As October rolls into November here in Cañon City, Colorado and the winter snowpack begins building up in the nearby Front Range, Wet Mountains, and Sangre de Cristos, we’re looking back on a truly spectacular 2024 Colorado white water rafting season—and already keenly anticipating next year’s adventures!
Explore some of the ins and outs of this past year’s river-running conditions below.
2024 Colorado Whitewater Rafting Season Conditions
We had an excellent kickoff to the 2024 rafting season on the Arkansas River thanks to a better-than-average mountain snowpack in the watershed that also lasted longer than usual in the spring and early summer. In May 2024, according to the National Snow & Ice Data Center, Colorado as a whole boasted the third-highest snow cover in the western U.S. (behind only Nevada and Utah): 175 percent of the state average.
As the Wester Water Assessment noted, a cool late spring—May temperatures in central Colorado were several degrees below average—and continued snowfall that month up in the high country of the central and south-central Colorado Rockies preserved more of the regional alpine snowpack at the start of summer. As of June 1, the Upper Arkansas basin boasted 168 percent of its average snow-water equivalent (SWE)—that is, the amount of water that would be left behind if all the snowpack melted.
This translated to above-average forecasted streamflow for the Arkansas as well as a number of other Colorado rivers, including the Gunnison, the Yampa, and the North Platte: all snowmelt-dominated streams.
Here at Echo Canyon River Expeditions, we enjoyed ideal high water for a significant portion of our rafting season this year. The strong flow made certain of our itineraries more adventurous and exciting deeper into the summer, and we adjusted the put-in and takeout points for some trips accordingly to ensure that the level of whitewater adventure matched the abilities of all the guests. Matching the right trip to the right clients based on their level of experience and confidence is fundamental to how we run things at Echo Canyon; rest assured there’s a rafting route perfect for you, even if you’re a complete beginner, among our Colorado adventure packages!
Water Temperatures
The temperature of the Arkansas River at Cañon City in late spring this year was, on the whole, a bit cooler as compared to 2023. The river was mainly in the low-to mid-50s (degrees Fahrenheit) in early May, with a notable plunge into the mid-to-upper 40s in the middle of the month; water temperatures then climbed to the mid-to-upper 50s for the rest of the month. The river averaged in the upper 50s for much of June, edging into the low 60s by the end of the month. Water temperature ranged between 60 and 70 degrees for July, and generally ran in the upper 60s to the low 70s during August.
That 60- to 70-degree spectrum seen in July generally describes the water temperatures we’re usually dealing with during the peak rafting season here at Echo Canyon. Rafters coming early in the season early in the season—in May or early June, say—can expect chillier waters given the ambient air temperature and the strong pulse of snowmelt usually running through the Arkansas basin then.
Water Flows
At the start of our 2024 rafting season, the Arkansas had maintained streamflow above 3,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) for more than a month—a reflection of the above-average snowpack and the cool springtime. For context, 2,000 cfs is what we consider high water on the Ark. We therefore enjoyed really exciting whitewater for a good portion of the summer, leading trips on awesome flows the likes of which we usually see only once every few years.
Safety Data
Accident statistics compiled by American Whitewater show nine fatalities and two non-fatal injuries associated with river-running in Colorado in 2024. This is notably less than last year when 17 river deaths and five injuries were recorded. It’s important to note these stastics are compiled to include not just all commercial rafting operations, but also all river and stream related accidents including those incidents that occured while inner tubing, SUPing, private rafting, and even river users who were not using essential safety gear like life jackets and/or helmets.
Safety is the top priority at Echo Canyon River Expeditions. Learn more about our safety protocols.
Notable Events & Highlights
The fabulous high-volume discharge the Arkansas exhibited well into summer, ensuring optimal rafting conditions and premier thrills, was the number-one highlight of the 2024 rafting season for us, no question!
What Our Visitors Said
From families with young kids to veteran rafters, there’s nothing we love more than introducing guests to the breathtaking whitewater and scenery at the doorstep of our Cañon City headquarters. As we’ve done since 1978, this year saw us take rafters of all experience levels, and from all around the country and the world, down some of the best and most popular whitewater to be found in the American West. In the Royal Gorge, our guests got to raft some of the biggest water they’d ever seen—genuine bucket-list caliber. Many who ran those stupendous rapids were itching to come back the very next day—and a number did just that!
One of those guests, B. Cottrell, had this to say about an Echo Canyon trip in 2024:
“Top-notch rafting. They are super informative and thorough. I called before booking my trips to ask a few questions due to water levels being high. Once the trip was booked there is lots of communication and reminders. They cover everything and let you know exactly what to expect. The gear is great, wetsuits to water jackets they have it all even for the kiddos. Best of all it’s all included. My guide was Alfredo request him you won’t regret it. He put us on some big rapids all while keeping us safe and informed. He was super knowledgeable and made the trip. He had as much fun as we did. Thanks Echo Canyon until next time!!!”
Preparing For the Next Rafting Season
Now’s the time of year when we love nothing more than watching the snowfall stack up in the Rocky Mountains! The Echo Canyon team is busy maintaining and preparing our rafting gear and transportation in anticipation of another spectacular Colorado white water rafting season in 2025. And, per usual, we’re pulling raft guides out of the woods to fill the ranks as needed!
Plan Your 2025 Rafting Trip With Echo Canyon
Each year, we have the privilege of meeting countless individuals and creating lasting memories for our valued customers. As we eagerly anticipate the upcoming rafting season, we can’t wait to have you join us for more thrilling adventures. For any further questions or early planning, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team today.
