The Eagle River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately 60.5 miles (97.4 km) long, in west central Colorado in the United States.
It rises in southeastern Eagle County, at the continental divide, and flows northwest past Gilman, Minturn, Avon. Near Wolcott, it turns west, flowing past Eagle and Gypsum, and joins the Colorado at Dotsero, in western Eagle County.
The Eagle is navigable by typical small river craft upstream to Vail in most years. Its flow ranges from 200 cu ft/s (5.7 m3/s) in late summer of dry years to 7,000 cu ft/s (200 m3/s) during spring runoff.
Acid mine drainage from the abandoned Eagle Mine has entered the river.
Famous quotes containing the words eagle and/or river:
“Being wakeful for her sake,
Remembering what she had,
What eagle look still shows,
While up from my heart’s root
So great a sweetness flows
I shake from head to foot.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“We approached the Indian Island through the narrow strait called “Cook.” He said, “I ‘xpect we take in some water there, river so high,—never see it so high at this season. Very rough water there, but short; swamp steamboat once. Don’t paddle till I tell you, then you paddle right along.” It was a very short rapid. When we were in the midst of it he shouted “paddle,” and we shot through without taking in a drop.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)