Afisha Life Homepage
Idaho Springs
Explore
Travelers recommend
Beginner Whitewater Rafting on Historic Clear Creek Park

Beginner Whitewater Rafting on Historic Clear Creek Park

Overview

Middle Clear Creek is one of the greatest beginner rafting runs in the nation. With numerous rapids and historical significance, it is hard to deny the value. Although Clear Creek holds more rapids than most any other run in the US, the rapids of our Middle section are straight-forward and perfect for families with children or anyone else looking for something a bit easier. Rafters will also catch glimpses of Colorado's rich gold mining history and maybe even a miner or two as they splash down this unique stretch of whitewater.

City: Idaho Springs

Sun 22 Sep

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $67.00

Make a reservation

Sun 22 Sep

Starting at $67.00

Make a reservation

New York City Tours

Unique Activities (21) Transfers & Transportation (103) Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises (113) Entry Tickets (47) Sporting Events (1) Good for Small Groups (6) Seasonal & Holiday Tours (41) Walking Tours (697) Outdoor Activities (20) Limitied Availability Tours (6) LGBT Friendly Tours (4) Family-friendly Activities (7) Solo Travelers' Tours (147) Food & Drinks (27) Travelers recommend (73) Good for Groups (8) Top Activities (18) Guided Audio Tours (3) Art, Culture & History (135) Attractions to explore (38)

What's Included

Free use of wetsuits, splash jackets, helmets, paddles, and personal flotation devices.

Additional Info

Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Although the river itself is not wheelchair access, in most cases we can make special arrangements for our guests' needs.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (179)

Sarah_B

Jul 2021

The employees were very friendly! My family had a great experience on our 1st time White Water Rafting! Sam was our guide and he did a great job navigating us through our experience! I would definitely use this company again in the future.

johnmB1626JO

Jul 2021

We took the “beginner” trip in clear creek with our sons (ages 7-14) and my MIL (~80). We selected this trip, which is advertised for families and those with no prior experience, specifically due to the young and old ages in our group. On the river, our guide (Kurt) told us he liked to push the envelope and didn’t follow all the rules. Without us asking, he told us we were going to take on water and the boat was going to tilt. He then turned the boat around, “surfed” against the current, the bow took on water, and the boat turned/tilted. My 7 year old was up to his belly button in water and cried out that he didn’t like this. Both of my other boys fell out! My middle son was sucked under the boat, trapped for a moment, and then emerged absolutely terrified. He told us he thought he was going to drown under the boat. We understand that rafting is inherently dangerous, but our guide purposely and needlessly engaged in a risky activity that we didn’t ask for, and it left our group terrified. If my little one or MIL fell out, they could have easily been severely injured or worse. We complained to management and they defended the guide’s behavior as acceptable – he was just trying to show us a good time. We never got any kind of apology. Anyway, we recommend rafting on clear creek for families/beginners; just do it with another company if you care about the safety of your group. This company does not.

Response from Host

Jul 2021

Hello John, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry that you did not enjoy your rafting trip today and appreciate the opportunity you have given us to share our views on safety in whitewater rafting. In fact, safety on the river is our single greatest concern. All of our procedures on and off the river have been developed over many years with the aim of eliminating as much risk as possible. The safety orientation that is given at the start of every trip has been developed through the collaborative efforts of many companies and guides over several decades and represents an industry-wide standard of knowledge meant to educate guests on the best practices for staying safe on the river, as well as how to react to situations such as falling out of the boat. All of our guides, including Kurt, have been trained in life saving CPR and First Aid as required by Colorado State law, as well as advanced swift-water rescue techniques that either meet or exceed the requirements of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Your guide, Kurt, is one of the most experienced guides on Clear Creek. In terms of logged river mileage, experience, professionalism, and any other measure of guiding expertise, he stands among the top tier of guides in our industry worldwide. In regard to pushing the envelope, He has advanced his skills for 14 years on rivers in both the Eastern and Western U.S. as well as internationally, and is a well seasoned trip leader. I can assure you, from personal experience, that he does indeed follow the rules of our profession. In regard to the event that you described, we are deeply saddened that you had an experience that did not live up to your desired expectations. It is always our goal to provide our guests with an outstanding trip on Clear Creek. It is extremely rare for someone to fall out of the raft on the section that you ran today. However, as you noted, activities such as rafting, that are done in a natural setting, often include some inherent risk. We do not expect people to fall from their boats here, but as you may remember from your safety orientation we discuss all the possibilities and how to react and avoid them. Surfing small waves such as the one you experienced today is not uncommon and is practiced frequently on rivers across the U.S. and the world. Especially in our late season when water levels are lower and the days are hotter, it gives guests the opportunity to cool off in the water. Taking on water in the raft is also not uncommon. We operate self-bailing rafts that are designed to function even when fully filled with water and can drain on their own, while floating, in a matter of seconds. We do understand that in an unfamiliar environment, while taking part in an unfamiliar activity, some people may find this unnerving. As well, to have members of your party unintentionally enter the water can be quite scary. It is unfortunate that you experienced this and you have our sympathy for sure. I would like you to know that this wave is considered a reasonable spot to attempt surfing because of its small size and ease of recovery afterward since there are no rapids for quite a while after it. It is unfortunate that members of your party took an unexpected swim. We are glad that their ordeal lasted only about 10 seconds and they were quickly brought back out of the water after never having lost contact with the boat. Again, we are sorry and understand how this experience could have distressed you, but would like to assure you and all other readers that there is nothing more important in our minds than the safety of our guests. Feel free to give us a call if you would like to discuss any of this further. 844-291-4218. Best regards, Ryan

Marta_W

Jul 2021

Would recommend this company for rafting on Yampa river. Great guide. Very friendly and encouraging of the kids in our raft. Trip was appropriate level for our 7 and 10 year old. Can’t wait to do the next level with Downstream Adventures when they get bigger.