The Arkansas River / Royal Gorge Section: Wheeeeee!!! What a fun half-day of rafting this was! We ran this iconic stretch of the Arkansas River (near Canon City, CO) with Echo Canyon River Expeditions in early August, when the water was at a nice Class III-IV level. Mike likes the big excitement of Class V water; Rhonda prefers her adrenaline level in check. So, the late-summer conditions were a nice compromise to what is normally a high-octane whitewater junkie experience. (For those wanting an uber thrillseeker adventure, raft the Royal Gorge section in May, June, or July for the biggest whitewater action, thanks to the snowmelt occurring upriver in the Rocky Mountains.)

Aside from its legendary whitewater, the Royal Gorge run also makes for an interesting American history lesson with its late 1800’s railroad remnants and the huge, amazing wooden---yes, wooden---water pipeline that one can still catch glimpses of along the way. Echo did a great job of providing historical interpretive throughout the raft trip, which took about 4 hours.

The Royal Gorge is a very technical run, even in late summer conditions. Guest safety is a big deal with Echo, as is providing you with a raft guide who is professional in appearance, conduct, and skill. (Unfortunately, the same cannot always be said of some outfitting companies.) We left feeling that these people are dedicated to crossing their T’s and dotting their I’s in order to give clients a fun-but-safety-conscious rafting experience---a very important quality for a company to have when running folks down a river that is routinely Class IV/V. Echo can help you decide if this stretch of the Arkansas River is appropriate for those in your party. As a quality adventure alternative, they also offer family-friendly rafting trips in scenic, wildlife-rich Bighorn Sheep Canyon or Brown's Canyon (the latter via their Four Corners Rafting company).

Tell your 17-year old son that you’re taking him to “…these giant sand dune things…” in an obscure part of Colorado and you’re sure to get the please-mom-tell-me-you’re-kidding look. Fortunately, Braden is a good-natured kid who cheerfully went along with the idea, even though he probably wanted to claim bubonic plague or a sudden desire to spend all day brushing his teeth in hopes of escaping the ordeal. Turns out, we were all pleasantly surprised and inspired by our day spent exploring Sand Dunes’ country, which is about a 2.5 hour drive southwest of Canon City. We particularly enjoyed taking the high-clearance, primitive 4WD Medano Pass road that climbs from the east base of the dunes upwards through miles of lush, Sangre de Cristo alpine meadow. As a result, the kid got in some fun off-road driving experience (with Mike coaching from shotgun position) while Mom sat happily in the back of the Jeep, spotting ptarmigan and wildflowers along the way. A good time, we are pleased to report, was had by all.

PREVIOUS ENTRIES:

The Rogue River in Oregon

The Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park

So, is This Stuff Reliable? The opinions and recommendations in this blog posting are founded on the actual been-there-done-that experiences of Mike and Rhonda Mills. We are not compensated in any way for saying positive (or negative) things about these places, outfitters, things to do, restaurants, etc. We do it because we feel the information may be of help to others wishing to explore rivers beyond the Buffalo. This posting reflects the genuine opinions we formed at the time of the experience. We hope you find the information useful in planning a future river adventure.