Gold Rush Rafting+ Zipline
Join us on one of our best family trips, and experience Colorado fun on the river and in the air. From our Idaho Springs outpost, paddle Clear Creek’s best family-friendly whitewater and soar through the trees on our cliffside zipline course.
If you’re looking for an adventure for a family trip, work event, school event, or scouting trip the Clear Creek Gold Rush and cliffside zipline package is the perfect introduction to beginner whitewater rafting and aerial adventure. Navigate class III rapids, and fly high on our zipline course above the Chicago Creek and the town of Idaho Springs.
Minimum age: 6, minimum weight: 50 lbs., maximum weight: 250 lbs.
Trip Highlights
2026 Expectations
What to Expect
- A full day of fun
- Cliffside zipline tour with 6 ziplines
- Unique aerial elements including hanging bridge, log cross, and dual race line
- Family-friendly rafting through Idaho Springs’s historic mining valley
- 7 miles through mellower class III rapids
- Stunning scenery on both trips
- Experienced raft and zipline guides
Trip Itinerary*
- Meet your guide and kick off your adventure-filled day at our Idaho Springs outpost
- Get your zipline gear, and take a short ride and 10 minute hike to the start of your adventure
- Fly through the trees on our 6-line zipline course
- Enjoy stunning views and a unique Colorado adventure on our zipline course built directly into the cliffside
- Return to the outpost, and break for lunch – please pack a lunch or head into town for a bite to eat
- Paddle the Clear Creek on this family-friendly rafting adventure
- Experience class III rapids and a perfect introduction to splashy whitewater
- Cover 7 miles through Idaho Springs’s historic mining valley
- Return to the outpost and view photos from your trip
Express Option Available:
Our express trip option will send you directly into the next adventure-all gas, no breaks. This option is perfect for groups on a tighter schedule and for those who don’t need an hour between activities to refuel. Simply choose the express option when booking online.
*For some trips, the order of adventures may be switched. Please check your individual booking for exact details.
Who will love this trip?
- Families looking for an full-day of activity fun for all ages
- Groups hoping for a full day of adventure close to Denver
- Families with kids 6 and older
Related Packages
-
Cliffside Zipline Half Day
<p class="isSelectedEnd">Experience one of the most unique zipline adventures near Denver on our Cliffside Zipline Course in Idaho Springs. Your adventure begins in historic downtown Idaho Springs before boarding our signature Safari Truck for a scenic ride up the mountain. From there, you'll soar across six exhilarating ziplines built directly into the rugged Rocky Mountain landscape above Chicago Creek.</p> As you travel from platform to platform, you'll fly past towering granite cliffs, forested slopes, and sweeping mountain views while tackling exciting aerial features including a hanging bridge, log cross, jungle bridge, and dual race line. This half-day adventure combines adrenaline, incredible scenery, and family-friendly fun, making it the perfect Colorado mountain experience for first-time zipliners and thrill seekers alike.
-
Gold Rush Clear Creek Rafting Adventure
Splash down the Clear Creek mining valley on our 1/3 day Gold Rush trip. Just a short half-hour trip from Denver, this family-friendly rafting adventure offers a fun outdoor adventure that everyone in your group will enjoy.
-
Browns Canyon Half Day + Zipline Package
This multi-adventure package will keep you energized and smiling the entire day, as you fly through the trees on our Mountaintop Zipline course and then rush the rapids on our Brown's Canyon whitewater adventure.
-
Mountaintop Ziplining In Colorado – Half Day
Fly between towering old-growth pine trees and cliffs on our Mountaintop Zipline, a unique Colorado experience fun for all ages. This course may be the most incredible way to see the Arkansas River valley as you experience Colorado from a unique vantage point.
-
Gold Rush Rafting + Via Ferrata
On our Gold Rush rafting and Via Ferrata multi-adventure package, adventure starts strong and keeps coming. Climb high into the cliffside above Idaho Springs and the Chicago Creek on Via Ferrata course, a unique form of climbing with features built into the mountainside. You'll then cool off over the course of 7 miles of moderate rapids on the historic Clear Creek.
Not sure yet? Here are some other activities
-
Browns Canyon Rafting + Via Ferrata
Excitement and scenery await on your Browns Canyon + Via Ferrata full-day adventure. Climb into the Rocky Mountains and rush the rapids of the mighty Arkansas River.
-
Stand Up Paddleboard Half Day
Try the newest, most fun activity on the river - Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP)! On this half-day trip, you'll SUP 5 miles down the Colorado River. You'll stand up or kneel on a large, surfboard-shaped board and steer with a long paddle as you navigate down the river. Prepare yourself for falling into the water, as it's highly likely that you'll go for a swim!
-
Upper Colorado 4 Hour Fly Fishing
Join AVA for a scenic fly-fishing excursion on the Upper Colorado River. Our 4- hour float trips are perfect for both novice and experienced anglers and present an opportunity to both fish and relax!
-
Polaris RZR 2 Hour Rental+ Scenic Float Package
Looking to kick up a little dirt and then wash it off? Experience the best of Colorado's outdoors on our full-day UTV Rental and Scenic Float adventure package!
-
Starlight & Full Moon Zipline
Join us for one of the most exciting and popular Colorado mountain summer adventures - ziplining! The starlight zipline adventure allows you to experience AVA's same cliffside zipline course after dark, with the moonlight zipline taking place under a full moon.
-
24 Hours in Browns Canyon
Experience Colorado's best overnight whitewater rafting. This trip provides a unique way to explore the most popular stretch of whitewater rafting in the country as you paddle and camp in the heart of Colorado's Rockies.
-
Colorado Via Ferrata – Granite
Adventure awaits as you conquer the cliffside on this unique mountaintop climbing experience. Feel a rush of adrenaline as you traverse across and above the Arkansas River Valley, using iron rungs, bars, and other features to ascend. Your stomach will drop on our hanging bridge and freefall flight line!
-
Colorado Scenic Float-Half Day
This wonderful Colorado River float trip is a gently flowing section that is inviting to all ages. You’ll encounter a few small rapids as the Colorado River winds through the Gore Range and Mountain Ranchland.
-
Browns Canyon 1/2 Day
Get ready to experience the best of Colorado on our Brown's Canyon half-day trip. This family-friendly adventure rushes you down the Arkansas River and through Browns Canyon National Monument on exciting yet mellower class III rapids.
-
Inflatable Kayaks Half Day
Looking to take charge of the river? On AVA’s Upper Colorado Inflatable Kayak ½ Day trip you can do just that! Whether you want to try something new or are seeking a little extra excitement or independence, the Upper Colorado Inflatable Kayak trip is perfect for you!
-
Mount Blue Sky, Colorado Via Ferrata
<p class="isSelectedEnd">Get your heart racing on one of Colorado's most unique aerial adventures. Our Mount Blue Sky Via Ferrata takes you high above Chicago Creek on a guided cliffside climbing experience built directly into the rugged mountains surrounding historic Idaho Springs. Clipped into a continuous safety system, you'll traverse exposed rock faces, cross suspended bridges, and navigate a series of exciting features while taking in sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains below.</p> Throughout the adventure, you'll move across dramatic granite cliffs overlooking the canyon and downtown Idaho Springs, experiencing terrain typically reserved for technical climbers. Combining hiking, climbing, and aerial elements, the Mount Blue Sky Via Ferrata delivers an unforgettable mountain adventure just 30 minutes from Denver.