If you’ve got an adventurous spirit and a taste for wild water, look no further than our advanced rafting trips here at Echo Canyon River Expeditions! Some of the most challenging whitewater rides in Colorado await you on the rivers we play on, not least the mighty Arkansas.
These are routes that demand a bit more physical fitness and swimming ability on the part of guests, and which have a higher minimum age cutoff than our other packages. They’re tailor-made for those yearning to crank up the adrenaline, or who already count themselves experienced whitewater rafters.
Best Half Day Adventure
Blast your way between the thousand-plus-foot walls of one of the West’s most impressive chasms in the Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River! Legendary rapids such as Sunshine Falls, Sledgehammer, and Boat Eater are generally Class IV but can increase to Class V oomph during high flows. Half-day options cover 10 miles and require about 3 hours total time. These whitewater rafting trips in the Royal Gorge are situated just outside of Cañon City and close to Echo Canyon headquarters.
Full Day of Adventure
Some of the most thrilling whitewater adventures on the Arkansas River require a full day to take in not just the biggest, baddest rapids but also the most ruggedly scenic canyons. Not only will you tackle the classic gnar of Sunshine Falls and all of the other biggies in the Royal Gorge, you’ll test your skills in the biggest rapid in Bighorn Sheep Canyon – Three Rocks Falls. Expect this to be about a 6 hour experience covering 18-20 miles of the fabled Arkansas River. A hearty lunch is served riverside midway through the whitewater adventure.
High Flying Adventure
Combine awesome whitewater rafting near Cañon City with aerial stunts on a top-notch zipline course thanks to our Echo Canyon partnership with Adventure Out West! Choose between the family-friendly Bighorn Sheep Canyon (Class II-III rapids) or the more technical Royal Gorge (Class IV and V rapids) for your half-day of rafting, and fly along five cables—including the iconic “Leap of Faith”—on Adventure Out West’s Manitou Springs zipline installation for a whole day of maximum excitement.
The widely referenced International Scale of River Difficulty rates whitewater runs from Class I (easy, beginner-friendly swiftwater routes over little riffles and waves) to Class VI (“Extreme and Exploratory Rapids” beyond the abilities of all but the most expert and advanced rafters, and certainly dangerous even for them).
For the most part, Class III-IV rapids (the “Intermediate to Avdvanced” category) are the most difficult, a complete novice should try them out. Having the ability to swim (not necessarily required on all whitewater trips) and a certain base level of fitness becomes more important as you advance up the whitewater rafting rapid classes, as “must-make” moves and self-rescue prowess comes with the territory.
At Echo Canyon River Expeditions, our river runs are typically Class II-IV, with such beginner and family-friendly options as Upper Bighorn Sheep Canyon (nothing more than a scenic float) and Bighorn Sheep Canyon (the perfect all-around whitewater experience for your average rafting party) contrasting with high-adventure rafting trips through the Royal Gorge, The Numbers, and other more technical sections. At peak seasonal flow in early summer, the Royal Gorge’s normally Class IV rapids can enter Class V territory, the maximum difficulty level we guide on here at Echo Canyon.
The challenging whitewater rides in Colorado we offer at Echo Canyon deliver thrills-a-minute fun in some spectacular rapids, cast against the lovely—and downright grand, as in Royal Gorge rafting—scenery of the Southern Rocky Mountains.
We’re talking about the making of lifelong memories and the ability to get just about as close as possible to the wild heart of these rugged and ravishing landscapes, sweeping as you are along the big waves and plunging holes of canyon-nested, snowmelt-fed rivers.
You can rest assured that the team here at Echo Canyon River Expeditions puts safety at the very top of the priority list. From our meticulously inspected oar and paddle rafts to the helmet and U.S. Coast Guard-approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) you’ll be outfitted in, our equipment is absolutely top of the line.
The same goes for our experienced rafting guides, who at Echo Canyon undergo a rigorous, five-week, on-the-water training program exceeding what many river outfitters adhere to. You’ll also be given a comprehensive safety briefing ahead of any trip you take with us. We ask that you relay any medical conditions members of your party may have well in advance of your trip.
Our toughest adventure rafting goes down on our “home stream” of the Arkansas River—especially the big rapids of the Royal Gorge, though The Numbers is also a technical section up to Class IV—well as Clear Creek near Denver, which includes a number of Class IV rapids and one (Rigor Mortis) that can swell to Class V status in the right conditions.
We’ve detailed the minimum age cutoffs for our more advanced rafting trips above. These rafting packages are generally targeted at 13 or so years and up, though, depending on the teenager, the Royal Gorge (for example) may be better suited to the 18-and-older bracket.
Our Raft + Zipline package comes with Adventure Out West’s zipline age/size requirements: Its participants must be at least six years old and weigh 40 or more pounds.
It never hurts to do a bit of physical conditioning ahead of a more challenging/technical whitewater rafting trip. And if you’ve never tackled Class IV+ water before, we definitely recommend you give a few Class III trips a go before scaling up.
Depending on particular destinations, our half-day trips generally last about 2.5 to three hours total, with 1.5 to two hours actually on the river. Full-day trips are usually around five to six hours long total, with an hour-long lunch included and four-plus hours of river time.
Very experienced! As we mentioned in our safety discussion, our river-guide training goes above and beyond the normal two-week standard, with five weeks of intensive instruction. Our Echo Canyon guides know these rivers like the backs of their hands and are prepared for any situation.
Among the varied Colorado rafting packages we offer at Echo Canyon, some are outstanding, truly challenging whitewater rafting trips ideal for tried-and-true adventurers and thrill-seekers.
Book your next challenging whitewater rafting ride with the best in the business. Discover why Echo Canyon is the premier rafting outfitter in Canon City, Colorado. Contact our rafting experts today for more information on our adventurous whitewater experiences.
Echo Canyon River Expeditions
45000 W US Highway 50
Cañon City, CO 81212
(800) 755-3246
(719) 275-3154
Info@Raftecho.com
News & Deals
"*" indicates required fields
