Whitewater Rafting—Colorado’s Winter Park
A scenic 67 miles from Denver, Winter Park, Colorado has much to offer. Winter Park Resort is known for its ski hills — Winter Park, Mary Jane and others — as well as for its other winter activities including cross country skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, tubing, snowmobiling, sleigh rides and even dog sledding. Still, spring and summer offer amazing outdoor activities as well — hiking, biking, boating, hot springs — and the most fun adventure of all . . . whitewater rafting! Colorado is home to some of the best rafting in the country.
Winter Park Rafting Options
Of all the wonderful things to do in Winter Park and the surrounding areas in the warm-weather months, on the top of your list should be rafting. Colorado rafting is great for family vacations, family reunions and groups of all ages and abilities. Winter Park white water rafting choices include:
The Colorado River — Just 35 minutes from Winter Park is the meeting place for one of our most popular rafting trips, the Colorado River Experience. This Winter Park rafting adventure meets at our Breckenridge office in Summit County, and then together we drive roughly an hour to our remote canyon put-in.
The Colorado River is one of the classic rivers in the United States. Starting high in the Colorado Rockies, and eventually flowing through the Grand Canyon, the Colorado is the setting for some great mountain and canyon scenery, natural hot springs, old pioneer cabins, wildlife viewings and more. Click here to view our Colorado River rafting trips.
Clear Creek Rafting — 
Forty-five minutes away from Winter Park is the location of superb rafting. Colorado rafting adventures on Clear Creek start out in the charming Colorado mountain town of Idaho Springs. The drive from Winter Park to Idaho Springs over Berthoud Pass is breathtakingly scenic.
Idaho Springs is a fun destination in itself, offering a charming old main street, mining relics, Mt. Evans, wildlife and the famous Indian Springs mineral hot springs. Our Clear Creek rafting options include full- and half-day rafting trips, plus super-fun combinations such as whitewater rafting with a mine tour, bike ride or hot springs soak.
Other Winter Park white water rafting options include the Blue River, just 60 minutes from Winter Park. This rafting trip is one of the few opportunities for high country river rafting in the state. Exquisitely scenic, our Blue River rafting trip boasts some of the most gorgeous views of Colorado’s high peaks, including the mountains of the stunning Gore Range. Click on our Blue River rafting page to learn more.
Highside’s Arkansas River rafting trips meet on the river at our Buena Vista office, approximately 2.25 hours from Winter Park. Buena Vista means “beautiful view” in Spanish, and they’re not kidding!
The 14,00-foot Collegiate Peaks and the Arkansas River valley are simply beautiful. Along with the thrill of rafting the most popular commercial river in the U.S., the surroundings help make the trip even more worthwhile. Buena Vista is a rustic and fun mountain town with terrific lodging options. Don’t miss the two fabulous hot springs just outside of town.
Dedicated to providing our guests with the best possible experience of rafting from Winter Park, we deliver half-day, full-day and multi-day adventures in rafting. Colorado rafting is memorable, exciting, and fun for guests of all ages and abilities. Our Winter Park rafting trips range from relaxing and scenic river trips to exhilarating whitewater challenges, and are custom-tailored to the meet the needs of each group or individual.
And for all our Winter Park white water rafting adventures, we handle all the details . . . expect all the necessary equipment, terrific meals, personalized service and outstanding guides.
Additional Winter Park Activities
In addition to Winter Park rafting, take advantage of all Winter Park has to offer, including hiking, biking, horseback riding, boating and so much more. In summer, you can ride a ski lift up the mountain and hike or bike scenic trails. Mountain bikers find plenty of fabulous rides here. Visit the Cozens’ Ranch House Museum just north of town, the site of a stage stop and post office from the 1870s. Be sure to visit the nearby towns of Grand Lake, Granby, Kremmling and don’t miss Hot Sulphur Springs for a relaxing hot springs soak.
All this, and Winter Park is also convenient to Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the most frequently visited parks in the United States. From Winter Park, drive the highest paved road in North America (Trail Ridge Road) for wildlife viewing and so much more. Winter Park is a can’t-miss Colorado vacation spot. You can make a memory with whitewater rafting. Colorado’s Winter Park whitewater rafting adventure can top off your summer vacation!
For more information about our Winter Park rafting choices and the adventures that await you, please call us today and let us help you plan a memorable Winter Park rafting adventure. 800-997-3448
Highside Adventure Tours, Inc. (DBA Good Times Rafting, Colorado Adventure Center) operates under special use permits with the White River National Forest, Colorado State Parks (Arkansas River Headwaters Area), Bureau of Land Management (BLM Kremmling office), Clear Creek County and is an equal opportunity service provider.
All Lower Colorado River (Shoshone Rapids) and Roaring Fork trips offered through Rock Gardens Rafting a fully licensed and permitted outfitter.
