Roaring Fork River

Roaring Fork River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately 70 miles (110 km) long, in west central Colorado in the United States. The river drains a populated and economically vital area of the Colorado Western Slope called the Roaring Fork Valley or Roaring Fork Watershed, which includes the resort city of Aspen and the resorts of Aspen/Snowmass.

The Roaring Fork in winter as seen from a backyard in Woody Creek, Colorado.

Roaring Fork River
Hardwick Bridge crossing the Roaring Fork River, between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs
Map of the Roaring Fork River
Location
Country	United States
State	Colorado
Physical characteristics
Source	Independence Lake
• location	White River National Forest, Pitkin County
• coordinates	39°08′38″N 106°34′04″W[1]
• elevation	12,490 ft (3,810 m)
Mouth	Colorado River
• location	Glenwood Springs, Garfield County
• coordinates	39°32′57″N 107°19′47″W[1]
• elevation	5,718 ft (1,743 m)
Length	70 mi (110 km)
Basin size	1,453 sq mi (3,760 km2)[2]
Discharge
• location	mouth[2]
• average	1,206 cu ft/s (34.2 m3/s)[2]
• minimum	180 cu ft/s (5.1 m3/s)
• maximum	13,000 cu ft/s (370 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Crystal River
• right	Fryingpan River

It rises in the Sawatch Range in eastern Pitkin County, on the west side of Independence Pass on the continental divide. It flows northwest past Aspen, Woody Creek, and Snowmass. It receives the Fryingpan River at Basalt. 1.5 miles (2 km) below Carbondale, it receives the Crystal River from the south. It joins the Colorado in Glenwood Springs. The entire area that drains into the Roaring Fork River is known as the Roaring Fork Watershed. This area is 1,451 square miles (3,760 km²) and about the same size as the state of Rhode Island. The river flows through canyons along most of its route and is a popular destination for recreation whitewater rafting. The river supplies water through the Sawatch Range to the Twin Lakes Reservoir via the Twin Lakes Tunnel. Roaring Fork Conservancy is the watershed conservation organization for the Roaring Fork River and its tributaries.

The Roaring Fork is a swift, deep, powerful river with very clear water. It is navigable by small craft throughout most of its length to its confluence with the Colorado. The mean annual flow is 1,206 cu ft/s (34.2 m³/s).[2]