Your guide to whitewater rafting on the Poudre River
Whether you're a lifelong resident or just visiting for a day or two, there aren't many Colorado experiences that top whitewater rafting.
And some of the best river-running in the state is in Fort Collins' backyard, on Colorado's only nationally designated 'Wild and Scenic' Poudre River in Poudre Canyon.
Four businesses in and around Fort Collins and another in Estes Park offer a variety of daily trips on the Poudre from late spring through the end of August or beyond, as water levels allow.
'June's the time to go if you want the big waves,' said Bob Klein, owner of A Wanderlust Adventure. 'If not, July and August are good, too. It's still exciting and fun at that time.'
No experience is required, although some trips include more challenging rapids than others, according to the outfitters. Minimum age requirements vary by company and trip difficulty.
Otherwise, 'if you can get on the bus safely and walk down to the boat, you can go rafting with us,' said Ella Zuellig, a guide with Mountain Whitewater.
Outfitters provide guests with paddles, life jackets and helmets, and all have additional gear, including paddle or splash jackets, wetsuits and neoprene booties, available, often for an extra fee. Trips run as scheduled, rain or shine.
Each of the five rafting companies operating in the Poudre Canyon have been doing so for decades, and all operate under permits issued through Roosevelt National Forest that limit the number of boats and visitors on the river at any one time.
Starting and ending points may vary, based on the season and water levels.
'That's one of the beauties of the Poudre, is we have lots of miles of river we can run,' said Kyle Johnson, co-owner of Rocky Mountain Adventures.
Advance reservations are recommended. Prices vary by outfitter, trip and day.
Here's a list of the five outfitters operating in the Poudre Canyon:
A1 Wildwater — 2801 N. Shields St., Fort Collins. Phone: 970-224-3379 or 800-369-4165. Website: a1wildwater.com.
A Wanderlust Adventure — 4120 W. County Road 54G, Laporte. Phone: 970-482-1995. Website: awanderlustadventure.com.
Mountain Whitewater — 1329 N. U.S. Highway 287, Fort Collins. Phone: 970-419-0917. Website: raftmw.com.
Rapid Transit — Estes Park, trips meet at Estes Park High School, 1600 Manford Ave. Phone: 970-577-7238 or 800-367-8523. Website: rapidtransitrafting.com.
Rocky Mountain Adventures — 1117 N. U.S. Highway 287, Fort Collins. Phone: 970-493-4005 or 800-858-6808. Website: ShopRMA.com.
Coloradoan reporter Kelly Lyell can be reached at KellyLyell@coloradoan.com. Follow him on x.com/KellyLyell, threads.net/KellyLyell and facebook.com/KellyLyell.news
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Guide to whitewater rafting on the Poudre River in Colorado
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