Arkansas River Whitewater Rafting
Trips in Colorado

Minimum age depends on the trip and the water level. Our Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Family Float welcomes children as young as 4. Bighorn Sheep Canyon is open to ages 76 and up. Browns Canyon typically requires ages 8 and up. The Royal Gorge has a minimum age of 14 due to the Class III-IV+ rapids and is occasionally raised during peak runoff. Minimum ages can shift during high-water periods in late May and early June — call us to confirm for your trip date.

Wear quick-dry clothing you don’t mind getting wet with a swimsuit underneath, athletic shorts, a sun shirt or rash guard, and secure footwear like water sandals or sneakers (no flip-flops or Crocs). Avoid cotton, which stays cold and heavy when wet. Bring sunglasses with a strap, sunscreen, a hat that secures, and a water bottle. We provide all the technical gear: PFD, helmet, paddle, and wetsuit or splash jacket when conditions call for them. A full packing list is on our Packing List page.

Swimming skills are recommended but not required for most of our trips. Every guest wears a Coast Guard-approved life jacket that keeps you afloat without any effort, and your guide goes through a complete safety briefing before launch. On lower-class trips like Cottonwood Canyon and Bighorn Sheep Canyon, non-swimmers raft comfortably with us all season long. On the Royal Gorge, especially during high water in late May and June, we require basic swimming ability so you can assist in your own rescue if you come out of the raft. Please tell us at booking if anyone in your group is a non-swimmer.

Both depart from our Cañon City location, but they’re very different experiences. Bighorn Sheep Canyon is our most popular first-timer and family trip: Class II-III rapids, warmer water, frequent bighorn sheep sightings, and a manageable pace that lets you take in the canyon scenery. Minimum age is 7, and most groups do the half-day. The Royal Gorge is our advanced whitewater trip: Class III-IV+ rapids, dramatic 1,000-foot granite canyon walls, and the iconic Royal Gorge Bridge overhead. Minimum age is 14, and the pace is intense. If your group includes anyone under 14 or anyone hesitant about big whitewater, choose Bighorn. If you’re after the bucket-list adrenaline experience, choose the Royal Gorge.

Our Cañon City location is about 2 hours from Denver and 1 hour from Colorado Springs via Highway 50. Our Cotopaxi location, which serves Bighorn Sheep Canyon, Cottonwood Canyon and Browns Canyon trips, is about 2.5 hours from Denver and 1.5 hours from Colorado Springs. Our Dumont location, which serves Clear Creek trips, is just 35 minutes west of Denver on I-70. Full driving directions for each departure point are on our Directions page.

Yes, our trips run rain or shine! Rafting is a wet activity anyway, and Colorado’s high-country weather typically brings short, scattered showers rather than all-day rain. Your guides will continue the trip through normal weather. We do reserve the right to delay, shorten, or cancel a trip if conditions become unsafe, such as extreme cold weather or sudden river-level changes. In those cases, we’ll reschedule or refund your trip.

Every Arkansas River Tours trip includes your professional guide, all technical gear (PFD, helmet, paddle, and wetsuit or splash jacket when needed), shuttle transportation between our base and the put-in or take-out, and pre-trip safety orientation. Full-day trips also include a riverside lunch. Photos taken by our trip photographers are available for purchase after your trip. Gratuities for your guide are appreciated but not included.