Your Guide to White Water Rafting with Kids
Bounding down a breathtaking river with your whole family is undoubtedly an experience filled with excitement, laughs, and memories that will last a lifetime. But if this is the first time taking your little ones rafting, you no doubt have loads of questions.
How old do my kids need to be to go rafting?
Are rapids calm enough for the whole family?
How do I plan a rafting trip? And, most importantly…
Is whitewater rafting with kids safe?
In this complete guide to the ins-and-outs of whitewater rafting with kids, we’ll answer these questions and more. You’ll walk away with the answers you need to plan a family adventure that you won’t soon forget!
What Can I Expect on a White Water Rafting Trip with My Kids?
Whitewater trips with kids in tow come with unique joys and challenges. Seeing your kids fall in love with the rugged beauty of the Rocky Mountains is hard to beat. Yet not all trips are perfect for everyone.
Calm water is ideal for young kids and those who are a bit skittish. Adventurous teens, on the other hand, may get bored or distracted on calm water. You’ll want to tailor your trip to the individual needs of your kids to ensure maximum fun and bonding time! This is especially important if you are planning a trip for a group of kids with various comfort levels in the water. For example, if you’re trying to come up with outdoor ideas for Boy Souts, assess swimming abilities of all of the crew so everyone stays in their comfort zone and the the trip can be enjoyable.
The Arkansas River that snakes through Colorado has stretches suitable for kids of all ages and experience levels. There are calm stretches with class I and class II rapids, others with class III rapids catering to a variety of rafters, and those with class IV rapids to exhilarate the biggest thrill-seekers!
Is Rafting with Kids Safe?
White water rafting has inherent risks, but if you work with a reputable rafting company who takes the time to learn about your family’s experience level, ages, and abilities, the risk is greatly reduced.
At Raft Echo we work with you to make sure that the trip you book fits your kids’ skill levels. Our guides have a safety talk before hitting the water and make sure that everyone is strapped into life vests.
Every one of our guides undergoes more training than is required in Colorado to ensure that they know how to lead a safe trip, and what to do if anything goes wrong. They’re even experts at engaging kids to make sure that they not only have fun, but respect the strength of the river.
Planning Your Outdoor Adventure
At Raft Echo, we’ve been taking families and groups of kids on rafting trips for over 50 years. Give us a call today to plan your trip – we can help with any questions you have to make sure your trip is exactly how you dream it to be.
