Half-Day Family Rafting in Durango, Colorado

Overview

Explore Durango’s Lower Animas River on this half-day family rafting trip through town. The Lower Animas is a popular river for visitors and locals alike. Get a unique view of Durango through the rapids and experience the scenic beauty south of town. Paddle along with the guide or sit back and relax as the guide does all the work. Learn the history of the region and stories of local traditions as you experience Durango, Colorado river rafting. Rafting on the Lower Animas in Durango offers a great mild trip option for ages 4 and up.

City: Durango

Sun 22 Sep

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $97.01

Make a reservation

Sun 22 Sep

Starting at $97.01

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Pre-trip safety orientation

River and land access fees included

Round trip shuttle from main office

highly maintained equipment

Free Parking

Free splash jackets and helmets (if desired)

Trip Leaders average 2,000 river miles

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Minimum age is 4 years
Wet-suit and wet-suit boot rentals are highly recommended through June

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (658)

289daleh

Aug 2022

The people were nice and helpful. However, the river was not running well. We've rafted the Arkansas River several times near the Royal Gorge and the same time of the year, and it was waaaaay better. Maybe a different time of the year for the Animas, but it was a bit disappointing. One small rapid on the whole trip. It was basically just floating... pretty bummed for a $100 pp.

Response from Host

Aug 2022

Thank you so much for your review, we really appreciate your honestly! We describe this trip as a mild rafting trip with mostly Class I and II rapids with one Class III level rapid. Our rivers are highly reliant on snowmelt and nearing August is later in the season for us. Is there anything that we could have done to make this trip a better experience? Please feel free to call our office, we would love to chat with you more! (970) 247-2789

Jennifer W

Aug 2022

I was a little worried that the late July rafting trip was going to be too tame for four teen boys, but Hannah and the whole rafting crew made sure there was fun for all. The water guns are worth the investment - and the boys loved the 360’s in one of the slow, deep spots in the river. Thanks to afternoon rains, the water levels had risen and the rapids were great! At one point I bounced around enough that I almost popped out of the raft, but my tucked feet saved me! Highly recommended!

Response from Host

Aug 2022

Thank you so much for your review, we are so happy you and your teen boys enjoyed the rafting adventure with Hannah as your guide! We are so thankful that afternoon rains have been helping our river and are glad you all didn't go out on the river unarmed!

Dolphilms

Jul 2022

I just moved to Durango 6 weeks ago and wanted to explore a different side of the town: via the main waterway that runs through it, the beautiful Animas River. My friend, her 9 and 5 year old and I all were on a raft with guide Steve King, aka “Safety Steve”. I was a bit nervous at first because it was my very first whitewater rafting ever but I felt well prepared by the team of guides who provided a thorough safety briefing before our launch on the “Puddin” area. Once me and my friends went on the boat we discussed all kinds river stories and Durango anecdotes. My nerves quickly dissipated when I realized we were with a lifetime outdoor adventurer who love nature as much as keeping people safe. The River was running at almost 1,000 cfs (cubic feet per second) which is 60% higher than the median daily statistic (110 years). We asked a bunch of questions to our guide Steve on the technicalities of rafting on this portion of river and he provided great guidance to help us have a deeper understanding of the river as well as the vessel. It felt exhilarating and we all felt we were contributing to this amazing experience. My friends, her kids and I loved every minute of it and we will definitely recommend Mild-to-Wild to any of our friends visiting Durango who want an incredible adventure and phenomenal customer service. Also, big shout out to the reservations team, specially Meghan who helped me with the re-scheduling of our excursion because we got COVID and had to change our dates to 2 weeks later.

Response from Host

Aug 2022

Thank you so much for your review, we are so happy that you, your friend and the kids enjoyed your time on the river with Safety Steve, he truly is one of a kind! We are also so glad to hear that he helped teach you some river facts, making the experience even more fun to learn more about the history of the area! Thanks for giving a shoutout to Meghan, she is amazing and we feel so lucky to have both her and Steve as a part of our Mild to Wild Family! We can't wait to have you on another adventure next time you're in the area!