Dolores River, Mountain river system in Colorado and Utah, United States.
The Dolores River is a mountain river system that flows 241 miles through Colorado before joining the Colorado River in Utah, carving deep canyons and creating varied landscapes. An upstream reservoir stores its water and creates different environments along its course.
A Spanish trader named this river El Rio de Nuestra Señora de Dolores during an expedition from Santa Fe in 1765, a name that remains to this day. This naming reflects the early Spanish presence in the region.
Indigenous peoples made this river the center of their lives, settling along its banks to farm and fish, leaving traces of their settlements that visitors can still recognize in the landscape.
Access the river at several points along its upper course, where trails and overlooks guide visitors toward the canyons and surrounding areas. Plan for multiple days if you want to explore the full system, as activities like rafting and hiking are spread across the region.
The river has carved a vast canyon system stretching roughly 40 miles with walls reaching 1,100 feet tall, exposing layers of different rock types. These layers tell the geological story of millions of years.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
