Clear Creek Whitewater Rafting Trips in Colorado | AVA
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Clear Creek White Water Rafting

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Colorado’s Clear Creek Adventure

Clear Creek runs from Loveland Pass through Golden and The Front Range and eventually joins up with the South Platte River. This river flows through Clear Creek Canyon in the Rocky Mountains directly west of Denver, following alongside I-70 and through the town of Idaho Springs, where the first gold was found in the late 1850s during the Colorado gold rush. 

Located in an old mining valley in the Colorado Rockies, its proximity to Denver, Boulder, Summit County and Winter Park makes Clear Creek rafting an easily accessible favorite for locals and travelers alike. Conveniently located only 30 minutes from Denver, our Idaho Springs outpost allows easy access to one of Colorado’s most well known rivers. The Clear Creek runs through Idaho Spring’s historic mining valley, providing opportunities for scenic views and potential wildlife spotting, while flowing through fun and floaty rapids.

OUR TRENDING Clear Creek trips

  • GOLD RUSH CLEAR CREEK


  • LOCATION:
    Idaho Springs, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Whitewater Rafting Colorado
    DURATION: 1/3 Day
    DIFFICULTY: Level 3 (moderate)
    RIVER RATING: Class III
    MINIMUM AGE: 6 years old
    PRICE: from $64-$79 adults 13+
    from $59-$74 ages 6-12

  • CLEAR CREEK GOLD RUSH + ZIPLINE


  • LOCATION:
    Idaho Springs, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Ziplining, Whitewater Rafting Colorado
    DURATION: Full Day
    DIFFICULTY: Level 4 (moderate)
    RIVER RATING: Class III
    MINIMUM AGE: 6 years old
    PRICE: from $158 for adults 13+
    from $153 for ages 6-12

  • UPPER CLEAR CREEK 1/2 DAY


  • LOCATION:
    Idaho Springs, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Whitewater Rafting Colorado
    DURATION: 1/2 Day
    DIFFICULTY: Level 5 (intense)
    RIVER RATING: Class IV
    MINIMUM AGE: 15 years old
    PRICE: from $69 – $89 Ages 15+

Whitewater Rafting on Clear Creek

Clear Creek offers excellent Whitewater Rafting for all groups, ages, and ability levels. Whether you are looking for an exciting and adventurous family reunion activity, a unique introduction to the Colorado wilderness, or a different way to celebrate your bachelor party, Clear Creek has something for everyone. Because of its varying intensities and gorgeous landscape, Clear Creek is the premier whitewater location for anybody looking for a truly Colorado experience on the Front Range with rafting opportunities for all ages and abilities on class III through V rapids.

Our Clear Creek Gold Rush trip is great for families with kids as young as 6. This 1/3 day trip is a great introduction to whitewater rafting in Colorado and takes you through eleven Class III rapids as you paddle and splash your way down the Creek!

Looking to up the intensity? Our 1/2 day trip on Upper Clear Creek allows you to conquer some of the most intense whitewater rafting on Clear Creek! Enjoy this steep, technical section that will keep your paddle moving. This trip is exciting and physically demanding and will test your limits!

Ready for the best Clear Creek has to offer? The exhilarating Lower Canyon of Clear Creek trip is a 1/2 day advanced whitewater trip that plunges you through one of the most continuous sections of whitewater in Colorado. You will rush through impressive scenery and an even more impressive gradient that drops 150 feet/mile through the canyon.

Push your physical limits on our full day advanced trip, the Phoenix, which combines the Upper Clear Creek, the Gold Rush and the Lower Canyon into one jam-packed day with a delicious BBQ lunch in the middle!

Not only can you experience the best Whitewater Rafting that Denver has to offer, but you can package your rafting trip with our Cliffside Zipline trip or our Mount Blue Sky Via Ferrata. Make the most of your adventure in the mountains and save time and money!

Best time to raft: May – September

Ages: 6 years old and up

Duration: 1/3 day, 1/2 day, and full day

Other Activities: Zipline, Via Ferrata

 

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AVA and Clear Creek

The Charm of Clear Creek

Clear Creek meanders from Loveland Pass, through Golden and The Front Range, until it converges with the South Platte River. Flowing gracefully through the breathtaking Clear Creek Canyon nestled in the majestic Rocky Mountains, this waterway runs parallel to I-70 and is just 30 minutes from Denver. It winds its way through the charming town of Idaho Springs, where amidst the fervor of the Colorado gold rush in the late 1850s, the first gold in the state was discovered.

AVA's Clear Creek Outpost

We expanded to our Idaho Springs outpost in 2005 and introduced our aerial adventures in 2011, beginning with our Cliffside Zipline course! Our Clear Creek outpost features part-day and full-day trips with multiple departure times from early morning to evening.

GETTING to the Arkansas River

Our outpost in Idaho Springs is located just 30 minutes west of downtown Denver and about one hour from Boulder, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Winter Park, providing convenient access to Whitewater Rafting and adventure opportunities! Our location just off of I-70 allows you to easily add an adventure experience to your Colorado trip itinerary.

Other Adventure Opportunities

At our Idaho Springs outpost, you can also fly through the trees on an exciting Zipline course of climb into the cliffs above historic Idaho Springs on our Via Ferrata adventure. Each course will challenge and thrill you, providing stunning views and an opportunity to explore Colorado from a new angle.

 

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