Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

I'm goin to Denver to visit my daughter mid Aug.The AR river is 2and a half hours from Denver.I've been researching and we would like to do a half day guided raft trip through Royal Gorge.Anyone done this? Daughter and boyfriend (both 25 yo) and I wanto go. Minna

Guided raft trip? Nope, never done that...

But I've paddled that section a few times, and many folks here have either paddled it, paddle rafted, it, oar rafted it, etc. - Everyone gives it a big plus, never heard anyone say anything negative about it, other than maybe my neice that got too cold after too many combat rolls. (That's a long story I'll save for later.) If you're in a guided raft, that won't be an issue - so go if you get the chance.

Closer to Denver would be the upper valley runs, of which I would highly recommend the PIne Creek and Numbers trip. Called the, "Gauntlet," by AVA, it is a good trip. If you want quite possibly the most experienced guide on the entire river up there, just ask for Zach Hubbard. He is very likely the best guide I have ever worked with.

This does depend on when you plan on being out there. Right now the level is rather high for these upper runs, but it will likely fall to runnable fairly soon.

good guides aside, pine creek and the #'s are a step up..........if you really wanna up the goods, lets look it to upper henson, R-2 style. I don't wanna pirat anny trips, or be assosiated with anybody else, BUT......

everybody on this board knows that zach is a terrific guide. and zach, Im not knocking the fact, or don't mean to, however..........Yo?

signed, almost "blackbooked past CO client service down river person assoisiated with paddles"

Rio~

Thanks to all of you for responding with such great info!Now I am REALLY EXCITED!!!!!!!!!

My son works for a company that guides there.
We are headed there this Saturday.
It is a great run.
I can give you his contact info if you PM me.

Numbers may be harder, but Royal Gorge is the best overall trip in a raft on the Ark in my opinion. If you get a chance, do it. If they're still rafting on Clear Cr. near Denver, it's a fun ride in a raft too. Especially in the canyon, where the scenery is great, even with the highway there.

- Fish

I did this trip in a commercial guided raft last year in mid June with near peak flows. It was kind of a slow leisurely float that took all of about 1 1/2 hours to float the 11.5 miles. I highly reccommend the float, though I imagine that it will be a good bit slower now. At high flows it is crazy fast and seemed beyond the margin of safety for all but the advanced paddlers.

We used a small private company that was having a slow day and took them up on their $35 special.

wow....gages still showing 1740 cfs this late in the summer. That's a very good level at any time. Nothing like the Gorge....looking up at 1000' walls on both sides of the river. Watch out for the idiot tourists on the bridge that drop coins.

Thanks P Dog,Ipm'd ya. Fish,we checked Clear Creek but the lady(?secretary?)wasnt sure about good levels mid August.The Gorge sounds like a winner.B Martin,thanks for the tips!Tomcat,thats encouraging info about the levels. All yall in ACC are just the best. Ilook forward to meeting more of you.Gonna miss surf an turf due to work but will get to come to Rendezvous. :) Minna

Cowper, I also have a story. All my grandson will ever say about it is, "I almost died" He spent some unexpected time under a raft. . . I believe at Sunshine.

I just drove along the Arkansas between Canon City and Salida...it is gorgeous and seems to be crankin (as far as I know).

I saw a raft company on the water with only two rafts in the party...one with 4 passengers and one with over night gear. I didn't know they did overnighters in that area.

It was stormy and rainy as I drove through.

But gorgeous, as always.


Paddledog, when are you planning on a trip thru that area? I would be up for joining in on a commercial raft trip if that is whta you guys are doing.

Reference Richard's post about grandson - I was rowing the raft that his grandson was under - it was a class II (-) a few miles above Canyon City. A bunch of rafts were too close together - we went over a small drop (less than two foot) - our Super Puma hung up for a moment with the stern high. A much larger raft in our party bumped us from behind and flipped us up-side-down. All five of us were under the raft for a rew moments:)
I could relate the story of my long swim a few years ago - 4 to 500 yards, starting in the Narrows Rapid above the Royal Gorge Bridge, and almost to Wallslammer below the bridge - yes, I came very close :shock:
The Ozark Society had some great water on the upper Arkansas a couple of weeks ago.