White Water Rafting Denver, Colorado

White Water Rafting Denver, Colorado

Clear Creek Rafting Trips

Denver White Water Rafting Trip Highlights

Just 30 minutes from Denver, Clear Creek boasts some of Colorado’s most famous whitewater. This rocky mountain adventure combines exciting rapids, alpine scenery, and rich mining history. Flowing through historic Idaho Springs, Clear Creek offers an impressive concentration of rapids ranging from class II-IV with mild and intermediate trip options to pick from.  

  • Multiple guided trip options only 30 minutes from Denver.
  • Conquer exciting Class III & Class IV rapids like Castle Falls (Class III), Deliverance (Class IV), and Outer Limits (Class IV).
  • Discover gold rush heritage at the Chicago Creek discovery site.
  • Spot local wildlife including bighorn sheep, river otters, and bears.
  • Float by historical sites including the Argo Mine (once the most profitable mine in the world) and the Charlie Taylor Water Wheel.

More About This Trip

Flowing from the peaks of Loveland Pass, down the east face of the continental divide, and into the historic mining town of Idaho Springs, Clear Creek offers the most accessible and rewarding white water rafting near Denver.
 
A free-flowing river fed by snowmelt, water levels fluctuate throughout the season, providing varied whitewater experiences during the summer season. High water season begins late May and lasts through mid June. As the winter snow runs off into late June and July, flows begin to drop and the rapids become more defined, requiring technical maneuvers to navigate the river.
 
Boasting some of Colorado’s most renowned whitewater, Clear Creek offers an excellent combination of exciting rapids, rich history, and natural beauty. Trip options include a mild 2h 30m trip, an intermediate 2h 30m trip and an intermediate full day trip. The mild trip option includes constant class II rapids with eight class III’s. The 2h 30m intermediate stretch boasts nonstop class II rapids with five class III’s and three class IV rapids. The full day intermediate trip includes the intermediate and and beginner sections plus a stop for lunch and two more class IV rapids just before the takeout. Multiple daily departure times ensure theres a trip to fit in everyone’s itinerary!
 

The History

Journey through time in your descent down the river as you uncover Colorado’s Rocky Mountain mining history. Chicago Creek, a more prominent landmark along the rafting journey, is documented as the location where the first gold nugget was discovered during the Idaho Springs gold rush, initiating the Gold Rush of 1859. Then float past the historic Argo Mine and Mill, once one of the world’s most productive mines, which processed over $100 million of gold ore.
 
The Charlie Taylor Water Wheel stands as another testament to the area’s rich mining heritage, while Kermit’s Access (a popular take-out point) is named after an old dive bar, now Two Bears Tap & Grill, which serves one of the oldest pork green chili recipes in Colorado – a delicious post-rafting meal!
 

Location, Location, Location

Clear Creek is ideally located in the Front Range, approximately 30-45 minutes from the state capital, making it the ideal destination for white water rafting near Denver. It’s also easily accessible from Winter Park, Breckenridge and surrounding Summit County, and is the closest rafting destination to Boulder at about 1 hour away. This prime location means less time driving and more time enjoying your summer adventures!
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Trip Options

Denver Rafting Trips

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Boat Options

We offer these boat options so that you can customize your Durango rafting trip to the experience you desire.

Mild to Wild’s Boat Options: Why You’re In the Raft You’re In

Premium Raft

Holds Up to 6 Guests

Premium Raft

Smaller guide to Guest Ratio
5 Paid Seats is a Private Raft
Option to Paddle or Relax
Ages 4+

Standard Raft

Holds up to 10 Guests

Standard Raft

Option to Paddle or Relax
Ages 4+

Single Person Kayak

One Guest per kayak

Inflatable Kayak

No experience necessary
Instructional guide provided
Increased adventure level
Physical fitness required
Ages 11+ or 5'2"

Payments & Cancellations

Payment Options

  1. 1/2 down, 1/2 charged 30 days prior to trip.
  2. 1/3 down with remaining balance charged in thirds.
  3. Call for other arrangements!

Free Courtesy Hold

We don’t want you to miss out on this trip so we’ll hold your spots, payment-free, for 24hrs while you make your final arrangements & prepare for payment.

Fees

In addition to the listed trip cost, we collect an additional 9% for River and Land Access Fees (ie. Forest Service, BLM, City, Private Land Use).

Cancellation Policy

Day Trips: Receive a 90% refund with written notice 36 hours or more before the trip. Less notice, no refund.

Trip Change Option

Up to 12 hours prior to departure, trips can be rescheduled for a different day and/or time. The price of this change policy is 5% of the total trip cost. Upgrade only available at time of reservation and must be applied to each seat.

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