SALIDA, Colo., June 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Arkansas
River in central Colorado is the
country's number-one whitewater rafting destination for good
reason, according to the Arkansas River Outfitters Association.
Rafting sections such as the Royal Gorge and the Numbers offer
some of the country's most technical boating challenges, while
families can choose mild float trips on different sections of the
river with an easy riverside lunch.
Variety is what makes the Arkansas River the country's most
popular rafting destination. Beginning as a trickle high in the
Colorado Rockies, the whitewater cascades southeast through
Colorado, offering Class II-V
sections as it drops 4,650 feet over 100 miles before leaving the
Rocky Mountains.
The iconic Class III-IV run in Browns Canyon National Monument
is available to kids ages 7 and up. The run is as popular for its
granite spire walls that plunge to the river's banks as it is for
its intermediate-level rapids. Visitors can choose from half-day,
full-day and multi-day camping trips on the river.
The variety of trip offerings and activities supports the amount
of activity, according to Bob Hamel,
executive director of the Arkansas River Outfitters
Association.
"There are so many options on miles of river, from family float
trips to advanced whitewater paddling, and inflatable kayaking to
stand-up paddle board lessons," Hamel said. "There is much to do on
the same river, in the same day or for multiple days in a row."
The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area follows the river's
length, providing visitors dozens of entry points near Buena Vista, Salida, and Cañon City. Nearly a quarter of a
million visitors went rafting on 44,000 commercially guided trips
last year, according to park managers.
Among the state of Colorado's
29 rafting sections, the Arkansas River offers the longest stretch
of whitewater, the longest boating season into September, and hosts
more than 40 percent of the state's visitors who go rafting.
The Arkansas River Valley also attracts kayakers and private
boaters from around the world.
For information about planning a Colorado whitewater rafting adventure, contact
an Arkansas River Outfitters Association member. AROA consists of
knowledgeable, experienced and licensed professionals who are
dedicated to offering world-class whitewater adventures on the
Arkansas River in Colorado.
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SOURCE Arkansas River Outfitters Association