Buena Vista rafting season is here! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and the snow is melting, yay Spring! The rivers are flowing and so is Arkansas River rafting. Colorado’s rafting season is just around the corner and we are excited here at Browns Canyon Rafting. It is that time of year when love is in the air, bees are buzzing, and raft guides are dreaming of whitewater, hopefully you are too. May is a great time to come rafting and we have some great trips to choose from!
When I was seven years old I went on my first rafting trip ever, it was an overnight through Browns Canyon. Much has changed in the past 27 years; Y2K has come and gone, the internet has changed the way we live life from day to day and Browns Canyon is a National Monument! Something that hasn’t changed is the beauty, serenity and amazing whitewater the Arkansas River has to offer. Below are my favorite three Arkansas River rafting trips, in no particular order. There are so many great sections on the Arkansas River that it is hard to narrow my favorites down, but if I must I must.
Numbers Half Day
The Numbers half day trip is one of my favorites! The Numbers is widely considered just about the best class IV run in Colorado. The rapids are named one through seven with some half’s in-between, real original names I know. Miners in the late 1800’s named these rapids to avoid crossing the Arkansas River at these spots. Original names or not, these rapids pack a punch and are great at any water level. This is probably the most continuous stretch of whitewater on the Arkansas River and is sooooo much fun.
Browns Canyon Full Day
As I mentioned before Browns Canyon was my first rafting trip when I was seven. I loved it so much that I found myself back here years later guiding this stretch, sharing my passion for nature, whitewater and the river lifestyle with others. Our Browns Canyon National Monument Full Day trip is my favorite day trip on the Arkansas River and possibly in the world. The beauty of Browns Canyon is unbelievable with it’s large granite boulder fields and views of the many fourteen thousand foot peaks surrounding the canyon. The whitewater is great too! Rafting through Browns Canyon you will travel about 16 miles of fun splashy class III rapids. It is the perfect combination of fun rapids with enough time in-between to enjoy all of the breath taking views! Great for the whole family.
Numbers/Browns Canyon Multi-Day Wilderness Trip
Since my first overnight rafting trip I have gone on countless more making friends and memories along the way. Overnight rafting trips are hands down the best way to enjoy the river, friends and family, in my opinion. Camping in Browns Canyon National Monument is an unforgettable experience. My favorite overnight Arkansas River rafting trip is The Numbers and Browns Canyon multi-day. It is the best of both worlds. You start your adventure with the exciting and continuous Numbers section on day one and continue to float downstream to Browns Canyon National Monument where you camp in the secluded wilderness of Browns Canyon. On the second day you will continue your adventure downstream through the rest of Browns Canyon enjoying the majestic views and fun whitewater along the way. Eat well, have fun and relax; these are the important things on any overnight whitewater rafting trip.
Thinking and writing about all this Buena Vista white water rafting has gotten me all excited, I think I will head to the river right now! I hope that I can share some memories with you starting in a few short weeks, see you on the river!