grande near South Fork, Colorado. Photo: Kevin Stroup, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Cochetopa Creek.
Catch and releaseRepresentative photo · not Los Pinos CreekThe Los Pinos River in La Plata County, Colorado. Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Los Pinos Creek.
Colorado · about 49 mi
Catch and releaseRepresentative photo · not Rito Hondo CreekThe Piedra River in Hinsdale County, Colorado. Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Rito Hondo Creek.
Colorado · about 50 mi
