COME TO LIFE / Rafting 4 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT RAFTING COLORADO RIVERS 1 ALMOST ANYONE CAN GO WHITEWATER RAFTING HERE: While adrenaline junkies can certainly get their fix on Colorado rivers, rafting is safe and fun for people of nearly all ages and abilities. Just discuss your group’s comfort level with the rafting company when you sign up. 2 OUR RAFTING GUIDES ARE EXPERTS: All the rafting companies listed in this guide and on COLORADO.com are state-certified and have all the expertise needed to lead you safely down the river. They are accustomed to guiding trips for seasoned rafters and those who’ve never dipped a paddle in the water. ANIMAS RIVER Trips on the lower Animas are often packaged with rides on the Durango & Silverton Railroad and zipline tours. The upper Animas has challenging Class IV and V rapids that are considered among the toughest commercially rafted waters in the country. Typical departure city: Durango CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER This river propels boaters on runs that provide challenges for intermediate or advanced abilities. Not only does it offer great runs, but it’s also as unique an experience as you can have on Colorado waters — it’s the state’s only federally designated National Wild and Scenic River. Typical departure city: Fort Collins YAMPA/GREEN RIVER Winding through Dinosaur National Monument, this multiday run floats you past fossils and archaeological sites, Fremont Indi-an rock carvings, interesting geological formations and sandy spots perfect for overnight camping. Typical departure city: Steamboat Springs TAYLOR RIVER Views of the jagged Collegiate Peaks mountain range oversee three sections of varying difficulty on the scenic and narrow Taylor River, which is also popular with fishers. Typical departure cities: Gunnison, Crested Butte Learn more at COLORADO.com/WhitewaterRivers and from the Colorado River Outfitters Association at croa.org . FROM TOP: RAFTING NEAR BUENA VISTA, CLASSIC VISIONS PHOTOGRAPHY; RAFTING THE DOLORES RIVER NEAR CORTEZ, KENNAN HARVEY; GLENWOOD WHITEWATER PARK, @KIDKIELY. 3 WHITEWATER RAFTING INTENSITY VARIES BY TIME OF YEAR: Depending on the time of year and stretch of river, your Colorado rafting trip could be a leisurely ride through placid waters or a thrill-a-minute ad-venture through the rapids. In May and June, melting moun-tain snow makes the rivers run faster for more exciting rides. By August and into September, many rivers are much milder. OTHER RAFTING HOT SPOTS X Roaring Fork River , Aspen X Blue River , Frisco, Brecken-ridge, Dillon, Kremmling X Gunnison River , Gunnison X Eagle River , Eagle, Wolcott, Edwards X San Juan River , Pagosa Springs X San Miguel River , near Telluride X North Platte River , Fort Collins and Steamboat Springs X Dolores River , Cortez X Piedra River , Durango, Pagosa Springs X Uncompahgre River , Ridgway 4 YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE YOUR COLORADO RAFTING TRIP: Colorado rafting com-panies offer plenty of options for your trip, including multiday adventures that include camp-ing, and the ability to combine rafting trips with other activities, like train rides, winery tours, ziplining and fly-fishing trips. With rafting hubs and companies located near dozens of Colorado towns, including Buena Vista, Salida, Steamboat Springs, Winter Park, Vail, Grand Junction, Durango and Fort Collins, it’s never hard to find a good place to get on the water. WHITEWATER PARKS With more whitewater parks than any other state, these desig-nated areas are built for kayaking, canoeing and tubing — hop in or just watch the action: Golden, Denver, Buena Vista, Salida, near Kremmling (Gore Canyon), Glenwood Springs, Avon, Pueblo, Gunnison, Cañon City, Lyons, Fort Collins, Steamboat Springs, Montrose, Breckenridge, Boulder, Durango, Pagosa Springs and Vail, to name a few. @kidkiely 56 / COLORADO.COM
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2018: Page 56
