Colorado
Animas River at Durango
Location Snapshot
Animas River at Durango is a southwest Colorado mountain river flowing through the Durango valley below the San Juan high country. Brown and rainbow trout are the principal targets across riffles, runs, and deeper mainstem pools.
Current River Rating
Fair · 54
Conditions are mixed. Review the details below before heading out.
Scores are model-specific and are not directly comparable across water types.
Partial water evidence · Medium confidence
Should I Go?
Consider
Recommended Window
Wednesday, 7:00 AM–10:00 AM
Why
- Air temperature is comfortable for a river trout trip.
- Light wind should make casting and boat control easier.
- Very clear skies may make trout more cautious in shallow water.
Favorable Factors
- Recent precipitation has been light.
Timing Evidence
Window confidence: High
Current Readings
- Flow
- 1170 CFS
- Gage Height
- 3.57 ft
- Water Temperature
- 49.6 °F
- Observation Time
- Oct 21, 2026, 12:30 AM
Updated recently · USGS station 09361500 · Direct monitoring location
Readings from past 7 Days
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Historical readings are provided for context. Readings outside the current freshness window are not used to rate current conditions.
Better Nearby Options
Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…
Preliminary guidance only. Always assess current weather, access, water depth, current speed, and your own ability before entering the river.
Changing Conditions Advisory
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Weather Near Gauge
Current Weather
Clear
Temperature
57°F
Feels like
52°F
Wind
4 mph SE
Wind gust
4 mph
Current precipitation
0.00 in
Updated
Oct 20, 2026, 7:15 PM
Recent Rainfall
Estimated precipitation near this gauge
Last 6 hours
0.00 in
Last 24 hours
0.00 in
Last 48 hours
0.00 in
Little recent rainfall near this river.
Next 24 Hours
Tue 8 PM
Clear
Temp 55°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 6 mph
Wed 12 AM
Overcast
Temp 51°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 7 mph
Wed 4 AM
Overcast
Temp 49°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 6 mph
Wed 8 AM
Overcast
Temp 50°F
Chance 4%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 6 mph
Wed 12 PM
Rain
Temp 56°F
Chance 38%
Precip 0.05 in
Wind 5 mph
Wed 4 PM
Overcast
Temp 55°F
Chance 44%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 12 mph
Four-Day Forecast
Tue, Oct 20
Overcast
High 65°F / Low 44°F
Chance 17%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 12 mph
Wed, Oct 21
Rain
High 63°F / Low 49°F
Chance 61%
Precip 0.53 in
Max gust 22 mph
Thu, Oct 22
Showers
High 58°F / Low 51°F
Chance 100%
Precip 1.78 in
Max gust 17 mph
Fri, Oct 23
Drizzle
High 59°F / Low 47°F
Chance 100%
Precip 0.13 in
Max gust 15 mph
Weather and rainfall are estimated for this river's coordinates. Local conditions can vary, especially in mountainous terrain and during isolated storms.
Recent rainfall can influence river flow, but the timing and magnitude depend on watershed size, soil conditions, upstream reservoirs, and dam releases.
Weather data: Open-Meteo
Historical Flow
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Fishing Overview
Wild brown and rainbow trout are in the Animas River at Durango.
Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Animas River.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Target species
Brown Trout
Salmo trutta
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Unknown
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Wild
- Great Lakes tributary
- No
- Flow regime
- Mixed flow regime
Best seasons
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
Common techniques
- Dry flies
- Fly fishing
- Nymphing
- Spinning
- Streamers
Official sources
Hatch Match
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Location and Access
USGS monitoring location
La Plata, Colorado
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
River Details
County
La Plata
Management Category
Gold Medal trout river
Regulation Scope
Animas River Gold Medal at Durango (Lightner Creek to Rivera Crossing).
Regulation Summary
Gold Medal Animas (Lightner Creek–Rivera Crossing): artificial flies and lures only; 2 trout, 16-inch minimum.
Target Species
Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
Access, Parking, and Regulations
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