Arkansas River Packing Lists

Pre-Trip Info
& Packing List

When to Meet

Option	Show Up	Depart	Return
Browns Canyon Day Trip	8:30 am	9:30 am	4:30 pm
Browns Canyon Half-Day – Morning	9:00 am	10:00 am	1:00 pm
Browns Canyon Half-Day – Afternoon	1:00 pm	2:00 pm	5:00 pm
Lower Browns Canyon Half-Day – Morning	9:00 am	10:00 am	1:30 pm
Lower Browns Canyon Half-Day – Afternoon	1:00 pm	2:00 pm	5:30 pm
Milk Run – Morning	8:00 am	9:00 am	11:30 pm
Milk Run – Afternoon	1:00 pm	2:00 pm	3:30 pm
Numbers Full Day	8:00 am	9:00 am	2:30 pm
Number Half-Day – Morning	8:00 am	9:00 am	11:30 am
Number Half-Day – Afternoon	11:45 am	12:45 pm	3:00 pm
Royal Gorge Full-Day (*separate meet-up location – see below)	8:30 am	9:30 am	4:00 pm
Inn to Inn 2-Day	8:00 am	9:00 am	3:00 pm
Inn to Inn 3-Day	8:00 am	9:00 am	4:00 pm
Inn to Inn 4-Day	8:00 am	9:00 am	4:00 pm
Arkansas 2-Day	8:00 am	9:00 am	4:00 pm
Arkansas 2-Day Extreme	8:00 am	9:00 am	5:30 pm
Arkansas 3-Day	8:00 am	9:00 am	5:00 pm
Arkansas 5-Day	8:00 am	9:00 am	5:00 pm

What to Bring

For Day Trips:

Do NOT wear cotton on the river! It gets wet, stays wet, and can make you colder.*
Swimming suit and/or shorts
Sunglasses with a securing strap
Fleece jacket or synthetic insulating layer (on colder days)
Baseball hat or visor (can be worn under your helmet)
Waterproof sunscreen
Lip balm (with SPF 15+)
Tennis shoes, water shoes, or secure sandals (no flip-flops, Crocs, or Hey Dudes)
Cash for souvenirs and tipping your guide
Water bottle
Change of clothes and towel for after the trip

For Overnight Trips:

All items in the list above plus the following:

Warm sleeping bag/ ground pad ($20 to rent)
Tent ($20 to rent)
Warm jacket
Rain jacket or poncho
Dry shoes for camp
Change of clothes and a small towel
Toiletries
Headlamp or flashlight
Plastic bag for wet clothes
Insect repellent
Favorite beverage if you’d like (beer or soda) NO GLASS

What We Provide

Professional guide in every raft
Lifejacket, helmet, and paddle
Shuttle back to your car at the end of the trip
Comfortable changing facilities
Deli style sandwich lunch on full day trips
Meals from lunch on the first day through lunch on the last day for multi-day trips

Available to Rent:

Day Trips-

Half-day wetsuit: $10
Full-day wetsuit: $15
Booties: $5
Splash Jacket: $10

Multi-day Trips-

2 person tent: $20 per trip
Sleeping bag + ground pad + liner: $20 per trip
Ground pad only: $10 per trip
Wetsuit + booties: $15 per day
Booties only: $5 per day
Splash Jacket: $10 per day

Where to Meet

FOR ALL ARKANSAS TRIPS EXCEPT ROYAL GORGE:

12600 US Highway 24/285, Buena Vista, CO 81211
GPS: 38.813867, -106.101856
Please note that mapping and GPS systems will often try to take you north of Buena Vista. Please follow the links we provided on this page and in your confirmation emails to find our location.

FOR ROYAL GORGE TRIPS*:

Pinnacle Rock Recreation Area, Cotopaxi, CO 81223
GPS: 38.44747530, -105.52272310

HELPFUL QA

Where is the closest lodging to our meeting point? Our office is located just two miles south of Buena Vista. There are hotels/motels, campgrounds, cabins, bed & breakfasts, and small resorts in the area. For complete area lodging information, we recommend you visit the Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce.
Will I receive a safety orientation before my trip? Before boarding your raft, your guide will cover a detailed safety orientation with everyone. Colorado Rivers Outfitters Association (CROA) created a comprehensive video that covers the same information in your safety orientation. Feel free to check out this video before your rafting adventure begins.
Is it appropriate to tip my guide? Tipping is appropriate, particularly if you have received exceptional customer service. If you believe that a tip is appropriate we recommend an average tip of 10-20% of the trip cost. You will have the opportunity to tip your guide directly, or you may use the cash tip box or leave a credit card tip through our helpful front desk staff. We always appreciate hearing from you so we can recognize extraordinary customer service. We also appreciate your feedback if you feel there are areas we can improve upon. We strive to exceed your expectations!
What happens if I arrive late for my trip? To provide our guests with the best possible customer service, we launch our trips on time. We cannot wait for late guests. You must arrive for your trip 1 hour prior to your departure time in order to get through our check-in process and prepare for your trip. There is a mandatory safety talk that starts 15 minutes before your departure time. If you or anyone in your group is not ready to raft and present for its entirety, your trip may be forfeited with no refund. Please plan your time accordingly – allow enough travel time and include unexpected stops for road construction.
I cannot swim. Can I still go rafting? Many of our participants cannot swim. We provide U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices designed to float you face-up in whitewater. Personal flotation devices are required to be worn at all times.
Do I need to wear a helmet? Helmets are required and provided on all of our rafting trips.
Can I bring anything along with me on the raft? All we recommend bringing along is a water bottle, a baseball hat, sunglasses if you choose to wear them, and sunscreen if you need to reapply throughout your trip. If you have any medical equipment or supplies that you need to bring along, your guide will have a small day bag that you can put those in. Due to limited space with guests and equipment, you cannot bring your own dry bags on the boat.
Should I bring a water bottle on my raft trip? We do not carry drinking water on your raft and recommend you bring your own bottle. Water bottles can sit on the floor of the raft.
Do you have a retail store? We have a retail store for those last-minute items such as sunscreen, lip balm, and sunglasses retainers. Plan to check out our t-shirts, hats, and souvenirs after the trip.
Will there be photos taken on my raft trip? We partner with a professional photography company that takes photos of every raft. Digital copies are available to view and purchase at our office by the time your trip returns. They can also be found anytime after your trip on our website.
I am worried about the altitude. Will I be ok to raft? You will be rafting at 8000 feet above sea level. Most people don’t have serious problems here, but shortness of breath and dehydration are possible. Come a day or two early to acclimatize yourself if you can. We recommend you drink plenty of water during your stay.

TRIP POLICIES

Bookings made more than 14 days in advance require a 50% deposit to confirm. 14 days prior to your trip, the balance will be automatically charged to the credit card provided. Bookings made within 14 days of the departure date require payment in full.
Cancellation Policy (NON-discounted reservations): If your group or any person in your group cancels more than 14 days before the trip’s check-in time, a full refund will be provided. If cancellations are made within 14 days, no refund will be provided for any reason.
Cancellation Policy (DISCOUNTED reservations): If your reservation has a discount applied and you wish to cancel, you will not receive a refund.
Cancellation Insurance: Cancellation Insurance is available for 7.5% of the trip cost. Insurance purchased for individuals is non-transferable. If purchased, a refund would be provided minus an additional 7.5% cancellation fee up to 72 hours prior to check-in time. Anything cancelled less than 72 hours, but at least 24 hours in advance would receive a non-refundable gift certificate valid for one calendar year from the date of cancellation. Cancellations made within 24 hours are not eligible for a refund for any reason. Guests who opt out of Cancellation Insurance are subject to the 14-day Cancellation Policy.
No exceptions will be made. This includes, but is not limited to road construction, undesirable weather, poor road conditions, COVID, or other illnesses.
Late Arrival Policy: It is your responsibility to arrive for your trip on time – 1 hour prior to your scheduled departure time. We will not wait for late arrivals. Please take into account travel time, weather, road construction, etc.
Water Policy: Wilderness Aware reserves the right to move your group to a more appropriate section of river due to extreme high or low water conditions. We will give you as much notice as possible of conditions that may affect your scheduled trip. Note that if an alternate section of river is available to your group no refunds or credits are given.
Weather Policy: Wilderness Aware trips run rain or shine. We will not cancel or cut trips short due to rain and/or thunderstorm conditions (including lighting).
Drugs and Alcohol: Drugs or alcohol are not to be consumed before or during the trip. This includes recreational marijuana. No refund will be given to those drinking alcohol or using drugs prior to the trip.
Pregnancy: We do NOT allow guests that are pregnant to participate in rafting.

SPOTS ARE FILLING FAST!

BOOK YOUR TRIP NOW

Choose from a variety of Colorado rivers, day trips, and multi-day trips to find just the right option for you and your crew. Better hustle, because they’re booking up quick!

Choice Rivers

Years In Business

Days of sunshine

250

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