Colorado White Water Spotlight: Royal Gorge Rafting

White water rafting in the magnificent Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River, in the shadow of the famous Royal Gorge Bridge, is one of the most exhilarating and visually stunning (and popular) river-rafting trips in Colorado. Formed by the uplift of the Rocky Mountains around the Arkansas River over three million years ago, the Royal Gorge boasts one of the most dramatic canyons in Colorado, the world’s highest suspension bridge, and remains one of the most recognizable natural scenes in America.

In addition to the scenery, the Royal Gorge boasts some of the most extreme, exciting white water rafting in Colorado, featuring Class IV white water rapids and a pulse-pounding succession of big drops. Rapids in the Royal Gorge include Sunshine Falls, Sledgehammer, Wall Slammer, Corkscrew, the Narrows, Boat Eater and Soda Pop Rock.

Wilderness Aware Rafting offers a full-day Royal Gorge rafting trip. We spend the morning warming up in the exciting (but less intense) Lower Bighorn Sheep Canyon. After a picnic lunch we enter the Royal Gorge, for drop after drop of pounding whitewater and spectacular views of the canyon (which in some places is over 1000 feet high!) and the Royal Gorge Bridge.

Be aware that Royal Gorge rafting isn’t for everyone. Due to the intensity of the rapids (class IV) and necessary skill level we recommend that only experienced rafters in good physical condition attempt the trip. For rafters who have already mastered the Royal Gorge, we also recommend the even-more-intense Numbers section of the Arkansas River. View here for information or to book a Royal Gorge rafting or Arkansas River white water rafting trip.