Colorado Springs—the biggest hub of its kind above 6,000 feet in the U.S.—makes an incredible springboard for outdoor recreation and sightseeing. Adventure day trips in Colorado Springs come in many forms, not least the epic whitewater rafting we lead here at Echo Canyon River Expeditions on some of the finest flows in the American West!
Indeed, it’s pretty remarkable all you can do in a single day out of Colorado Springs: from our fabulous rafting trips to rock-climbing, hot-air ballooning, ziplining, and hiking amid stop-you-in-your-tracks scenery. Consider the following your comprehensive guide to an unforgettable day trip from Colorado Springs!
Outdoor Activities in Colorado Springs
Located in the far southern reaches of the Front Range metropolitan corridor, Colorado Springs offers equal access to the skyscraping realm of the Southern Rocky Mountains—evidenced most prominently in the near vicinity by 14,107-foot Pikes Peak, one of the most famous “Fourteeners” in Colorado—as well as the open, sprawling Great Plains country of the Colorado Piedmont and the High Plains, which takes on an increasingly semi-desert vibe as you venture southward.
The immense elevational and ecological sweep encompassed by that hinterland—from high alpine tundra and snowfields to rolling shortgrass prairie and rugged canyon depths—comes mirrored by the huge variety of things to do out within the scenic splendor. Hiking, mountain biking, ziplining, rock-climbing, off-roading, rockhounding, horseback riding, downhill skiing, and snowboarding—all of that and more await on the very doorstep of Colorado Springs.
As the above sampler pack of a list suggests, adventure day trips in Colorado Springs are a year-round deal. Indeed, given the city’s proximity to the Centennial State’s “Banana Belt”—a realm of comparatively balmy year-round climate within which our Echo Canyon home base of Cañon City falls—it’s possible to carry on with great winter hiking, mountain biking, and climbing during a season otherwise defined, up in the Rockies, by some of the finest snowsports on Earth.
Rafting Trips in Colorado Springs
Can you really get a taste for how utterly top-tier rafting trips in Colorado Springs are in just one day? Well, as it happens—absolutely!
Here at Echo Canyon, we’ve been introducing rafters, both new and veteran, to the astonishments of running the Arkansas River and other regional flows since 1978. And while we do lead fantastic multi-day odysseys on the water, our flagship rafting adventures are, in fact, half-day and full-day trips. And given we’re a mere 45 minutes or so from the city, you can absolutely experience the magic on a day trip from Colorado Springs!
How do you plan such a rafting day trip? Well, we make it easy. Our routes run the gamut from easy-peasy all-ages floats through the gentle glide of the Upper Bighorn Sheep Canyon and premier family-friendly thrills in the main Bighorn Sheep Canyon to the technical, high-adrenaline big water of the celebrated Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River downstream. There’s truly something for everybody—from stone-cold novice to experienced whitewater rafter—and it’s all very doable through either a half-day or full-day package.
In fact, our half-day rafting itineraries at Echo Canyon River Expeditions can easily be combined with various other Colorado Springs adventures—from hiking and mountain biking to ziplining and jeeping—given the wealth of recreational access within close proximity of our go-to river corridors. Indeed, we even offer combo packages that give you a double-header of whitewater rafting and various other outdoor experiences, including ziplining with Adventures Out West and taking a spin on the ultra-scenic Royal Gorge Route Railroad.
Adventure Day Trips in Colorado Springs
Besides the stellar river-running (and combination adventure packages) we offer here at Echo Canyon, there are plenty of other amazing outdoor activities to partake in on Colorado Springs day trips. Ride, for example, the tried-and-true cog railway up to the summit of Pikes Peak, venture into the fantastical depths of the Cave of the Winds, and wander among the soaring fins and pinnacles of the Garden of the Gods, all the more eye-popping given their Rocky Mountain backdrop.
Our ziplining partner, Adventures Out West, is also one of numerous companies in the region to offer hot-air balloon sightseeing flights, one of the best ways to drink in the scope, scale, and splendor of the region. With sightlines extending 100 miles or more, you enjoy a golden eagle’s view stretching from snowy Rocky Mountain horns and massifs to the endless expanse of the Great Plains.
Fun Denver Getaway
Colorado’s capital of Denver, where urban adventuring to museums, concert halls, and parks goes hand-in-hand with nearby fun in the mountains, lies less than an hour and a half north of Colorado Springs along the same Front Range span. If you’re vacationing (or living) in Denver, consider a few days’ jaunt down to Colorado Springs, and tack on one or more of the day-tripping Colorado Springs adventures we’ve profiled above!
Book Your Next Thrilling Adventure With Echo Canyon
Here at Echo Canyon River Expeditions, we’re an honest-to-goodness basecamp for adventure: delivering some of the finest whitewater rafting on the continent, and also setting you up for all sorts of other activities and attractions in the Royal Gorge Region and the greater Colorado Springs area. Make your rafting reservations with us today!
Reach out to our rafting experts to craft your unforgettable day trip adventure. We’re here to answer any questions you might have and help you in selecting the perfect experience tailored to your needs and desires.
