Whitewater adrenalin junkies of the world, unite!  Colorado is calling!  Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned veteran, into rafting, kayaking or duckies (inflatable kayaks,) Colorado is THE place for whitewater action!  The Colorado River offers good beginner and intermediate tours, while the Arkansas really roars!  There’s nothing else quite like shooting through the rapids, popping on out the other side!

Whitewater rivers can be an incredible lot of fun for the entire family when done properly, but before we get into that, a word of caution is in order: ANY water activity or sport can be dangerous, so appropriate education, training, and equipment are essential.  You can have a great time, but PLEASE don’t throw good sense to the wind and go out there with your $29.95 inflatable kayak (read: pool toy) and try to challenge the rapids without appropriate guidance.  Rivers that seem placid at one place can be raging a short ways further down, so it pays to have a guide along to advise and show you the way.

Find Summit County Whitewater Rafting Adventures

Truly knowledgeable guides are wonderful!  They see to everyone’s safety while making sure everybody’s having a good time as well.  Tour companies can provide such guides and often include quality safety equipment as part of the package, so you can just focus on enjoying the whitewater experience.  There are a few outstanding and exemplary choices:

Raft Masters’ motto is that they strive to be “the best rafting company in Colorado.” They’re willing to work for the title by offering an extraordinary experience at a competitive price with NO SURPRISES.  In a time when it seems everyone’s trying to tack on a bit here and there to inflate the bill, it’s nice to see a company that prides itself on that sort of integrity.

Bill Dvorak Expeditions is another quality firm.  Established in 1969, this venerable company’s people were pioneers in the field!  With rafting and kayaking tours fro the whole family that include some truly diverse choices, you can count on them to be a one-stop solution when you want to ride the rapids of the Southwestern Rocky Mountains’ rivers.

Explore Colorado Summer Vacation Deals

Embracing the more poetic side of the Colorado Rockies, Colorado River Guides invites you to tour Colorado from the unique perspective of the state’s many rivers.  They can take you on a casual float through pacific flows, or exhilarate you with a whitewater rush like no other!  Family oriented, CRG runs tours out of Breckenridge, Buena Vista and Royal Gorge.

Another quality family-owned company which boasts an impeccable safety record while guiding folks on through the mighty Arkansas River over the past 20 years is Independent Whitewater, Inc. They’re near Salida, Colorado, and adrenalin rushes are their specialty.

Last, but certainly not least, is River Runners.  Their well trained guides provide a safe and exciting adventure tours, as they’ve done for more than thirty years!  The tenure alone speaks volumes for the quality of their instruction and abilities.  Priding themselves on having safely guided more guests than any other outfitter in Colorado, River Runners is amongst the fine, quality extablishments available.

With so many miles of rivers to experience, you may find yourself busy for a few summers just getting to know them all.  It’s certain you’ll find yourself attached to some specific places, spots that become your “favorite” runs, sections of the rapids that challenge you, that you repeat time and time again.  Do extend out, though, and enjoy ALL of the whitewater experiences Colorado has to offer.  It really is a great state for a whitewater river rafting or kayaking adventure!

Thinking of a summer vacation to the Roaring Fork Valley?  Find the best deals on Aspen Lodging