Colorado Whitewater Rafting on the Arkansas River

The Arkansas River features more than 100 miles of world-class whitewater and its central location provides easy access from any Colorado vacation destination.

• Arkansas River whitewater rafting is one hour from Colorado Springs at River Runners in Cañon City
• Arkansas River whitewater rafting is 2.5 hours from Denver at River Runners in Buena Vista

The Arkansas River has the best whitewater rafting in Colorado

The Arkansas River offers something for nearly all ages and abilities and is known for having the best whitewater rafting in Colorado. Choose from family, intermediate and advanced whitewater on one hour, half day, full day or overnight rafting trips.

The whitewater professionals on the Arkansas River since 1972

River Runners has been a licensed Colorado river outfitter on the Arkansas River since 1972. We offer fully guided beginner and advanced rafting trips on the Arkansas River every day May – September.

The Arkansas River has 100 miles of world-class whitewater

Boaters can find anything from roaring Class IV and V rapids to milder Class II and III sections, which are ideal for beginner and family river rafting trips. The river’s popularity derives in part from its proximity to Denver and Colorado Springs, but mostly because of its unique beauty and fun whitewater. The Arkansas is also recognized as one of Colorado’s premier brown trout rivers with an estimated 2,000 trout per mile.

The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA)

The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) – a collaboration of Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Bureau of Land Management – manages the river for 150 miles from the historic town of Leadville, through Colorado’s tallest mountains, all the way down to Pueblo on the edge of the eastern Colorado plains. The AHRA maintains six established campgrounds along the river with fire rings, picnic tables, pit toilets, and RV hook-ups. Area visitors enjoy fishing, hiking, camping, picnicking, rock climbing, and gold panning along the river’s shores, but whitewater rafting and kayaking remains the most popular activity.

Arkansas River Whitewater Rafting Colorado with River Runners

• Launch right from River Runners on all Browns Canyon whitewater rafting trips – no shuttle to the put-in.
• Choose from two convenient Colorado rafting locations – one on the banks of the upper Arkansas River and one across from the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park turn-off.
• Raft with the best – River Runners is an established river outfitter that has been taking people whitewater rafting on the Arkansas River since 1972.
• Learn from your first phone call why River Runners has grown to be one of the largest rafting companies in Colorado.
• Trust in our professional raft guides who go through double the training hours and miles required by Colorado Parks and take people rafting every day throughout the summer.

Choose from two Colorado whitewater rafting locations near Denver and Colorado Springs

Royal Gorge Rafting Center – located 8 miles west of Canon City, Colorado on US Highway 50 across from the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park turn-off. Go whitewater rafting just 1 hour from Colorado Springs, and 2 hours from Denver. Riverside Rafting Resort – located 6 miles south of Buena Vista, Colorado. Walk to your raft with no shuttle to the put-in on all Browns Canyon rafting trips. Our rafting resort on the Arkansas River is just 2.5 hours from Denver and 2 hours from Colorado Springs.

Why trust anyone else?

There are 52 rafting companies on the Arkansas River in Colorado, but River Runners is one of the largest and most established in the valley. We have been teaching people how to raft since 1972 and take pride in every aspect of our rafting business. Colorado’s whitewater rafting season is only about 100 days per year May-September. During this time River Runners takes more than 21,000 people down the Arkansas River and we work hard to give each and every guest a positive and memorable experience.