If you are looking for an exciting, yet relaxing experience and an opportunity to explore Colorado’s majestic Upper Colorado River and beautiful canyon scenery, look no further than AVA’s full-day or ½ day scenic float trips.
These trips are family-friendly excursions, with 2 years old being the minimum age for the half-day excursion, and 5 for the full-day adventure. Despite this, these trips do not lack excitement and provide entertainment for everyone in your party!
Beautiful Scenery
Scenic floats wind through the breathtaking Gore Canyon, with walls highlighting beautiful rock colors in shades of red, orange, and brown. Lined with lush vegetation, the canyon walls distinctly highlight juniper pines, sagebrush, and colorful wildflowers against the rock face.
Floating through the canyon’s opening and between the riverbank’s cliffsides, you will be rewarded with views for miles as you gaze upon the river’s horizon. These cliffs offer opportunities for jumping, water levels permitting. Make sure to make a pit stop at jump rock and take a leap!
Wildlife Spotting
The Gore Canyon is also home to a diversity of wildlife, so keep your eyes out while on the river, as well as on the drive to the river. Mule deer and big horn sheep can be found grazing by the road as you drive down toward the put-in. Keep your eyes peeled for the majestic Bald Eagle soaring just above the river, as it scouts for a rainbow trout for its next meal!
Weirdly enough, you may even spot pelicans flying around this stretch of river. Great blue herons can also be seen on the banks, as they perch and wait for fish to come their way.
Varied Challenges
Looking for more of a challenge on this stretch of river? Try navigating the rapids in an inflatable kayak or even a stand-up paddleboard. You will experience increased freedom and control over your movements in the water and the pace at which you head downriver.
Paddling a stand-up paddleboard or inflatable kayak can be an intense workout as it requires your entire body (core, arms, and legs) to maintain balance as you paddle. On a float, everybody can try paddling the kayak or stand-up paddleboard, and members of your group can switch out from the raft and into either the kayak or stand-up paddleboard.
Increased Connection
Float trips additionally foster meaningful connections between those in your raft!
As these float trips are typically slower-paced than other whitewater rafting excursions, you have more opportunities to engage in conversation with those around you. We often find that the stunning scenery, wildlife spotting opportunities, and time spent in nature increase connection naturally. This could be a great way to build camaraderie and create lifelong memories with you and your friends, family, or new acquaintances, or serve as a fun activity for a bachelorette or bachelor party, work outing, or family reunion!
A float trip on the Upper Colorado River provides a unique experience for those seeking an adventure steeped with thrills, awe-inspiring scenery, and connection. Cliff-jumping, kayaking, and stand up paddleboarding offer high-adrenaline activities that increase the thrill of this Upper Colorado adventure.
The varying species of wildlife and beautiful scenery along the Upper Colorado River distinguish it from any other river in Colorado, making a ½ day or full-day float trip a truly special river rafting adventure!
Edited by Rosa Canales, Marketing Specialist
Rosa is AVA’s Copywriting Marketing Specialist. When she’s not writing about Colorado’s great outdoors, she’s in them. Her main hobby is trail running, but she can also be found biking, camping, and perfecting s’mores over a fire. She loves Colorado’s mountains, but always looks forward to adventuring in new places. Her next big adventure is Italy’s Dolomites!
