We did the Bighorn Sheep Canyon Half Day trip with our 12-year-old grand-daughter July 2023. There are a lot of rafting companies to choose from in Cañon City, but Raft Masters includes lunch at no extra charge, free digital photos, optional wet gear, and various discount codes. The free lunch was burgers or hotdogs freshly made at a little stand across the street. They were delicious and a nice little perk!
Our guide was Maddie and she was awesome. Very patient with all three of us since it was our first time rafting.
We weren't sure which trip to take, but Bighorn Sheep Canyon was the perfect choice. We would have missed out on a lot of fun if we had done the tamer Family Float. If you have any doubts about what trip would be right for your group, pick up the phone and call them. They're very helpful. Ask about discount codes while you have them on the phone. They're more than happy to share those.
Pointers for first timers (from a first timer), YOU WILL GET WET. Dress accordingly. They do provide wet suits at no extra charge. We didn't get wet suits, but opted for just a yellow jacket that sort of takes the shock out of the big splashes (but you will still get wet). If you have your own water shoes, wear those. They have water boots you can use, but they're not terribly comfortable (per my husband). As for your dry clothes, towels, car keys, etc., they do have lockers that incur a 75 cent fee, or you can stash your stuff in your car which will be parked right across the street from Raft masters. I think they try to give groups their own raft (I wondered about that before our trip). We only had three in our group, but got to have our own raft.
While the Raft Masters guides are a lot of fun, they are also very professional and are highly focused on keeping you safe. We will definitely be back next year, and I would recommend them to anyone spending any amount of time in Cañon City...this is a must-do! If you are still apprehensive about rafting, do a quick YouTube search on Bighorn Sheep Canyon or Raft Masters. Lots of good videos that will show you exactly what to expect.