River and Rail Package – Cottonwood Family Float

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Arkansas River

Full Day

Gentle Whitewater

In partnership with the historic Royal Gorge Route Railroad, we are offering a combination of a scenic Royal Gorge train ride with a ¼ Day Cottonwood Family Float trip.
The day starts out with a 5 mile trip with easy Class II-III rapids through the Cottonwood Canyon just upstream from our Cotopaxi base. This is the perfect introductory trip for families with little kids or timid beginners. This section of the river is very scenic with views of the Sangre de Cristo range and you will encounter just a few rapids to add a little excitement to this relaxing trip. When you return from your raft trip, we’ll serve you a hearty BBQ steak, chicken, or vegetarian lunch at our private riverside picnic area. Watch for Bighorn sheep that are frequently on our Cotopaxi cliffs! You’ll have plenty of time to see the slide show of your rafting trip and eat a leisurely lunch before you head to the train depot in Canon City for the 3:30 departure. Our guests usually have a little extra time before the train ride and will walk main street to check out the local shops. Then you are off for the Royal Gorge train for a spectacular 24-mile round trip train ride through the world famous Royal Gorge. This train ride follows the Arkansas River as it carves through a 1000 foot deep gorge and usually lasts 2-2.5 hours. The train ride will end back where it started, dropping you back off at your car.

Minimum Age

4 to 5 and Must be 35lbs

Meeting Location

Cotopaxi

Arrival Time

9:15 AM

Time On Water

5 or 6 Hours Based On Flows

Plan Your Trip

Directions

Packing List

FAQS

Safety

Conditions

Local Info

Trip Reviews

What a great family experience!
★★★★★
“ Our guide Mariah was amazing!! What a great family experience! ART came recommended and did not disappoint!! We will be back!”
- Brittaney Stewart

We have always felt like we were in great hands and completely safe.
★★★★★
“ Love this company! This is our second time going whitewater rafting with ART and they are great! We have always felt like we were in great hands and completely safe. They are extremely knowledgeable and well trained! We have kids ages 7, 14 and 16 and they all had a blast. I definitely recommend them over some of the more popular crowded companies.”
- Shaine Momany

It's a trip full of beautiful landscapes, fun and laughter.
★★★★★
“ It's a trip full of beautiful landscapes, fun and laughter, Is a easy and entertained way to spend a day. The guides are very helpful at all times, The safety procedures and rules were explained before starting and re-explained during the process, you can enjoy the time with family/friends and have a lot of fun memories. The lunch provided by ART is as good as the trip itself, you can enjoy a nice talk with the guides and your friends in the meantime. Our guides were Ethan Nelson and Maggie, they are so lovely and friendly, 10/10 points for them, we really enjoyed their guidance. Thank you so much ART.”
- Brandon Hanson

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