Testimonials
Lower Animas River
Highly Recommend
“We knew the river was not as high as usual, but that did not matter, we had the best time with our 2 children and our guide, Sam, was such a hoot!!!! The scenery was just amazing, and our guide was very knowledgeable about the area. We come to Durango at least every 6 months and have never done this river rafting, I would highly recommend “Mild to Wild”, and we will be back again and again now…Thanks for such a great day.”
– Annette S, Albuquerque, NM
Personal
“I found the company’s emphasis on safety reassuring and loved the hands-on approach from Molly and Al to be rewarding – how often do you get to personally talk with the owners of such a busy company?”
– Eileen, Flagstaff, Arizona
The Best Ever
“I went rafting with Mild to Wild on a company outing and it was the best idea ever! We did the lower Animas river run and had such a blast. Our guide was great and made sure we all had a fun and safe time. Many of us had never been rafting before but we all ended up having a great time! I would definitely recommend Mild to Wild to any large group that is looking for something to do while in Durango.”
– TripAdvisor Review
Great Staff Make Rafting the Highlight of our Vacation
“Thanks to the office girls, Zach, & Keaton for making our ducky trip on August 4 such a blast. You guys were so patient with our kids (and the mom) as we learned how to paddle and ride the waves. It was the highlight of our trip to Durango!”
– Stephanie Mathews Hashagen
The best part of our family reunion!
“We were in Durango for a week long family reunion and some of us decided to go white water rafting. We found Mild to Wild online and made reservations back in February. We had no idea what to expect and there were 8 of us ranging from ages 9-64. The people of Mild to Wild from the owner, Molly, down to the guides were awesome. They helped us every step of the way and we LOVED our guide, Taylor, who made our group adventure even more fun with his crazy antics! If we ever make it back to Durango we will definitely do this again. My kids said that this was the best part of the entire week – it even trumped the train from Durango to Silverton and that is hard to do. Thank you Mild to Wild for making our family reunion a memorable one!!”
– Dana Stump/Cooper Family Reunion
Totally Cool
“My husband, son & I took a ride on the Lower Animas River out of Durango. We had a blast! Our guide maneuvered the raft safely. I recommend renting the booties to keep your feet warm. Great, awesome experience!”
– Ellen Qualls
Ducky with Mild to Wild
“We enjoyed the 1/2 day “ducky” trip and it was awesome. The only complaint is we wanted to keep going!”
– George D, Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Salt River
Highly Recommend
“As in most river activities, it is not the river that makes for a great day, it is the organization. From check-in to haul out, Mild to Wild provided an enjoyable experience. Great value for the money, highly recommend!”
– TripAdvisor Review
More Rapids
“I went down the Salt with these guys and had a great time! The staff made it great! We also went over more rapids than their competitors.”
– LeighAnne Hill
We’ll Be Back
“Yesterday we had a great time on the Salt River with Mike. Our group of 40 & 50 somethings’ truly enjoyed the day. Mike was a great guide, fun to be with, but very professional. This group will be back next year. Thanks for the great adventure!”
– The ‘Sisters’- Jane, Sally, Donna and Jennie
Lots of Excitement
“We rafted the upper Salt River in Arizona–big water–lots of excitement–Best lunch on the river!”
– Sandy Barker
San Miguel River
A Memorable Engagement
“Rafting all day along the beautiful San Miguel River was the perfect way to celebrate getting engaged this summer. My fiancee popped the question while camping before the trip then we laughed, splashed, and paddled the day away on the San Miguel.
The guides on the trip (Miles, Kyle, Joe, and John) were fun, personable and professional. We were REALLY impressed by their ability to navigate through the swift, narrow, rocky canyon. The ladies in the office also helped make our travel plans run as smoothly as possible. They were very knowledgeable and even arranged it so that we never had to step foot in the office! The trip was exactly as described, I’m so happy they helped pick the perfect trip for us! The guides had the correct wetsuit sizes waiting for us at the put-in (by the way… I’m so glad we rented wetsuits for this trip… though I wasn’t sure we needed them, we would have been freezing)!
I would recommend Mild to Wild to anyone looking for a little adventure. We hope to return every summer. The only hard part is choosing which guide to request next time!”
– Colorado, TripAdvisor Review
Fun For The Whole Family
“The food was great, the guides were excellent, and the scenery breathtaking, but the best part of the trip was the unwinding with my kids and seeing the exhilaration in their faces from taking on the river!”
– Mark Nelson, Wichita, Kansa
More Tours More Fun
“This was our third trip with Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Trail Tours this summer and second trip with our guide, Jesse, on the Lower Animas. Great Family Adventures – Jesse is very skilled, very funny and very personable. The trip was great. The other trip we did earlier this summer on the San Miguel near Telluride – where Jesse’s brother, Miles, was our guide [equally skilled and humorous!] – was wonderful, too. All in all, a great summer with three Mild to Wild trips and two great brothers as our guides! Thanks Mild To Wild for nice summer memories. See you next year!”
– Betul Ozmat Handmaker
Upper Animas
The Time of our Lives
“My wife and I had the greatest 2 day Upper Animas trip with Mild to Wild. The views were spectacular, the guides were great, and we had the time of our lives. We now plan on making this trip an annual family getaway.”
-Stanton K
The Best River Trip in the Country
“One of the best river trips in the country – You have to do the 2 day trip to truly get the experience of the Upper Animas – drops 1000 feet per mile – Class 5 – not for the faint at heart. Great trip, great food and great guides. Class act – one you will not soon forget!”
– Bruce M
The Best Rapids!
“I just want to say AGAIN what a wicked good time my dad and I had this past weekend rafting/camping on the Upper Animas River! Really the best vacation I’ve had in a long time and the best rapids too!!!! Can’t wait to come back, best guides by far! And the group we went with had some great people!”
– Jenny Fossum
The Best Company!
“We just rafter Rockwood Gorge on the Upper Animas River with Mild to Wild and the experience was fantastic! We have rafted many places with many companies but this one is the best!
I have never written a review but my family thought the company did such a great job, a review needed to be submitted to help others when making rafting company choices. You will be very happy on any river with them!”
– Elizabeth C, Chicago, IL
Never Been Treated Better on a River Trip
“I just returned from a 2 day trip on the Upper Animas. I just wanted to let you know what a great time we had! This is the 7th river that I have rafted and have never been treated better. The guides were awesome: Andy, Darrel and John. Give them raises, as they are worth it! Thanks for the great trip!!!”
– Jay
Colorado River
Best Family Vacation
“My families’ first river expedition was by far the best family vacation we experienced when our kids were young. We spent 3 days white water rafting on a multi-day trip on the Colorado River near Moab, Utah. The canyon was absolutely beautiful with warm water and big sandy beaches that were great for Moab camping. The river was nice and mild with a couple sampler rapids, which is exactly what we were looking for. Our 6 and 10 year old had so much fun playing in the inflatable kayak and getting a little more adventure! The guides were so accommodating and great entertainment for our family. They even took us on some great, easy hikes and showed the kids where the good fishing spots were. We can’t wait to find the time to experience another Moab adventure get away like this one!”
– Kristine Anne
Most Fun 3-Days
“Mild to Wild took excellent care of us on our 3-day float down the Colorado River near Moab. Drew and James cooked every meal to perfection and were very knowledgeable and very eager to answer any and all questions we had. Our camping spot was beautiful and inaccessible by road, with plenty of rugged scenery to hike around and explore. There wasn’t a single hitch even with multiple vehicles and they accommodated our need to leave a bit early with ease and grace. One of the most relaxing and fun 3-day spans ever!”
–- Boulder, Colorado; Trip Advisor Review
Piedra River
Next Time the 2-Day Trip
“We went on the Upper Piedra River trip. The scenery was beautiful and the rafting trip and guides were wonderful! The lunch Mild to Wild served about half way into our adventure sure hit the spot! Everyone was friendly and we are looking forward to a rafting/overnight camping trip in the near future. Thanks for a great day!”
– TripAdvisor Review
Amazing River
“Went on the Lower Piedra this last weekend. The river was amazing, and the weather was perfect!! Would HIGHLY recommend Mild to Wild to anyone!! From the girls at the office to the Guides on the river, everyone was professional, and they all truly want you to have the best time. Thanks again to everyone especially Drew (our guide) for such a great day out on the river!!”
Highly Recommend
“I had a GREAT time rafting the upper Pierda River two weeks ago. I will recommend Mild to Wild to all my friends and family!”
– Hugh B, Roswell, New Mexico
Jeep Trail Tours
Jeep Tour an Absolute Must
“The open top jeeps take you from Silverton out into the mountains and back via trails with the most incredible views and scenery. Our tour guide was brilliant – very knowledgeable and entertaining. A great way to spend a morning.”
– Wilmington, Delaware – TripAdvisor Review
Unbelievable
“We took the jeep tour to the ghost mining towns. It was unbelievable. We went up over 12,000 ft and the views were incredible. It was very comforting letting the professionals do the driving. The guides were very accommodating and even had rain jackets for everyone when a shower brewed up.”
– Jolanda Fleitman, Denton, Texas
In Awe at 13,000 Feet
“I was looking forward to the Ghost Town Tour, but we had no idea that the mining ghost town was really only a small part of the tour. I’m still in unmitigated awe at the vistas beyond the town, that it was possible to drive up to nearly 13,000 feet above sea level and that in July my children would be playing in snow!”
– Laura Lappe
The Favorite Part of our Whole Vacation
“Our guide Dave took our family of 5 on a jeep tour. Our ages ranged from 15 to 85, and we all loved it. We got to see the “wilderness” of the area, places where only a 4-wheel drive could get to. Dave was very knowledgeable about the area, history, flowers, etc. He also went out of his way to use a squirrel call to get a bear to come out of hiding, so we could see a bear! He was on his 6th straight day of successful bear sightings. We all loved this excursion and recommend it highly. It was our favorite part of the trip.”
– Colleen W, Topeka, Kansas
Explore Value Packages
Rivers, Trails, Rails and Mesas
Our family did the Rivers, Trails, Rails & Mesas Family Package. From the first contact with Drew who took care of our arrangements, to the jeep driver up into the mountains, to Daniel who was our rafting guide, to the gals who worked in the store at their location, I was so impressed with the friendliness and genuine caring attitude that each one had. To them, our enjoyment was first and foremost, and believe me, we had a wonderful time because of them. The guides were so knowledgeable about the area which made the tours that much more enjoyable. We rode the bus up to Silverton and took the jeep tour up into the mountains. Wow, what a beautiful view! Took the train back and again the scenic view was spectacular! Lower Animas rafting was so much fun and there are no words to describe Mesa Verde. I was awestruck!
– Susan G, McDonough, Georgia
Trails n’ Rails
This was our first trip to Durango. We had a blast. We did the Bus Up, Jeep Tour and Train Down. It is a long day but well worth it. Simply stunning views. Half Day on the Lower Animas River was our favorite. We loved every minute of it. Guides were excellent (Shout out to Mace, Brent/Jeep Tour & James/River Rafting) I would highly recommend booking your vacation through Mild to Wild. The entire staff at Mild to Wild are accommodating, friendly and professional. No Regrets….YOLO!!!
– Marla A, Lubbock, Texas
Best of the Southwest
We did the river rafting one day and then the jeep trip and the train ride back from Silverton to Durango, all of it was great – the guides, drivers and all employees were very friendly and helpful! I would highly recommend any or all of the trips!
– Ann S – Lindale, Texas
Terrific Tour
Thank you very much for the educational Ghost Town Tour for our Boy Scouts and their families. Everyone had a great time and we look forward to trying it again next year. Your staff and guides were terrific and we enjoyed the entire trip, especially the combination of the jeep/train- allowing us to take the train just one way. We loved your unique tour vehicles.
– M. Nelson, Troop 184
Outstanding
The highlight of our corporate getaway was the rafting and jeep tour combination trip we took with your company. Your service is outstanding, your guides are knowledgeable and professional and your equipment is well maintained. The open air tour vehicles really gave us a feeling of freedom and invigoration. Thanks!
– Feather Dusters, K. LaBorde, Geneva, IL
Entertaining and Educational
This was such a wonderful day for us. We left Durango by bus and arrived in Silverton about an hour later. We piled into Swiss all-terrain vehicles and drove high into the mountains north of Silverton. Saw an old ghost town and abandoned silver mines. Our guide was fun and knowledgeable. After our 2+ hour all-terrain vehicle ride, we rode the Durango/Silverton Narrow Gauge back into Durango. We would absolutely do this again when we visit Durango. The scenery is breathtaking! Thanks for a GREAT experience!!
– Karen Hoge, Ellicott City, Maryland
We’ll be back
Your unique safari-type vehicles made the trip! They are cushy, comfortable, clean and well maintained. The best part about them is that you don’t lean on other people while going up and down the mountain like you do in traditional jeep tour vehicles! The combination trip of the train and a jeep tour was the best way to do the train! We’ll be back.
– Dianne Lenz, St. Paul, MN