This week, we look at one of the most popular summer activities in Colorado -- whitewater rafting. June and July are one of the best times of the year to go rafting in Colorado. With the snow melted, and the rivers at some of their best, there's a stretch of the river for people of all ages and rafting abilities. From family-friendly float trips to battling the exhilarting rapids, the Colorado, Eagle and Arkansas Rivers in Colorado offer a wide variety of rafting adventures for the whole family. Colorado River Ranging from mild to wild, the Colorado River is certainly one of the most famous rivers in the West. "The Colorado comes alive high up along the Continental Divide and begins its 1,440-mile journey through three states before ending at the Gulf of California." (http://www.lakotariver.com/vail.html). Enjoy frequent wildlife sightings with beautiful scenery on The Colorado, which is located west of Vail / Beaver Creek, the Colorado River offers plenty, from a mild float trip to the raging rapids. The Upper Colorado is a peaceful, remote stretch of the river which is ideal for young families and mixed groups. The Shoshone Rapids on the Lower Colorado River offer intermediate rafters an opportunity to explore the fun rapids through the spectacular Glenwood Canyon with its towering walls. For extreme rafters, the Class V Gore Canyon is considered one of the top 3 most difficult commercial runs in the United States. (http://www.lakotariver.com/vail.html) Rafters have to be of excellent physical fitness and swimming ability. Eagle River
Located just minutes from Vail / Beaver-Creek, the Eagle River winds its way through Eagle Valley and is unlike its western counterparts in that it "is not dam-controlled and therefore demonstrates the classic mood swings of spring. Raging levels from snow melt spills from the Continental Divide in early June, then mellows in mid to late summer." (http://www.lakotariver.com/vail.html) The Lower Eagle stretch of the river features lively rapids, and is a great introduction for first-timers with a sense of adventure. The moderate level rapids make it great for a family trip. The Middle / Upper Eagle River is a great intermediate run with continuous rapids and offers more difficult rafting experiences for those with an adventurous spirit. Just outside of Minturn are the continuous rapids of Dowd Chute on the high altitude alpine river, which promises to be an action-packed adventure.
Where to begin your adventure
Colorado has a number of whitewater rafting companies which offer a variety of river trips to suit your needs. Nova Guides has been one of Vail's premier outdoor recreation companies for over 20 years. Not only do they offer an amazing variety of river trips down the three popular Colorado rivers, they also offer activities such as paintball and guided fishing in the summer. Visit their website here or view their summer movie now! Colorado Outdoor Center / Lakota Guides is another company that offers a great whitewater river rafting experience. Offering beginner, intermediate and advanced level trips daily from May through September, free wetsuits, wetsuit booties, splash jackets, helmets, life jackets and a meal/snack are part of their deal. Timberline Tours offers comprehensive information about pricing, duration of trips and other details on their website. They also have a "Click and Save" option available. Credit to Nova Guides, Lakota Guides and Timberline Tours for all information. Have a river rafting experience to share with us? Think we've missed a great whitewater rafting company in Colorado? Tell us! Simply click "Comments" and tell us about your rafting adventures! | 
