Is the Royal Gorge Running in a Low-Water Year?
The 2026 headlines said Colorado rafting was in trouble. The same reporting said the Arkansas season would go ahead and that the Royal Gorge would see more traffic. How to plan a Royal Gorge trip when the snowpack is low.
The Short Answer
Yes, it runs. After a winter that left Colorado snowpacks at record lows, The Colorado Sun reported on May 22, 2026 that the Arkansas River rafting season will happen, with fewer paddlers on smaller boats, and that lower sections of the river with more water, like the Royal Gorge, would see more traffic.
Why the Headlines Scared People Off
The stories that spread were the headlines: 'bracing for a rocky summer' on May 22 and 'drought is crippling rafting' on June 3. They landed in late May and early June, exactly when families book summer trips. The detail about the Royal Gorge sat further down the page.
How to Plan Around Low Water
- Check the gauge: USGS 07094500, the Arkansas River at Parkdale, sits at the top of the Royal Gorge. Under 500 cfs is low, 500 to 2,000 cfs is the range most groups find ideal, and over 2,000 cfs is high water.
- Expect a different ride, not a cancelled one: at low water guides pick more technical lines and paddlers do more of the work.
- Ask your outfitter what the current level means for the specific trip you are booking, since each section of the river reacts differently.
- Stack the day: the Royal Gorge Bridge, the zipline and the canyon railroad do not depend on the river level at all.
USGS gauge: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/USGS-07094500/ . The Colorado Sun, May 22, 2026: https://coloradosun.com/2026/05/22/arkansas-river-rafting-low-flows/