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Colorado’s Dolores River White Water
Rafting!
The Dolores is a classic western river, unspoiled,
with a majestic desert backdrop. In May and June we take advantage of the warm
temperatures and early season runoff to raft this exceptional wilderness river.
Enormous Ponderosa pines grow in stark contrast with a landscape of red and
orange sandstone cliffs. This results in a striking kaleidoscope of color
unique to the Dolores River as the scenery changes through five major western
life zones, from the alpine life zone at its headwaters to Upper Sonoran desert
terrain along much of its lower reaches.
The traverse of the Dolores takes one through an area
as interesting for its history as for its rare natural beauty. It is not known
who named the Rio de Nuestra Senora de las Dolores (River of our Lady of
Sorrows) and when they did so, but the Spaniards knew it by that name when
Dominquez and Escalante joined it near the present day town of Dolores,
Colorado on August 11, 1776. They were searching for a northern route to the
California missions. The unspoiled character encountered by Dominquez and
Escalante remains today.
The Dolores River is located about 30 miles northwest
of Cortez Colorado, home of Mesa Verde National Park. It is west of Telluride
and Durango and within easy driving distance.
Visit the Wilderness Aware
Gallery to see photos of the Dolores and other exciting Colorado and
Arizona rivers.
Click here for
directions and a map to the Dolores River.
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