Staircase Wave is one of several named features in Buena Vista, Colorado's in-town whitewater park on the Arkansas River, and it's one of the friendlier ones in the lineup. Access is easy, right off the park's trails, and it carries a generous recovery pool along its edges so swims aren't a big deal. Flows hold up well from late spring through summer thanks to upstream releases, making it one of the more consistent beginner-to-intermediate waves on this stretch. Bring a higher-volume board, since the wave doesn't have a ton of push for smaller, more aggressive shapes.