Arkansas River Whitewater Rafting

Experience America’s Best Whitewater River

Colorado’s Arkansas River features clean water, incredible Rocky Mountain scenery, and the perfect dry and mild climate. For good reason, it is one of America’s most popular whitewater rafting rivers. With over 100 miles of very accessible whitewater, this river begins up on the Continental Divide as nothing more than a patch of melting snow. It gains momentum as it flows past some of the biggest mountains in Colorado, benefiting from their abundant snow melt in the spring and summer. The Ark (as many Coloradoans call it) is the 6th longest river in the United States, clocking in at 1,469 miles long from its origin in Leadville, Colorado to where it flows into the Mississippi River in Napoleon, Arkansas.

The Adventure Company has been guiding whitewater rafting trips on this legendary river since 1987. Our riverside location in Buena Vista provides easy access to the best rapids in Colorado, including the famous Browns Canyon National Monument, which offers scenic views, exhilarating rapids, and the perfect balance of adventure and fun.

The Browns Canyon stretch of the Arkansas, which we raft on extensively, was recently given National Monument status, and the river is also known for its Gold Medal fishing. The Arkansas River is revered by fishermen, families, and rafters alike. It is known worldwide for its beauty and value as a natural resource. Check out all of our Arkansas River rafting trips below!