Kayak Love

Colorado · river

Gunnison River below Gunnison Tunnel

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

99

Favorable weather

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 20:30:00 GMT.

River observation: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 20:15:00 GMT.

Page checked: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 20:43:07 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Gunnison River below Gunnison Tunnel
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado (9179282051).jpg by Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

4 mph

gusting to 4 mph

Air temp

61°F

33% chance of rain

River flow

211 cfs

low for this date

Weather outlook

Tuesday · 97

  • Mon

    86

  • Tue

    97

    Best

  • Wed

    76

  • Thu

    62

  • Fri

    12

  • Sat

    76

  • Sun

    89

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
2p34
3p55
4p55
5p55
6p1118
7p67
8p79
9p39
10p58
11p713
12a814
1a713

Is this flow normal for October 19?

Today's 211 cfs is 52% below the median for this date — which counts as low water here.

The median flow on this date is 439 cfs, across 115 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 4 mph — light wind at the forecast location±0
  • Rain — 33% chance in the next 6 hours-1

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

All paddling spots in Colorado →