Have you ever gone on a Piedra River rafting trip?  Have you even heard of this river? Tucked away in Southwest Colorado’s largest and most pristine forest preserve, the Piedra River is truly a river to experience. Whether you’re visiting via raft or on a hike, here are the things to know about the Piedra.

• The Piedra River is about 40 miles long and flows through open meadows before it drops into a series of isolated box canyons.  It then flows into Navajo Lake.
• A “Special Management Area,” the virgin forest surrounding the Piedra River is protected against future logging and road building.
• The Spanish word, “piedra,” means rock, a nod to the box canyons surrounding the river.
• Naturally fed hot springs, warm the Piedra River water south of Pagosa Springs with several pools of varying size and temperature to to enjoy a soak in.
• The Piedra River and its tributaries are teaming with rainbow and brown trout. A fisherman’s dream!
• Scientists are currently working on a project to reintroduce the endangered river otter back into its native habitat on the Piedra.

What do you love about Southwest Colorado’s beautiful Piedra River?