Take a rafting trip on the Arkansas River this summer and you won’t be disappointed. The Arkansas River is located near the towns of Buena Vista, Salida, and Canon City, Colorado within easy driving distance from Denver, Colorado Springs, Vail, Aspen and Summit County.

The Arkansas River offers many different rafting experiences for white water rafting trips, There are half day trips for those with limited time and/or beginners who are whitewater rafting for the first time. The Arkansas River also offers white water rafting for those looking for full-day and multi-day experiences that include riverside camping for those interested in an extended river vacation.

The Arkansas River is the most popular, commercially run river in the United States — and for good reason! From Browns Canyon (class II-IV rapids), to the Royal Gorge and the Numbers (class IV-V), there is something for everyone.

The Arkansas Rivers white water rafting season begins in Early May and runs through early September. Peak water for maximum whitewater thrills and challenges are usually during June. The most family-friendly time of year for Arkansas River rafting is after the water starts to calm down, from July through September. Since most of the water in the Arkansas is snowmelt, the water temperature can be cold most of the summer. Be prepared to rent wetsuits/ booties/ splash jackets if you go to the Arkansas river before August.

From beginner/intermediate to expert, the Arkansas River has adventures for everyone. The most popular full-day trip is Brown’s Canyon, which is good for first-timers and experienced rafters alike. The trip is fun and safe with amazing scenery. At the other end of the spectrum is the “Numbers” trip which offers an extreme and continuous stretch of Class 4-5 water and is for experienced and aggressive rafters. Before challenging yourself in the numbers section, it is a good idea to have previous rafting experience, good physical conditioning and strong swimming skills.

The Royal Gorge section is another famous section of whitewater on the Arkansas River. With a 1100 foot deep canyon and the highest suspension Bridge in the world, the Royal Gorge offers not only wonderful scenary but some of the most exciting class 3-4 whitewater in Colorado.

There are a lot of Arkansas River white water rafting adventure options. For details about our Arkansas River white water rafting adventures, you can go to Colorado State Parks, the Colorado Rafting Assoiciation (coloradoraftingassociation.com) or any other reputable outfitters such as Good Times Rafting (goodtimesrafting.com) or Highside Adventure Tours (raftingcolorado.com)

The Arkansas River is one of the oldest and most famous whitewater rafting rivers in the world and well worth the effort to explore it.