Paonia River Park

Transformed from an in-stream gravel mine into a thriving riparian corridor, the Paonia River Park sits along the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The Conservation Center, formerly the North Fork River Improvement Association, led the restoration effort in partnership with the Minnesota Ditch & Reservoir Company, completing the project in 2013. A 2016 expansion added an interpretive trail system, allowing visitors to explore the habitat without disturbing wildlife. Today, the park features a one-mile trail, a boat launch, river viewing platforms, an outdoor classroom, and an ADA-compliant access ramp. Families frequent the shaded picnic area and the boat ramp, while beavers have returned to their pre-2023 levels to engineer the landscape. Installed in April 2024, the Chronolog station near the parking lot bridge invites the public to contribute to a timelapse project documenting environmental changes. No camping or overnight parking is permitted.