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Current Water Conditions & Age Minimums

As of 2/8/2024

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Current Water Conditions & Age Minimums

Current as of 2/8/2024

Aerial adventures are open beginning March 1st at our Idaho Springs outpost!
View our Zipline and Via Ferrata trips and start planning your spring adventure

As the snowpack continues to build this winter, we look forward to adrenaline-pumping adventures on Colorado’s best rivers. All 2024 trips are open for booking. Reserve your group’s spot today to secure a spot on your favorite Colorado adventure trip! Early booking also ensures your group gets the best deal possible. 

Read about all of our favorite Colorado rivers, and start dreaming of your 2024 whitewater adventure.

Check back here during the season for updates on on the best rafting trips for your crew based on CFS (Cubic Feet per Second) and flow rates. These tips can help you learn more about Colorado’s rivers, rafting conditions, and when to plan your Rocky Mountain whitewater trip.

Key:

LOW

RUNNING

HIGH

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Clear Creek Water Conditions & Trip Age Restrictions

CFS

28.3 CFS

  • Age Restrictions:
    • Gold Rush 1/3 Day (Class III) – 6+ years: CLOSED
    • Upper Clear Creek 1/2 Day (Class IV) – 15+ years: CLOSED
    • Lower Canyon 1/2 Day (Class V) – 15+ years: CLOSED

Already looking forward to next year’s Clear Creek trip? Read more below and get stoked for your next rafting adventure.

Clear Creek is a fast moving narrow “creek” along Highway 70. However, during most of your trip you won’t know that you are right off the highway because in the river valley you are surrounded by the beautiful national forest. Gold Rush is a class III rafting trip that lasts about 1/3 of a day. This is a great trip for families and those looking to enjoy whitewater and paddling but don’t want to take on large challenging waves. Upper Clear Creek is the class IV section of river that is great for those groups who want to work together and paddle hard through some large splashy waves. Lower Canyon is the class V section of clear creek that moves very fast through large waves. We recommend this trip for those looking to paddle long and hard.

Clear Creek Trips

  • GOLD RUSH CLEAR CREEK


  • LOCATION:
    Idaho Springs, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Whitewater Rafting Colorado through Historic Idaho Springs
    DURATION: 1/3 Day
    RIVER RATING: Class III
    MINIMUM AGE: 6 years old
    PRICE: Starting at $69/adult $64/youth

  • CLEAR CREEK GOLD RUSH RAFTING + ZIPLINE PACKAGE


  • LOCATION:
    Idaho Springs, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Ziplining, Whitewater Rafting Colorado Package
    DURATION: Full Day
    RIVER RATING: Class III
    MINIMUM AGE: 6 years old
    PRICE: Starting at $158/adult $153/youth

  • UPPER CLEAR CREEK 1/2 DAY


  • LOCATION:
    Idaho Springs, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Whitewater Rafting Colorado
    DURATION: 1/2 Day
    RIVER RATING: Class IV
    MINIMUM AGE: 15 years old
    PRICE: Starting at $74/person

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Arkansas River Water Conditions & Trip Age Restrictions

CFS

349 CFS  in Browns Canyon

144 CFS in Pine Creek / Numbers

  • Age Restrictions:
    • Browns Canyon 1/2 Day and Full Day Sizzler (Class III) – 7+ years: CLOSED
    • Numbers 1/2 Day (Class IV) – 15+ years: CLOSED
    • The Gauntlet (Class IV & V) Full Day – 15+ years: CLOSED

Looking forward to next year’s whitewater adventure? Read more about our Arkansas River trips below!

There is a reason that the Arkansas River near Buena Vista is the most commercially rafting river in the United States. Our Browns Canyon 1/2 day trip offers whitewater rafting through the majestic granite walls of Browns Canyon National Monument on a family-friendly class III section of the river.  The Numbers 1/2 day elevates the intensity as you rush through class IV rapids and paddle hard throughout your time on the river. With panoramic views of the 14,000+ Collegiate Peaks Mountain Range and the Arkansas River valley, these trips provide plenty of opportunities to experience some of Colorado’s most beautiful scenery. Keep your eyes peeled, as you may even spot wildlife!

Our Buena Vista outpost even provides opportunities to package your rafting experience with an exciting Zipline or Via Ferrata trip and make the most of your final summer adventure before school starts up! These trips will run through fall along with our Off-Road UTV Rentals, Fly Fishing, Bike Rentals, and Horseback Riding trips.

Arkansas River Trips

  • BROWN'S CANYON 1/2 DAY


  • LOCATION:
     Buena Vista, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Whitewater Rafting in Browns Canyon National Monument
    DURATION: 1/2 Day
    RIVER RATING: Class III
    MINIMUM AGE: 7 years old
    PRICE: Starting at $94/adult $89/youth

  • BROWN'S CANYON SIZZLER


  • LOCATION:
     Buena Vista, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Whitewater Rafting in Browns Canyon National Monument
    DURATION: Full Day
    RIVER RATING: Class III
    MINIMUM AGE: 7 years old
    PRICE: Starting at $159/adult $154/youth

  • Brown's Canyon + Via Ferrata


  • LOCATION:
     Buena Vista, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Browns Canyon, Via Ferrata
    DURATION: Full Day
    RIVER RATING: Class III
    MINIMUM AGE: 12 years old
    PRICE: Starting at $238/person

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Colorado River Water Conditions & Trip Age Restrictions

CFS

447 CFS 

  • Age Restrictions:
    • Half & Full Day Scenic Float (Class II) – 2+ years old and least 30 lbs: CLOSED
    • SUPs & Inflatable Kayaks – 10+ years: CLOSED
    • Colorado River Fly-Fishing trips (Walk & Wade and Overnight): CLOSED

Looking forward to next year’s rafting adventure? Read more about our Colorado River trips below!

From our Kremmling, Colorado outpost, our Upper Colorado River Scenic Float Trips provide a chance to cool down and relax amidst the beautiful scenery of the Colorado River. These are the best trips to tailor to your specific group, with younger kids, adults, and grandparents enjoying their day out on the river. On the Upper Colorado River, you’ll have the opportunity to sunbathe, swim, and even leap from jump rock if water levels permit. For those looking for a unique experience or to elevate the adventure, try paddling one of our Inflatable Kayaks or Stand Up Paddleboards!

Fall is also the perfect time to try out a Fly- Fishing trip! Our Walk & Wade trip on the Upper Colorado River offers the opportunity to learn fly-fishing tips and tricks from one of our experienced guides, with current water levels and temperatures making for great catches.

Colorado River Trips

  • Scenic 1/2 Day Float Trip


  • LOCATION:
    Kremmling, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Whitewater Rafting Colorado
    DURATION: 1/2 Day
    RIVER RATING: Class II
    MINIMUM AGE: 2 years old
    PRICE: Starting at $89/adult $64/youth

     

  • Scenic Full Day Float Trip


  • LOCATION:
    Kremmling, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Whitewater Rafting Colorado Full Day with Lunch
    DURATION: Full Day
    RIVER RATING: Class II
    MINIMUM AGE: 5 years old
    PRICE: Starting at $229/person

     

  • 24 HOURS ON THE UPPER COLORADO


  • LOCATION:
    Kremmling, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Overnight & Multiday Rafting with Meals and Riverside Camping
    DURATION: Overnight Multiday
    RIVER RATING: Class II
    MINIMUM AGE: 8 years old
    PRICE: Starting at $339/adult $309/youth

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Blue River Water Conditions & Trip Age Restrictions

CFS

90.5 CFS 

  • Age Restrictions:
    • Blue River Express 1/3 Day (Class III) – 5+ years: CLOSED

Discover the magic of our Blue River trip!

The Blue River is a beautiful river that runs north of Breckenridge and offers great whitewater in the heart of Summit County. This river offers spectacular views of the surrounding peaks and gore range. The Blue River Express is a great trip for those looking to get a little wet and paddle through some class III rapids. This is a quick trip that lasts about 1/3 of a day, so you will have plenty of time to pair it with another activity.

If you’re looking for an alternate Class III option, be sure to check out Scenic Float trips on the Colorado River, available through the fall.

Blue River & Nearby Trips

  • THE BLUE RIVER EXPRESS


  • LOCATION:
    Silverthorne, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Whitewater Rafting near Breckenridge, Colorado
    DURATION: 1/3 Day
    RIVER RATING: Class III
    MINIMUM AGE: 5 years old
    PRICE: Starting at $99/adult $94/youth

  • INFLATABLE KAYAKS HALF DAY


  • LOCATION:
    Kremmling, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Whitewater Rafting Colorado in Inflatable Kayaks
    DURATION: 1/2 Day
    RIVER RATING: Class II
    MINIMUM AGE: 10 years old
    PRICE: Starting at $99/person

  • TWO HOUR WALK & WADE


  • LOCATION:
    Kremmling, CO VIEW MAP
    ACTIVITIES: Fly Fishing on Gold Medal Waters of Colorado River
    DURATION: 1/2 Day
    MINIMUM AGE: 10 years old
    PRICE: Starting at $149/person

IS WHITEWATER RAFTING SAFE?

AVA Rafting has been a premier rafting outfitter since 1998, and we’ve always prided ourselves in the superior level of training our guides must go through. There are inherent risks with any outdoor activity, including rafting, but we prioritize safety on our trips, which is why we require 3 times more training than the state of Colorado requires for commercial raft guides.

 

AVA is taking precautions as some of our rivers are hitting higher water levels to ensure the most comfortable adventure for your crew.  Be sure to email, chat, or text our adventure specialists if you have any questions about what is best suitable for your family this summer in Colorado!

 

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Glossary of Terms

  • CFS: cubic feet per second. The calculation for CFS is river width x depth x speed (flow and gradient). Each river has a number of sections where readings for the CFS are taken, and 1 section of a river may have a different CFS than another section of the same river. Every river is different, so what may be a high CFS on one river might be completely normal on another. Check out the latest CFS for Colorado’s Rivers, as well as a whether it’s running low, high or runnable, on Mountain Buzz.
  • Snowpack: Snowpack is the measurement of snow that is compared over previous years. Many of Colorado’s rivers rely on the winter’s snow for water, which is why we talk about snowpack pretty often when we are talking about water levels. Check out Colorado’s snowpack on from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
  • Gradient: The steepness of the river bed. Expressed in feet/mile.
  • Hydraulics: Water that is circulating over top of itself. Can often result in holes and breaking waves.
  • Holes: Water flowing over a rock or other obstruction that creates a void that circulates water rather than allowing it to flow downstream.
  • Rapids: Water that is flowing over an obstruction that leads to breaking waves. Rapids are typically formed by rocks below the surface of the water.
  • Eddies: Sections of still water next to shore that are used by raft guides to pull over and take breaks.
  • Strainer: A pile of sticks, branches and debris that have created an obstruction that only allows small items and limited amounts of water to pass through.