While the Royal Gorge itself is the most all-around iconic of the trips we offer here at Echo Canyon River Expeditions, probably no itinerary is more popular than white water rafting Bighorn Sheep Canyon, just upriver of that famous chasm of the Arkansas River.
That’s because it’s basically the “sweet spot” of Arkansas River rafting, appealing to beginners and family groups as well as those with a bit more whitewater experience under their belts. In this article, we’ll detail just why this scenic and wildlife-rich section of the Ark is such a crowd-pleaser, and introduce you to some of the signature (and sensational) Bighorn Sheep Canyon rapids.
Why Bighorn Sheep Canyon? Bighorn Sheep Canyon Location, Features, and More
Where is Bighorn Sheep Canyon, exactly? Well, it’s a mere 15 minutes west of Cañon City, Colorado, our Echo Canyon headquarters, and only about an hour away from the major metro area of Colorado Springs.
It’s therefore a straightforward proposition to work a fabulous rafting trip through Bighorn Sheep Canyon into your vacation. Many of our guests fly into Colorado Springs and also end up tacking on hiking, ziplining, sightseeing, and more in Fremont County’s spectacular Royal Gorge Region with a Cañon City base camp.
Bighorn Sheep Canyon isn’t only easily reachable from major hubs: It also comes scattered with ready river access points, made possible on account Highway 50 runs along its entire length. That accessibility—and the ease with which an evacuation, should one become necessary, can be accomplished—gives beginner rafters who might be a bit leery about their first whitewater experience a lot of peace of mind.
Speaking of beginner rafters, Bighorn Sheep Canyon provides a fine introductory, family-friendly river-running adventure without the intimidating big water of, say, the Royal Gorge just downstream. Yet its rapids (more on those in a moment) are also plenty peppy, satisfying more experienced rafters as well.
Bighorn Sheep Canyon also delivers big-time in the scenery department. Cliffs and rock outcrops define its semi-arid landscape, handsome ponderosa pines, and no shortage of wildlife-spotting potential—not least with regard to the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep that give this canyon its name.
Bighorn Sheep Canyon Rapids
What class rafting is Bighorn Sheep Canyon? The wonderful “Bighorn” is generally a Class I-III experience all summer long. During exceptionally high flows, however, whitewater in the Lower Bighorn sometimes reaches Class IV level; at such times, we simply move our route about 10 miles up-canyon.
Among the notable Class III rapids of Bighorn Sheep Canyon are Five Points, Sharkstooth, Double Dip, and Log Jam. They’re all, in a word, a blast!
What can you expect when rafting at Bighorn Sheep Canyon? A super-fun, family-friendly, best-of-both-worlds sort of adventure, with some thrilling but moderate rapids and plenty of little in-between calmer stretches for drinking in the scenery and scanning for mountain sheep and other critters. “Not too mild, not too wild”: That’s how we sum up our Bighorn Sheep Canyon rafting trip!
(We’re happy to customize your Bighorn Sheep Canyon experience, too: You can get as wet as you’d like, for example!)
White Water Rafting Bighorn Sheep Canyon: Book With Echo Canyon River Expeditions
We offer both Bighorn Sheep Canyon half-day and full-day whitewater trips here at Echo Canyon. Our half-day trip involves about two hours actually on the river: six to eight miles of Class I-III whitewater enhanced by gorgeous scenery the entire way. Accounting for shuttles to and from the river, our requisite safety briefing, and some paddle instruction, you can expect a total of three hours.
The full-day Bighorn Sheep Canyon adventure, meanwhile—which includes lunch—runs about six hours total, with four-plus hours of active rafting.
And you can expect the very best with regard to whitewater safety and equipment with Echo Canyon: We’ve been in the business since 1978, know the Arkansas like the back of our hands, and train our knowledgeable, friendly (and funny) river guides to the most rigorous of standards.
Experience Bighorn Sheep Whitewater Rafting With Echo Canyon
Secure your spot now for the adventure of a lifetime! Echo Canyon is thrilled to guide you through the exhilarating journey down Bighorn Sheep Canyon.
