There are many types of river rafting experiences, from hardcore runs through epic whitewater to much more low-key jaunts on an easygoing flow. We offer the full array here at Echo Canyon, where we’ve been delighting beginner-level and expert rafters alike with some of the best river expeditions in Colorado since 1978.
If you’re trying to decide between adventure rafting vs scenic float trips, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll break down these two ends of the rafting spectrum so you can better understand which style is right for you—or, like many, maybe you’ll want to try a combination of both!
Scenic Floats
What’s the difference between a float trip and whitewater rafting, anyhow?
A float trip is generally equivalent to a beginner-level whitewater run, often described as “family-class” in terms of the difficulty level. Depending on one’s definition, it can span everything from an essentially flatwater reach of river with maybe a few riffles and shoals to low-grade rapids of Class I or II—sometimes (depending on the reach and flow conditions) with some well-spaced, Class III sections here and there, but nothing involving “must-make” moves.
A classic scenic float-style trip is less about chasing waves, and more about chasing smiles. It’s meant to be a relaxing, even therapeutic experience: a chance to kick back a little and truly “go with the flow” while drinking up the scenery, looking for wildlife (easier to spot when your eyes aren’t glued to the frothing waves and looming boulders of a high-thrills run), and fall under the soothing spell of a friendly, glossy, mild-mannered current.
Scenic float rafting trips, therefore, appeal to families with younger children, novice rafters looking to try out the activity, older folks with some physical limitations, and—this is worth emphasizing—anybody, experienced river-runners included, who just wants some chillaxing time on the water. Float trips can be great for lowering blood pressure, flushing out stress levels, and getting you back in tune with the natural world via the primal rhythms and views of a wild river corridor.
Do you get wet on a float trip? Well, usually you will get some splashes, but not as much as in the splashier experience of bigger whitewater running, in which getting wet comes with the territory.
Adventure Rafting
Adventure rafting is, well, more adventurous: a run through wilder water, more often than not, with Class III-IV or higher rapids—and more of them. These are commonly faster-paced, more technical runs that may require all hands to help out with the paddling, and at the more difficult end of the spectrum, they demand knowledge of self-rescue in potentially challenging conditions.
What are the physical requirements for adventure rafting? Well, adventure whitewater rafting trips tend to be more strenuous affairs and require rafters to pay close attention to instructions from their rafting guide. It’s an incredibly fun experience well suited to outdoors enthusiasts of a certain minimum level of fitness and with a taste for thrills (though to be clear, not all adventure rafting has to be truly hair-raising).
The minimum age limit tends to be higher for adventure rafting vs scenic float trips, and more technical runs are best “graduated up to”—i.e., ideally, you’ll do a few Class III runs before trying out Class IV or V whitewater.
What to Consider When Picking a Rafting Experience
Here are a few specific things to think about when weighing different types of river rafting experiences:
Safety Considerations
Any time you get on the water—no matter what kind of water—you’re taking a risk. Even the backyard pool or a little neighborhood pond can be dangerous under certain circumstances. But many family-friendly float trips are, all things considered, less hairy than adventure-level whitewater runs. Keep in mind that, at Echo Canyon River Expeditions, we outfit every group with the same safety equipment and run through the very same safety briefing regardless of the kind of trip: from our Scenic Family Float to big-water adventures through the Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River. Safety is our number one priority on every outing, no matter the kind of package or where we’re rafting.
Time
Time actually isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker factor when trying to decide between these sorts of river experiences. How long does a float trip take versus more adventurous rafting excursions? At Echo Canyon, we’ve got half-day options (typically about three hours total) for our Scenic Family Floats, family-friendly Bighorn Sheep Canyon routes, and adventure-rafting tours—easy to work into a tight schedule! We also lead a variety of longer trips, from full-day to multi-day itineraries, including packages that combine float-style sections with exciting (but still beginner-friendly) rapids.
Cost
The same goes for cost: Our half-day scenic floats and half-day adventure-rafting trips are pretty comparable in cost.
Personal Preferences & Abilities
As is hopefully apparent from the above discussion, a lot of this comes down to personal preferences—and abilities. If you’re a thrill-seeker, an adventure rafting trip is probably more your style. If you’re intimidated by roaring rapids—or you’re more keen on scanning for critters, admiring mountain scenery, or decompressing in a gorgeous setting than riding waves and blasting through holes—a placid float trip better fits the bill. And if you’ve got very young kids, you might want to start with a family-friendly float to introduce them to the joys of river-running; that’ll set them up nicely for some bigger whitewater thrills down the line!
Choose Your Next Rafting Experience
At Echo Canyon, we have a river trip for just about everybody. Our half-day Scenic Family Floats let you explore the majesty of the Arkansas River’s Upper Bighorn Sheep Canyon and its gentle flow, showing off shimmering cottonwood stands, fiery-barked ponderosa pines, and craggy cliffs (on which the keen-eyed might well glimpse mountain sheep). This is generally a Class I-II trip suitable for ages four years old and up; at higher flows, some of the waves ease into Class III territory, but it’s all still very manageable—and you’ve got the best river guides in the business to steer you along safely! Wetsuits are available at no extra charge.
We also lead an array of adventure-rafting trips, including running the Class IV+ rapids of the breathtaking Royal Gorge: one of the great whitewater destinations in the West.
And, importantly, we’ve got some middle-of-the-road sort of river trips, such as our Bighorn Sheep Canyon half-day and full-day rafting tours that inject just the right amount of adventure, thanks to beginner-friendly rapids, into the mix.
Book Your Rafting Trip With Echo Canyon
Expect the utmost professionalism and safety protocol on a rafting trip with Echo Canyon River Expeditions. We love taking our guests out on the spectacular whitewater we’re lucky to call our local playground—and are just as thrilled to lead them on a relaxing float as we are through a rodeo-style whitewater chute!
With Echo Canyon, you get the best of both worlds. We specialize in all things rafting which includes relaxing float trips and thrilling adventure rafting. Get in touch with our professional whitewater rafting team for more information on which trip is best for you.
