WOW what a time. My friend and I signed up with this company to take us on a 2 day extreme class IV/V Overnight rafting trip on the Arkansas river. We both have experience with this company from rafting the Upper Salt River in AZ. Unfortunately the water levels didn't cooperate but, the rafting company modified the itinerary to give us the best possible adventure possible. Day upper upper Browns Canyon which led to class I've and the use of duckies. Operation am not a fan but, half of our group loved them. We were then driven 1.5 hours away for our dinner and tent camping (3 miles from our put in). Ryan and Eric our guides cooked a great meal and catered to the group. We awakened to a mist and heavy fog, which we were served pancakes and sausages for a warm breakfast, and let's not forget hot coffee. We then departed at 8:30 for our trip down the Royal Gorge were we hit class in rapids, lots of class 3s, great geology, good company, lots of fun and a great experience. Ryan our lead guide and Eric did a great job for 2 days of providing us a great experience and memories. You have many choices but from a personal experience this is the best company to deal with. We are already planning next year's multi day trip. read more

We "dodged a bullet" with this company. They called us less than an hour before our trip to cancel, not because of dangerous conditions, but because another group canceled, and they didn't want to take 3 of us out. No integrity and no remorse for ruining our trip. Fast forward, we found an amazing company that agreed to work us in the same day and, after speaking to several people in the area, it is well known that Wilderness Aware Rafting has less experienced guides and get stuck in the river holding up "traffic" most days. Literally no one locally has anything nice to say. In hindsight, I am glad we didn't go with them. read more

My family and I did the Brown's Canyon Monument trip, and we had a phenomenal time! Our guide, Ben, was incredible- extremely upbeat and funny. It was our first time (any of us) doing a raft trip, and he helped make us great. We cannot sing his praises enough. The trip we booked is typically supposed to be 2-2.5hr and it ours was extended to about 4hrs due to circumstances. Again, so upbeat throughout the entire trip. read more

We booked our trip beginning of 2022-ish when they were running som specials on 2 and 3 day trips. I gave the information to my girl scouts and had a couple that wanted to go. I was not initially supposed to be the adult going with. I have a fear of bigger and faster rapids....... However stuff happened and it ended up being me. From the beginning they were easy to work with. I had made a tentative reservation online but we didn't have quite enough people. However our trip was early in the season. I called after a couple of days to see if they thought we would be a go. They opted to run the trip for us since we were early season. They did keep it up for others to potentially join but no others did. Which is unfortunate. Our experience was great! They sent plenty of email communications as it got closer including asking about dietary needs and then reminders. When we arrived we got there an hour early as instructed in the email. They checked us in. Got us a dry bag and our tokens for getting the wet suit. We went and packed our dry bags. And then picked up our wet suits and went to the bathrooms to change. Bathrooms were clean and well kept. The wet suits dont have the arms and neck so you would want to wear a non cotton shirt underneath or be sure to wear a lot of sunscreen (if you are renting a wet suit. We were early season and it was recommended to us) Turbo, the driver came out to chat with us as we were waiting and gave a pep talk. Through our chat he had found out I was nervous. Appreciated the pep talk. Our guides, Kat and Gregg were professional and knowledgable about rafting. Kat shared quite a bit of some of the cool history of the area. Gregg really try to engage my quiet and introverted girls. Being that we were doing a 2 day trip there was food involved. We had 3 of us who have celiacs and then one who is also vegan and one who is also vegetarian. They were able to accomodate our needs with really yummy, delicious and filling food. Gregg and Kat prepared all our meals. Honestly we all felt a little bad we are used to being doers. It was weird to have someone else doing all the work. But they did a great job and the food was yummy and satisfying! They also had some desert available at times and hot drinks. Was so thankful that they did such a good job with the food. Sometimes places can't get it right when you have a gluten free and vegan combo. That was not the case here. They did a great job!! Our camping area was lovely. There was a little bit of hiking available. But they also brought some games that we played for a bit. It was nice and relaxing. The next day going through the canyon was definitely a lot of fun. As with most companies they do take some pics of your ride, if you want pics be sure to stop back by the front desk after your experience. You wont be sorry this is a great company. read more

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Great experience!! We went on a 3 day, 2 night trip and everything was wonderful. We have some experience rafting. 4 adults and we were on our own with our 2 guides, Ana and Danny. They were enthusiastic, energetic and all around great people and guides. The food was great, the rental equipment was in good shape, the boats were fully equipped, and the campgrounds were nice! Overall no complaints, just a lot of fun! Thanks Ana and Danny!! read more

First time water rafting: we tried out the Browns Canyon 1/2 day trip (which was just over 4 hours). We came in excited and nervous, not knowing too much of what to expect, but the crew (including our guide Ryan) was very well organized and communicated clearly making it easily enjoyable! The rapids weren't too overbearing (we did a Class 3), and were a perfect fit for family time. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a day venture filled with fun times! read more

Spent a half day on the Salt River and had a great time! The rapids were a class 2 or 3, with a water flow of 1700 ft per sec, which made it an enjoyable trip to both take in the scenery as well as getting the blood to flow. Our guide (Gatlin) was well equipped to handle the trip and made the ride even more enjoyable. read more

Great experience rafting with Coach, Lilly and Jacob on our 2 day trip. They were the perfect fit: providing fun for the teens and adventure seekers, and reassurance for some of the less experienced or worriers. All of the gear supplied was perfect - wet suits, wet jackets and booties. Highly recommend the VIP package to get all the gear covered. The meals were wonderful - sandwiches, fajitas, eggs and bacon, chicken wraps, and even deserts and appetizers. Highly recommend Wilderness Aware!!! read more

Amazing half day Browns Canyon with Tony. This company is very organized and professional and had great communication prior to our departure. Safety is first and the equipment and bus is in good condition. A guaranteed fun adventure! read more

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The most amazing experience you'll have rafting. Whether you're a beginner or experienced rafter, the guides are more than capable giving you the best trip of your life! Their knowledge from their own experiences is fascinating to listen to and learn from. They are easy going, conversational, and want to make your trip unforgettable. The views alone are worth the trip! Repeat customer and looking forward to our next adventure together. read more

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We chose Wilderness Aware for our rafting trip based on reviews, and they definitely lived up to it. Service, communication, etc. was outstanding for a river company (we've used a few). Our guides, Emily and Gatlin, were fantastic -- would definitely request either of them again! We did the half-day Brown's canyon trip, and most of our group was ready to go again the next day. I'd definitely recommend WA over the other companies in this area (whose rafts we'd constantly see having issues). Great experience. read more

Went on a great float. Gunner was our guide. Perfect day on the water for 5 older women and 1 old man. read more

Fun, fun, fun, just all around fun! SLOW WATER AFTER AUG. 16th! We went on August 17th, the day after they closed the damn. This made for low water volume and a more technical ride based on the slower water. This in no way took away from the fun of the day, just good info to have if you want more power behind the ride. We had Jake as a guide, he explained that the rafting companies and fisherman share the river. The rafting companies get the fast water until mid August and the fisherman enjoy a calmer river after that. FACILITIES Very clean with adequate changing space. CLOTHING we rented wet suit shoes and splash jackets, $5 and $10 respectively Wear wicking material, you will get wet and cotton will keep you cold! SUNSCREEN!! You're exposed to the sun in the middle of the river the entire time. Sunscreen is a must. GUIDES As I said before we had Jake as our guide. He offered both geological and fun facts about the river and canyon. Plus pointed out the anthropomorphic rock formations. Besides that Jake was just fun to be with during ride. All of the guides were focused on safety and fun and appeared to be very knowledgable about their sport. We'd recommend 100%. read more

We had the BEST guide!! Her name is Anna :) She was so friendly and gave great instructions. Plus the views on the river were gorgeous. Really memorable experience. 10/10 read more

Beautiful day rafting down the river. We were newbies and the team did a fantastic job going over the safety briefing. Little did we know we would need those safety instructions as our entire boat flipped and went into the water. Will was our guide and he did a great job! We would definitely use them again. read more

Have used several times before and had no complaints. This time not so much. Female guide was terrible and almost caused the boat to flip due to her lack of experience. Friend's wife went into the water and this girl was clueless with trying to get her back in. Other guides they said were really young and inexperienced as well. Mainly the company's fault for letting people on the river in those conditions, especially small children on that stretch of river, and especially with new guides. Used Independent Whitewater last time and had an excellent guide but the wife opted for WA for some reason. This was even after getting ringworm from their wetsuit the previous trip. Big mistake. Would definitely recommend IW over them after this trip. read more

Our family of six had no rafting experience, but with a little training from our guide we were a coordinated and confident paddling team. To be honest, there's not much paddling needed, since the guides do most of the work by steering the raft. We'd get in two or three strokes before it was time to stop. The Brown's Canyon half-day trip we chose was meant for beginner to intermediate rafters, which was just right for us, with several exciting rapids that weren't too dangerous-looking. At one point, we got turned sideways going down a rapid and three of us got tipped into the water. It was a scary in the moment, but we swam to shore and got picked back up again and were back on our way, with a great story to tell. It definitely made us thankful for the securely-fit lifejackets and helmets. read more

Wilderness Aware Rafting - Excitement for the whole family - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Buena Vista, Colorado

Great experience. Highly recommended for family outings and adventure seeking. It's a real great team building idea as well. Our guide Michael did an awesome job. The trip could otherwise be intense if he didn't break the ice easily or made the atmosphere very conducive for fun and overall a great guide without sacrificing professionalism. He established great rapport with the kids too. Our family comprised of 4 adults and 2 kids aged 9 and 11. No one went overboard!!! We'll have to plan a come back for the level 5 when the girls are 15. Or maybe comeback for more of level 3/4 with a different group Thank you for the truly amazing experience. read more

Wilderness Aware Rafting was recommended by a friend and we were not disappointed. This was our first time rafting and we had an amazing time! Can't wait to do it again!!! read more

Wilderness Aware Rafting - We were first time rafters and we had an amazing experience and our guide Connor was the best!!! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Buena Vista, Colorado

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I love you guys! Great & extremely friendly/courteous crew, nice NEW equipment, a great gift shop in BV. The BEST part of your operation is you run in small 1-2 raft groups unlike some of those other inferior companies that have so many annoying groups/rafts on the river together at once. That personal and intimate experience is worth everything! Don't change a thing- WA is as great as my memory recalled from my last rafting experience with you guys in 2007. Hopefully it won't be another 15 years until we meet again! read more

River Rose was great. We had a wonderful time. Be sure and ask her about the chipmunk bridge! Great story.

Really fun raft down Brown's Canyon. My guide was knowledgeable and fun and I had a great time with friends. The water was only 45 degrees, so I chose to rent the wet suit package and was so grateful that I did. read more

Had a great time despite the low water level and volume in late August. Our guide Courtney was awesome and made the trip fun! We will definitely be back when the water is at its best. read more

One of those experiences that can go horrible with just a few things going wrong. Also considering there are multiple white water rafting locations in this area it was a hope for the best situation. Luckily this place ROCKS!! It's easy to get checked in and our guide was the guy behind the counter getting our wet suit and gear ready for the trip. These guys know what they are doing and safety was certainly a top priority. Our guide would slow the boat to let other boat traffic through so we would have a clean run. He would give very clear directions before we got into tricky rough water. It was actually lots of fun being able to trust that the guide could get us through some crazy white water and all we had to do was follow simple forward/backward rowing instructions. SO glad i picked wilderness aware as my first experience white water rafting. Watching the other boaters all grouped together and getting stuck on rocks that day was something I was afraid would happen to us. So if you want a safe and fun experience this is the place to go, if you want to throw caution to the wind there are other places lol... read more

Very professional outfit! Experienced guides made our half day Numbers trip so much fun! I felt safe but challenged while on am amazing white water rafting adventure! The office where you check in is very nice, with great bathrooms and changing rooms. The wet suit pick up was easy. The pre trip safety review was good and fun! Parking was plentiful. There is a free outdoor dog kennel for you to use also. After the trip, the digital photos that were taken were excellent (we bought them all! And they were emailed to us) I highly recommend Wilderness Aware as your BV rafting guide! read more

I had such an exhilarating time!!! The staff was friendly, fun and professional. Our guide Justin was superb. Top notch!!! Best time ever. It's a must do. I will be doing this again for sure read more

I took my 11 yr old daughter and we had a blast, our guide Mike was amazing. He was professional, educated and even had a good sense of humor. Would definitely recommend. read more

Wilderness Aware Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Buena Vista, Colorado

Had never 5 rafting before, and took family to Colorado, so it was time to try. We did the Brown's Canyon half day run. We got a great warm sunny day, perfect for the river. Our guide, Tom, was very knowledgeable and informative. He made the half day rafting trip fun, exciting, and low anxiety. I am ready to go again, or maybe go a more aggressive run. (Browns Canyon was a class-3 rapids.) He tells you exactly when and how much to row to row. And if you forget to bring any of your gear with you, you can buy it there or rent booties, splash jackets, or even wet suits if it's cold. This is a good quality professional outfit. read more

We loved our afternoon float trip with these guys! Our guide Danny did a great job at steering & telling us when to row, along with great jokes!! read more

Absolutely request Gomez!!! This was my first time rafting and admittedly I was scared. Sat in the back with him, as we did our Browns Canyon (class III-III+) almost fell out (like really...was just about out) and fortunately he yanked me back in. We all let laughing and kept it moving. Lucked out with a great team overall. There were two other experienced rafters in the front leading. Great day!! read more

This was my first time white water rafting and we did the Browns Canyon Half Day. Courtney and Micah were the group leaders and were super enthusiastic about rafting at 8:30 in the morning which definitely helped boost moral on the way to the river! They pointed out interesting facts about the mountains on the bus ride to and from. Micah was our raft guide on the river, she was WONDERFUL!!! She was encouraging, funny, and over all a total gem of a person. I will DEFINITELY be coming back here and doing a full day!! read more

Was really disappointed in this company. I set up a romantic getaway weekend. Booked in advance for sunset horseback riding. Scheduled for 6pm, arrive 15 minutes early to set up. Eating dinner and getting ready to head out. Have to plan things in buena vista. Your only there for two days! Got a call saying they are heading out at 5:30. Ride was leaving and where was I. Called them right back. Asking them why they were leaving that we were on our way. And we were emailed to arrive 15 minute early. Not 30 minutes. We were a 1 mile away! They left at 5:30! Then they emailed saying people arrived at 4:30! No email that day and no phone call updating us. Sunset is at 8pm. 2 hour ride is over before that. 6pm made sense. Big waste of time. Did not get a ride. They need better staff. They could care less if you show up. read more

First time water rafting and we chose the half day in Brown Canyon. Wes was our leader and he was fantastic! Three moms, three daughters, and a lot of fun/laughter! Wes was great at instructing, patient with the girls, and had a great sense of humor. The company was easy to work with. We booked online, signed the waivers online and then ended up renting splash jackets and shoes. I was impressed with how reasonable to rental equipment was. The bus drive was kind and chatted w/us during the ride there. Lots of fun! Would recommend! read more

Such an enjoyable day! Rose was our guide and she was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Highly recommend this guide. The equipment is all very well cared for and the facilities are clean. read more

We just completed an amazing 5-day raft/camp trip with Wilderness Aware and had an amazing experience. The raft/camp trip consists of 5 days rafting and four nights in different spots. The total trip is approximately 105 miles. Our party: We had a party of 8 consisting of four adults (40ish) and four kids (aged 12-14). The guides: Brent (trip leader), Jack, and Savannah were knowledgeable, helpful, fun, and ensured safety for the entire party. The food: All meals were great. The guides had to work around a burn-ban, and handled it propane cooked meals. Wilderness Aware: the company had a good check-in process, good notifications, and solid equipment. We rented tents, sleeping bags, and mats (all in good condition). The price: this was well worth my family vacation dollars. I think of it as all-inclusive (minus free drinks). This is, hands down, one of my favorite vacation experiences. I recommend it. read more

Excellent! experienced!! highly recommend!! great company!! so much fun!! I am a repeat customer & can't wait for next season!

We had a great time on a full day trip down Browns canyon. No complaints at all. Our guide was Kayla and she was wonderful. Funny bad jokes and a really good rafter. read more

We had a great time! Our guide, Michael, was informative and fun and everything was described in detail so we felt comfortable. We did the 'family' trip, with the grandparents and our 5 year old- perfect length and ability level. read more

Cat L was a fantastic guide, even through me confusing my right and left side (lol) no one fell out, and we all had a great time. Cat was the perfect blend of slightly talkative and funny with her history/nature stories, and quiet to let us enjoy the nature around us. Overall it was an awesome experience, we would definitely book again if in town. read more

Great company! Very professional, surprising and delicious lunch mid-way. We took our 10 and 11 year olds and we had a fantastic guide, Walt. He gave great directions, provided history of the formations, and kept us all in the boat! We did rescue another rafter who went over and the guide gave specific directions to us to stay on track while pulling out the other woman. It was a bit scary but all turned out well. Great water through Browns Canyon and the scenery cannot be missed. Highlight of our two weeks in CO. The 10 year old is still smiling! Recommend! read more