Echo Canyon River Expeditions was started in 1978 with the goal of providing the best possible river experience. The size of our company has grown substantially since those early days, but our team spirit, dedication, and attention to detail is still at its best. Safety is our primary concern. Our guides are devoted professionals who are interesting, intelligent, and fun to be with. They are experts in everything from rowing a rapid to sharing a good story. All guides go through an extensive training program and are First Aid and CPR certified. We are proud of the varied qualities our staff contributes to our company. The most innovative and top quality equipment is used and we only use self bailing rafts. We take pride in the fact that most of our guests have been with us before or were referred to us by someone who was — quality and satisfaction keeps bringing them back! Experience the “ECHO DIFFERENCE”. Learn more about why you should raft with us.
There is no “best time”, however we would suggest planning based on seasonal weather and flows. Our regular season runs from mid-April through mid-September. The Arkansas River typically reaches its peak sometime between mid-May and early July producing some of the best whitewater in Colorado. May and June tend to have cooler air temperatures and a chance for late afternoon showers. July through early September are the warm and sunny months with somewhat lower water levels.
The charm and excitement of whitewater rafting is due in part to the unpredictable nature of the activity. The more challenging the rapid the more difficult it is to navigate successfully. Fluctuating water levels, weather and other variables are difficult to predict. Quality river trips depend largely on the skill and personality of the river guide. We carefully hand select our guides on that premise. All of our buses are equipped with radios to facilitate necessary communication. Our family of staff will contribute their knowledge and skills to ensure an enjoyable experience. We have safety protocol in place to address those instances that may present themselves. For your safety and ours, no alcohol or illegal drugs are permitted before or during the trip. Those who do not adhere to this very basic request will not be allowed to participate nor will a refund be available. We do our best to help you select a trip appropriate for your group, although you as the guest have certain responsibilities to ensure you have a fun and memorable experience.
Yes. Release Forms are required to be completed in advance for most activities reserved by Echo Canyon. Below is a complete list of release forms you may need to complete, depending on the activities you have reserved with us. If you have any questions about which forms are required, please contact our phone staff and we will assist you.
Our river trips leave as scheduled, rain or shine. However, we reserve the right to cancel or shorten a trip due to extreme weather conditions if we feel it would be unsafe to continue.
No! Every person on the trip will be issued a U.S. Coast Guard approved Type V Personal Flotation Device, better known as a life jacket. These devices are designed to float your head above the surface of the water even if you do not know how to swim. It needs to be noted that on any raft trip, particularly our more advanced trips, having the ability to swim will greatly enhance your comfort zone as well as your ability to get out of the river in the event you should find yourself out of the raft. A detailed safety lecture of instructions is given before the rafts are launched. Swimming ability is strongly recommended on our more advanced river trips. Click here to read more about your responsibility as a guest to ensure a fun and memorable experience.
First time paddlers and seasoned boaters alike will enjoy the class III whitewater of the Parkdale run also known as Bighorn Sheep Canyon of the Arkansas. Our half-day trip will encounter several major rapids; and once you start, the fun doesn’t end until you finish the trip. The full-day trip is action-packed with over 20 invigorating rapids. You’ll have ample time to relish the exquisite mountain scenery and enjoy our scrumptious riverside lunch.
For the experienced rafter wanting the ultimate in whitewater and outstanding scenery, the choice should be the Royal Gorge. The half-day trip is a thrill-a-minute expedition for those with previous paddling experience and on a tight schedule. The full-day trip is nationally known as being one of the Top 10 river runs in the U.S.A. Good physical conditioning as well as swimming ability is recommended for all trips through the Royal Gorge (recommended minimum age is 13-18 years old).
When considering which trip to choose, please consider the suggestions on our Guest Responsibility document to ensure a fun and memorable experience for your group.
We offer several multi-day combinations of our Arkansas River trips to provide overnight trips for all experience levels. The Browns Canyon and Royal Gorge 2-day trip is the most popular multi-day trip and for good reason. It includes a wonderful balance of scenery and adrenaline. The 2-day Bighorn Canyon & Browns Canyon is the mildest overnight trip.
There is no “best time”, however we would suggest planning based on seasonal weather and flows. Our regular season runs from mid-April through mid-September. The Arkansas River typically reaches its peak sometime between mid-May and early July producing some of the best whitewater in Colorado. May and June tend to have cooler air temperatures and a chance for late afternoon showers. July through early September are the warm and sunny months with somewhat lower water levels.
Yes! 8 Mile Bar & Grill provides a wide selection of Colorado crafted brews, fresh meals, and snacks for the whole family.
Our restaurant opens to our outdoor patio so you can soak in the mountain scenery and sunshine. Check out our menu and bring your appetite.
Our riverside lunch available on full day trips includes a delicious boxed lunch. The exact contents of the meal may vary slightly, but guests can typically expect a deli-style sandwich, pickle spear, a bag of Boulder chips, three bean salad or potato salad, fresh fruit, cookies, and water or sparkling water.
Doubling as a chef at mealtime on multi-day river trips, our guides will amaze you with the tasty meals from the “riverside kitchen”. Fresh fruit, pancakes, juice, coffee, and English muffins with egg and meat dishes constitute a typical breakfast on multi-day trips. For dinner, we prepare tasty appetizers, hearty well-rounded meals and delicious desserts. You’ll leave the campfire feeling satisfied! The warm, friendly personalities of our guides rounds out every meal. Please advise us of any special dietary requirements you may have in advance and we will be happy to accommodate you.
Any medical condition or physical disability must be reported to Echo Canyon River Expeditions when you make your reservation as well as written on the Release of Liability and Acknowledgement of Risk form. Be sure to advise the Echo “trip leader” and your guide of your condition before the trip. Bring along any prescribed medication you may require. Please consult with your family physician for medical approval before your trip. We do NOT recommend whitewater rafting if you have any of the following conditions: heart or lung conditions, severe asthma, back problems, recent surgery, obesity or osteoporosis. Pregnant women should NOT participate in a white water rafting trip. If you suffer from anaphylaxis you will need to bring you epi-pen with you on the trip. Please ask one of our helpful reservationists for assistance as they may be able to direct you to a particular trip that is suitable.
Our 14 foot self-bailing rafts will accommodate 7-8 guests and 1 guide. At lower water levels we will usually take no more than six guests in a raft. When planning a trip for a group try to reserve in multiples of 7. For example; a group of 14 would be divided into 2 groups of 7 and placed in 2 rafts. On all days we attempt to fill our seats, so a group of 10 may be asked to split with 7 and 3, with the group of 7 in one raft and the 3 placed in a raft with 4 people from a different group. If you wish to guarantee your own exclusive raft with only members of you party you may purchase the additional spots in the raft. Discounts for this option may be available on certain days.
Sure! Be sure and do so when you first make your reservation. We will do our best to honor your request; however, they may be requested by multiple guests on the same day or may be working on another section of the river. Also, to be fair and equitable to our staff, we DO NOT honor guide requests based on experience level, gender, age, race, or other discriminatory characteristics.
“Hypothermia” or the loss of body heat, is the biggest cause of discomfort on river trips. Even in sunny, 80 degree weather, the wrong combination of water, temperature, wind, and wet clothing can bring it on. To combat this, avoid cotton clothing and instead go with synthetic layers that will both wick moisture away from your skin and insulate your body at the same time. Many guests start with bathing suits or synthetic undergarments, followed by board shorts, capri pants, or tights. A short sleeve or long sleeve shirt made of athletic / performance knit fabric is a great choice for your upper body. Feel free to bring along a rain jacket or shell – jackets with velcro closures at the wrist and a cinch strap the waist are the best choice. If you own a wetsuit consider bringing it along. If not, we suggest using our complimentary wetsuits. Wetsuit gear available includes wetsuits, splash jackets, and river shoes. We have a large inventory of wetsuit gear, but availability is based on a first come first served basis. Cotton clothing, ESPECIALLY BLUE JEANS or SWEATS, are NOT ACCEPTABLE because they hold cold moisture next to your skin. We do require secure footwear while rafting; this could be light weight sneakers, water shoes, sports sandals, our river shoes or any other type of footwear that straps or stays securely on your feet. We do not allow flip flops or Croc sandals – they are not secure and end up littering the river. Those embarking on Multi-Day Trips should download a copy of our Multi-day Packing Checklist (PDF file).
All necessary river equipment is provided for you. Echo Canyon River Expeditions adheres to the following policy when it comes to rafting equipment: nothing can replace top quality. In addition to personal flotation devices (PFDs), helmets, paddles and other rafting gear necessary, our guests are also welcome to use our wetsuit gear with no additional cost. This includes wetsuits, splash jackets, and river shoes. While we have a large inventory of wetsuit gear, if you know you will want to use a wetsuit or shoes then you are encouraged to arrive a full 45 minutes before your trip (or sooner) for the best chance of having access to the gear. All equipment is maintained and we replace equipment when we feel it is necessary.
No. We’ll make recommendations at check-in if we think you’ll need a wetsuit, splash jacket, or river shoes. Our wetsuit gear is available to our guests for no additional charge. We have a large inventory of gear, but it is still limited to the inventory available, so arrive at least 30 minutes before your trip if you know you’ll want/need wetsuit gear!
For the warmer trips in late June, July, and early August, shorts, bathing suit, and sneakers are proper attire, as most days are sunny and hot. We suggest you leave a change of clothes in your car as you WILL get wet! Items such as snacks, beverages, t-shirts, hats, sunglasses, shorts, eye-glass retainers, water-proof cameras and sunscreen are available at our shop. We also carry top of the line wetsuits that are well maintained to insure performance and cleanliness. Reservations are not required.
You certainly do! We are rafting in an arid environment at an elevation of over 6,000 feet, so the sun’s rays are quite intense and sunburn occurs even on cooler or cloudy days. Consider bringing waterproof sunscreen and feel free to bring it along on the raft. Feel free to wear a ball cap, but full brim hats are not as comfortable as they don’t fit well under the required helmet we provide. Even if it’s a 100 degree day we still encourage guests to wear a long sleeve synthetic shirt for sun protection.
We encourage all guests to bring a refillable water bottle and bring it along on the raft to avoid dehydration and altitude fatigue. Our rafts have a community mesh bag attached to them for the purpose of storing water bottles and sunscreen.
Many guests bring waterproof cameras or cell phones (with a proper waterproof case/pouch), but please realize bringing electronic devices is at your own risk. Waterproof cell phone cases / pouches are usually available for purchase in our retail store, but please don’t rely on this as inventories vary. Please do not trust a standard ziplock bag – or even two ziplocks – to keep your phone dry! It never works!
GoPro cameras can be brought on trips as well. The best type of mount is the elastic helmet mount for GoPros. We do not allow the stick-on mounts as this can damage the surface of our helmets. We also don’t allow selfie sticks as these have too often hit other guests on the raft when we hit big waves or bump into rocks.
Keep in mind that Echo Canyon has a photo program capturing photos and video while you raft. These will be available to view and purchase about 15-20 minutes after your trip. There is no obligation to purchase the photos or videos – we capture footage on each trip and you can view and / or purchase back at our rafting office.
If you are in good health and would like to participate, paddle rafting is the choice for you. Each person has a paddle in their hand and the guide will give instructions and commands of what to do. You will need to continue to paddle in the rapids. If you prefer to hold on and enjoy the ride and mountain scenery, the oar rigged raft is for you. It is recommended that children, age 12 and under, ride in an oar raft with a parent or legal guardian. All oar boats will have several paddles available so guests and children can participate if they choose while the guide controls the raft with his/her oars.
It’s EASY! Reserve online or call 1-800-755-ECHO(3246) 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. seven days a week during our season (May through August) and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday during the off season.
Echo Canyon River Expeditions accepts cash, cashier’s checks, Visa, Master Card, Discover, and American Express. We can accept personal checks ONLY if it is received in our office no less than 21 days before your trip departure date. Personal checks will not be accepted less than 21 days before your trip date.
There is no “tax” to raft but there are user fees since we are accessing state land and private land in most cases. Land, water and access or user fees vary from river to river averaging 9.4%.
Yes! River trips make great gifts! Select a particular trip for the recipient or give a dollar value certificate and let them arrange the river trip and date to suit their schedule.
Yes. Although our staff is compensated for their services, as in any professional service, an exceptional job by any staff member may merit a gratuity. If you are booking for a group and wish to add a $10 to $15 per person auto gratuity our staff can assist you while making your reservation.
All of our trips that include an overnight include the following gear:
We provide all meals from lunch on day one through lunch on the last day of your multi-day raft trip. Those guests reserving an Overnight Experience enjoy a hearty dinner and breakfast the following morning – lunch is on your own.
Lunches are typically cold to maximize river time. Common lunches include croissant with lunch meat and veggies, chips, fruit and desert.
Dinner is a hot and hearty meal with appetizers, balanced main course, and desert.
Breakfast is often a hot meal and includes coffee, tea, and juice for drinks.
Please feel free to bring along snacks if you feel you will need them between the three meals we provide.
All transporation is included from our rafting office to and from the river.
We have a large parking lot capable of accomodating even RVs and vehicles with trailers. You are welcome to park in our parking lot, and we are happy to store your keys in a secure location while you’re out on the river. Our parking lot is not locked at night, and we do not have security, so we are not responsible for valuables left in your vehicle. However, we have also had no problems to date with theft from our guests’ vehicles.
To make your travel time minimal before or after your trip, you may want to consider staying with us at our Royal Gorge Cabins property. There we offer very comfortable and modern cabins and glamping tents. Our lodging property is located just across the road from our rafting check-in office.
Check-in time varies due to the different trip itineraries. Your email confirmation will list the check-in time, or you can always give us a call in advance of your trip regarding check-in time.
We are usually back to our rafting office at around 4 pm on the last day. If you reserved the Overnight Experience you are back at our office at around noon to 1 PM.
We try hard to make our time on the river not so much about a certain amount of time, but rather going with the flow and not rushing. That said, we usually serve breakfast around 8 AM, and we’re typically on the river by 10 AM. We pull over for lunch around 12:30 or so, and we often arrive at our camp at around 3 or a little later in the afternoon. We like to have camp up early to allow time for relaxation and activities before dinner.
We always like to camp along the river to maintain the river experience, however we often times board our shuttle van and drive a short distance to a riverside camp. Why? Well, the vast majority of our guests are here for the whitewater, and the layout of the sections of river with good rapids doesn’t usually support floating right up to our camp, and then finding another day of good rapids directly below that camp. So have to drive a short distance to the portion of the river with more rapids.
Once payment has been submitted reservations will not be refunded for any reason. All trips depart as scheduled regardless of weather conditions.
All participants are required to complete our liability waiver prior to rafting. A draft version of our liability waiver can be found here, but realize this version may not be completed in lieu of our online waiver which is the required form of submission. Please note that if you are traveling with minors other than your own you must have this document completed and signed by the parent or legal guardian prior to participation. As a guest will be emailed a link to complete online liability waivers in advance of your trip.
You are responsible for arriving at the correct river office. You must arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled departure time. All trips depart as scheduled.
Do you or any member of your party have any physical or mental conditions we need to be aware of? i.e. heart or lung condition, diabetes, pregnancy, obesity, special needs, or any other condition that could affect your health and safety while joining us? If so, you agree to inform Echo Canyon well in advance of your raft trip about your medical or physical condition.
| Cancel 48 hours or more prior to check-in time | Cancel 24 hours or more prior to check-in time | Cancel less than 24 hours before check-in time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| With Cancellation Guarantee | Guest receives a refund less 7.5% of reservation total | Guest receives a credit good for one calendar year | Guest does not receive a refund |
| Without Cancellation Guarantee (Standard Cancellation Policy) | Guest does not receive a refund | Guest does not receive a refund | Guest does not receive a refund |
| Cancel 48 hours or more prior to check-in time | Cancel less than 48 hours before check-in time | |
|---|---|---|
| With Flexible Cancelation Rate | Guest receives a refund less 7.5% of reservation total | Guest does not receive a refund |
| Without Flexible Cancelation Rate (Non-Refundable Rate) | Guest does not receive a refund | Guest does not receive a refund |
Echo Canyon River Expeditions
45000 W US Highway 50
Cañon City, CO 81212
(800) 755-3246
(719) 275-3154
Info@Raftecho.com
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