What an amazing adventure. We had a group of 8, and it's was all of our first time doing white water rafting, and we had no idea what to expect. Once we arrived, the staff was so nice and helped us get set up with what to do. Once we were ready, the raft instructors got us suited up and went over all the safety rules. It was a bit overwhelming but much needed. I was kind of nervous but really excited, as the rest of the group. We had so much fun and can't wait to do it again. Our instructors May and Katherine were awesome!! read more

See all

We had a blast with Arkansas River Tours. Kyle, our raft leader was amazing. We felt that he had good control of the situation at all times. Friendly, fun and professional. Will definitely be looking for another opportunity to go rafting again and will go with Arkansas River Tours! read more

See all

The rapids were fierce, the Royal Gorge walls were closing in on us -- when almost all hope was lost -- Xenia Warrior Princess guided us safely through! Julie made our experience at Arkansas River Tours memorable. She took personal interest in each individual in our raft, was an expert guide, and kept us laughing along the way. Highly recommend. read more

BUYER BEWARE: Went on a tour provided by a guide called "Hannah". The gross negligence, ineptitude and unpreparedness almost cost the life of three rafters the were under the supervision of Hannah. After being on the river for approximately an hour, we were dumped in the river while crossing the Sunshine Falls Rapids and instead of performing what is called "Swift Water Rescue" as they loudly advertised on the bus on the way to the river (MANY TIMES) the raft guide decided it was more important to unpin the raft, rather than try to rescue us with the rope that is onboard. After almost drowning and having to rescue ourselves because the guide was more concerned with unpinning an UPRIGHT raft, rather than human life we had to carry on down the river. a The river current carried us for a couple hundred meters all while getting water boarded by the current and badly beat up by boulders and rocks everywhere... After rescuing ourselves, we said we didnt want to continue any longer, but Hannah said this is the only way out of the river. Later on we found out, that's not true, essentially being held hostage on a raft. LOL We were trapped on more rocks further down and forced to get off the raft and hike next to a section high in elevation and very dangerous, many times we were needlessly navigated through rougher water, after we were dumped in the water. I reached out to the owner Billy Marquis and advised that we were considering legal action from the sheer negligence that his raft guide caused. As a basic settlement, it was asked that Arkansas River Tours cover the medical copay for my fiance which is $500 plus our money back which was $200 and some change. Essentially just pennies on the dollar to them. Mr. Marquis said he would "consult with his attorney and get back to me" two days passed and I didn't hear from Billy so I sent a follow up email outlining my offer and also mentioning our willingness to sign a release...nobody replied back to the email (of course). I'm still exploring my options if I want to take up the headache to move forward with filing suit in Colorado Court, but still undecided. This review is TO WARN YOU. These people take your money, take you on tour and have no regard for your life or safety. RAFT AT YOUR OWN RISK AND BE PREPARED TO SAVE YOURSELF, DO NOT RELY ON BILLY'S POORLY TRAINED TEAM. IT CAN COST YOUR LIFE...TAKE HEED OF MY WORDS. I DIDN'T THINK HAVING TO RESCUE MYSELF WOULD HAPPEN BECUASE THEY REITERATE THAT THEY'RE TRAINED IN SWIFT WATER RESCUE, BUT THE REALITY IS QUITE A DIFFERENT ONE. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE, THE GUIDE (HANNAH AT THE TOP RIGHT) WAS MORE PREOCCUPIED WITH UNPINNING THE RAFT, RATHER THAN RESCUING US. read more

See all

We had our first white water rafting experience and loved every second of it. We had a larger group and the tour guides were very accommodating. Everything was organized and done very well. I also appreciated that everything was clean and sanitized. Our guide was awesome and made the experience that much better. Great value for what we paid as well. We will definitely be taking more guest out here when they visit. read more

We went rafting with a group of 7 and had a great time!! This was the perfect start for those that had never white water rafted. Marshall was our guide and he did an excellent job directing us. He did a couple extra things that added a little more adventure. He was friendly and knowledgeable. I think we were paired with the perfect guide for our group! read more

This place was awesome! Definitely made me want to come back and do it again. Our Guide was name Cat and she is amazing! Ask for her if you go! Seriously incredible guide! Place was beautiful. It's a must try if you come to Colorado! read more

We did the Bighorn Sheep Canyon 1/2 day today out of Cotopaxi with Allison as our expert guide--the water is high, which means high waves, fast water, great fun and excitement! We had an amazing time and felt safe and exhilarated. Delightful! read more

What a great time! Had some awesome rapids. Our guide, Austin was the best! Had really cool stories about the area, and the river. Scenery was gorgeous. Would most definitely come back if didn't live on the other side of the United States. read more

Arkansas River Tours - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Cotopaxi, Colorado

What an incredible experience! We had a group of 6 which included 2 kids (6 &10). Both kids we able to participate (especially the 10 yr old who was fully in it),, but also were kept very safe. Don't let that fool you though, we hit some awesome spots and felt the adrenaline for sure! Great experience for first timers, families and everyone looking to have a great time Cole was an incredible guide and really made the experience from gear fitting to arriving back to base. Knowledgeable, fun and engaging! Thanks for an adventure we won't forget! read more

We did the half day and greatly enjoyed it. Our guides Kat and Cat were amazing. I highly recommend ART and we will most definitely return. Next time we will hit the Royal Gorge. read more

We did the 1/2 day Bighorn Sheep Canyon trip. This was our family's first whitewater rafting experience and we had an absolute blast. Our guide Maggie was great with all of us and was a blast to be around. I wouldn't hesitate to book with this outfitter again and would DEFINITELY ask for Maggie again. read more

Arkansas River Tours - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Cotopaxi, Colorado

We went 2 wks ago for a 1/2 day down the Arkansas River through Longhorn Sheep's Canyon. Our guide Mike Dunn was so great that we had to come back for a full day, further up river through Brown's Canyon. It was SPECTACULAR-both times. Mike's commands were clear & his communication style solid. He was full of great facts & stories throughout the time we spent with him. Hands down a fantastic guide. We will be back later in the season! read more

Arkansas River Tours - Mike Dunn-awesome guide! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Cotopaxi, Colorado

See all

we rafted with Kristina in a solo raft and it was fantastic! she is knowledgeable, passionate about rafting and went out of her way to ensure our family (including our 2 kids) had a blast while staying safe. we will be back to try another River with them! read more

Our guide Calvin was great! It was the first time for 4 out of 5 of us. He had good points of interest, gave good direction and made it fun. The thing I didn't like was I paid for the photographer and wasn't told until we were in the raft without a cell phone that there wasn't a photographer. I'm an all about the pictures person. read more

What an excellent day. Kat took such great care of us. We had our 3 year old grand daughter and her 80 year old great grand mother with us so we took a family guided trip. There were 7 of us all together. It was wonderful. Just rough enough to give the little ones a great adventure and it even thrilled our 15 year old grand son. What a day. We loved it. Thanks so much Kat. We'll definately be back for more. read more

My family and I had a blast on this tour. We felt well prepared and guided by our amazing tour guides, Billy and Jack. Would highly recommend this experience to anyone who likes some thrill and beautiful scenery. read more

We are on a girls' weekend away and decided it might be fun to go river rafting. We had no idea just how much fun it would be. We had Maggie and Sarah as our guides and they were unbelievable. They were so skilled and such experts in their guiding. We felt so safe being in their boats. Thank you for such a great and fun adventure. read more

My husband and I were first time white water rafters and Maggie handled our raft through the canyon like a boss! Maggie went through all the safety precautions/instructions and made us feel very rest assured about our experience. She was very pleasant, and WE ABSOLUTELY HAD A BLAST! Next time you book, ask for Maggie, she is highly competent and you are guaranteed an amazing time rafting! read more

Had an awesome time today on the Arkansas River. We did the intermediate course since we had two kids, 10 and 13, who had never been before. Our guide, Alli, was very skilled and knowledgeable. She obviously takes her job and our safety seriously. She made sure she went over all the safety procedures with us, and gave us a heads up about what we were facing down the river. She knew a lot about the river and the area, and answered all of the questions we had. She made sure that we were paddling correctly, and corrected us along the way if we weren't doing something right. No one fell out of the raft which was a huge bonus. We would definitely come back here again. The only negative was that the pictures they took were really expensive to buy. $25 for one picture or $55 for the entire album. I would have bought some if they had been more reasonably priced. read more

Great Adventure, Great Rapids, Great Guide Kyle took us down some amazing rapids with skill and we all had a great time. We spent 3 days on different sections of the river. They fed us and it was a great experience! read more

We did the full day Bighorn Sheep Canyon trip with Ethan. Had a great time, everything was very clear and they were able to keep our car keys while we rafted. Lunch was sandwiches beside the river. I actually fell out of the raft at one point, but Ethan grabbed me up out of the river like it was second nature to him. In retrospect we might have done a half day because at some point you grow tired of being wet. Overall a very good experience and I would recommend ART. read more

Poor customer service. Had to cancel my trip because of an emergency, still got charged cancellation fee

We went with the full day trip & so glad we did!!! Calvin was the best guide we've had on rafting trips. The provided lunch was good & the grandkids had a blast! The river had plenty of rapids & thrills. This was a day that made many memories for years to come. read more

Fun and exciting tour! We had an 11 year old so we had to do the intermediate float but it was still action packed with good rapids. Ethan was a skilled guide and he made the experience enjoyable. We liked that this was very interactive with everyone working together. read more

I cannot say enough awesome things about this company! We did a multi-day rafting trip and not only was EVERYONE we came in contact with friendly, professional, and just downright helpful, but the operation was a well oiled machine. Even the food they served was outstanding! Full breakfast, grassfed steaks for dinner, full sandwich bar for lunch. I have to allocate an entire paragraph to our guide, Dylan. Couldn't have asked for a better raft guide! Not only was he extremely knowledgeable, but fun, friendly, and professional when he needed to be. Talk about someone who attacks each day with enthusiasm! He truly made our entire experience. Be sure to request him, you won't be disappointed! read more

We took our wedding guests down the Cottonwood float. We had steak and chicken by the river for lunch and then took the Royal Gorge train. It was a blast and everyone enjoyed themselves. This was our second time to float with ART. I would recommend them to anybody. They are very professional and took care of everthing. We will always have great memories of this trip and great pictures of all our guests having the time of their lives. Thanks to Art and the greatest guide ever, Kyle! read more

Excellent. This was our first rafting trip and the folks at ART were really great in helping me decide which tour to do, answering all my questions. The trip itself was a wonderful experience, too. We all had a great time, definitely a highlight of our vacation. read more

Went there for a work event and had a blast. Though the rapids were tiny, it was the course my boss chose. I know a rafting experience hinges on the guide, and our was awesome. She was young and funny and energetic. she was professional and reassuring and I would definetly reccomend this place. read more

They took us down the river, and we had a great time! The guides were great (Taylor) and really made this a great day.

We enjoyed our tour so much! Austin was amazing and so great with my kids. He kept the family float safe, but added some fun along the way. Thank you so much, Arkansas River Tours, for taking our safety and comfort (helping us with all the gear, jackets, etc.) so serious. We left with a great memory! read more

My husband & 2 teenage boys had a great experience! They did The Grand Slam which was an all day float down some harder areas with lower water conditions. Ethan was their guide & they said he was great! We will definitely be back & look forward to trying it when the water level is higher. Thanks ART! read more

Boring as heck. If you have little kids that's great because all you do is sit there and float. The water was slow and the guide was still avoiding anything that would be a rafting experience. She just wanted to float us as slowly and safely as possible from point A to point B. No engagement at all, not even using the paddles. Actually, kids would even be board, babies and senior citizens over 80 would be ok on on this "rafting" trip. read more

I can't speak for the Trout Guy's experience, but we went rafting and had a great time. Jerrod (ope I spelled it correctly) was our guide and he was very knowledgeable, friendly, funny and has a genuine interest in making sure everyone has a great time. It seemed the other guides were very friendly as well. We did the raft and rail, it was well organized and well timed - two things that can break your experience. If we get back to the area we will certainly use this company again. We do not have children, but they seemed very patient with the families and teamed everyone up accordingly. Oh - and affordable! read more

This was an amazing first time rafting experience and we are so glad we went with Arkansas River tours. Our guide, Jack, was an expert and a professional and made the Royal Gorge full day trip exciting, fun, and importantly, safe. The first half was an intermediate level which gave us time to get familiar with Jack, his commands, and in general, how to raft. We stopped a few hours in for a delicious lunch of fresh fruit, sandwiches, and cookies and made our way back onto the raft for the second, advanced, half. While I was a little nervous, it was still a blast and by the second or third higher category rapid, my nerves were eased. Jack always emphasized and articulated a plan in the event one of us fell out of the raft, which was very important to me! He was funny and entertaining and definitely skilled! We will return in the spring when the water is higher, but despite the low water levels, we had an incredible time and felt that the price of the trip was a great value! read more

Great experience from the day before when we were researching the best option for my two 14 year olds to experience their first rafting trip. Nick greeted us and gave us honest feedback based on the current conditions of the rivers and what would give us a great first-time experience. I really appreciated his honesty rather than being sold a more expensive trip. The morning of our trip we were greeted by Tex, the operations director. Again, excellent customer service, friendly, informative and patient. Jerry, the bus driver was friendly, a total team player and, most importantly, safely drove us to and from our load in and load out sites. Our guide, Kyle, was just awesome. Knowledgeable, super fun and just made a great first experience rafting for my two teenagers. I also had a great time. We will definitely go back next summer and maybe try the Gorge trip! Thanks so much! read more

This is the best company to book with! If I had known how great our guide, Zach, was going to be, I would have booked a full day. We arrived in the morning, got our gear, listened to all the safety tips and were on our way. 2 of us in our group of 4 were first timers. Zach was unbelievably the best guide this company has. I don't honestly think I could have survived without his patience and knowledge and confidence. If we ever come back to the Denver area, I will definitely book a full day rafting trip and will specifically ask for Zach as our guide. Thank you so much for helping me conquer a fear! read more

Had a really great time on our tour - my mother booked the trip and from what she said they did a GREAT job of recommending a trip and providing her lots of information. Our guide was Julie who was just phenomenal - extremely knowledgable and not in an overbearing, snobby kind of way - not in the least! She was passionate about teaching/educating AND so patient which is awesome. She was extremely personable and great to talk to throughout the trip. She - and the other staff - clearly just love their jobs, always makes the experience that much better. We just wished it was longer haha... but no problem we'll be back! Ready for the next level, bigger rapids, maybe a longer trip next time :) read more

This company may be alright for a regular rafting trip (don't know), but whatever you do, don't book them for a fly-fishing float trip. I've taken several guided fly-fishing trips, including water trips, so I know what to expect, and the trip with them was a total waste of money. Our guide, Bob, turned out to be the owner and he offered no assistance or expertise on how to catch trout. He basically did nothing a fishing guide was supposed to do other than he managed to get us down the river in a raft. Don't waste your money. read more

Great trip down the river. Megan was our guide - knowledgable and friendly guide. We hade a great trip. The entire staff was professional and helpful. read more