Overview
Available languages
4 hours
Mobile ticket
A wonderful family friendly white water rafting trip in Colorado! Splash, swim, and take in the stunning views while a professional river guide rows you down the river without the interruption of paddling (unless of course, you want to paddle)! Enjoy bouncy wave trains, man made white water park, and wildlife sightings on this calm and picturesque section suitable for children as young as 4.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Pregnant women are not permitted to raft with us
Minimum age for this tour is 4 years old
A minimum of 4 people per booking is required
What To Expect
Arkansas River
A favorite for families with young children or more mature adult groups looking to get on the river without the stress of intense whitewater. After arriving at our office, getting checked in, changing into your river clothes and listening to a safety orientation, you will be driven to the put-in, located approximately 20 minutes from our office. Once there, you will get on the river and enjoy the ride. Most groups chose to not paddle along, enabling you to enjoy the picturesque views, bouncy rapids and quality time with family and friends while the guide maneuvers the boat. After the trip, we will drive you back to our office where you can view the professional photos taken of your trip. We look forward to getting on the river with you!
Wilderness Aware Rafting
White water rafting office along the Arkansas River
Options
Morning Half-Day Lower Browns
Morning float trip through the family friendly Lower Browns Canyon section of the Arkansas River. Suitable for children as young as 4.
PM Half-day Lower Browns
Afternoon departure for a float trip through the mild-water Lower Browns Canyon section. Suitable for families with young children or more mature members
What‘s Included
All rafting and safety equipment
Professional river guide
Round-trip transportation to and from the river
Gratuities
Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Wetsuit, splash jacket and river shoes (available for rental)
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
28 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Lower Canyon Run!
T7807BEkaitlynm,Jun 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We booked the Lower Brown Canyon run through Wilderness Aware Rafting for our family of six (kids ages 14, 10, 7, and 6), and it was an amazing experience! The online booking process was super easy, and I also called ahead with questions about the different runs. The staff was very helpful in helping us decide which trip would be the best fit. Since none of us had ever been whitewater rafting before, I was worried the Milk Run might be a little too tame for our older kids, so we chose Lower Brown Canyon. It ended up being the perfect choice. The two youngest were able to help paddle during calmer sections and stay seated when needed. Be prepared—it’s definitely an arm workout! With the lower water levels, we got stuck on rocks a few times, which honestly just added to the adventure. Our guide, Kira, was absolutely fantastic. She was knowledgeable, confident, and an excellent communicator, giving clear instructions while keeping things fun. We felt completely safe with her the entire trip, and she was incredibly sweet and personable. The scenery was breathtaking, and the whole experience created memories our family will never forget. I was also really impressed with Wilderness Aware’s commitment to safety. We saw other groups on the river without helmets, and after seeing the number of rocks we encountered in the lower water conditions, I was very grateful our group was properly equipped. Helmets are definitely a smart idea if anyone ends up in the water. Highly recommend Wilderness Aware Rafting and especially Kira!
Absolutely breathtaking and amazing!🤩
D4264NJheidil,Jul 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The trip was absolutely amazing and our guide ( Anna ) was over the top wonderful. Anna has a wealth of knowledge and when asked anything she had the answer. I would recommend Anna for anyone and any trip.
Great intro for kids!!
556kristil,Jul 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We wanted to give our kids a great introduction to rafting without scaring them away from it. This was a perfect way to introduce them to the details and got them used to the idea of rafting. They loved it so much and wanted more- we booked Browns Canyon the following day and requested our same amazing guides, Meghan and Liz!
Great trip, great guide!
Tami D,Jul 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was an awesome adventure that we loved made even better by Anna, our superior guide. Anna was an amazing river guide who expertly led us down the river while sharing really interesting information about our surroundings. She was a wealth of knowledge that enhanced a really peaceful, fun, and scenic trip. This was great fun and if you’re lucky, you’ll get the addition of Anna to your ride!
Fabulous Trip with Wilderness Aware!
tappinkath,Jul 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great day white water rafting in Brown’s Canyon today with Wilderness Aware! Our guide, “Snack”, shared his considerable knowledge of trout fishing, river lore and historical facts of this beautiful canyon. He steered our raft team safely around rocks and down drops with finesse! We had so much fun! This is a class operation!
Great family trip
Coastal137770,Jul 26, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was a fantastic trip and a great first experience for my kids. It made them very excited to go back. They asked to go every day that we were in town.
Unprepared
Companion495020,Jul 26, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00Authentic advertising. This is not a family friendly float trip when you have to go over the 3rd wave in Salida. There is no way I would take a child over that! Very scary. The other two waves and the dam chute were also more than what I would consider part of a mild float trip, but the big wave was dangerous. We repeatedly asked when booking and signing in if this was a “mild” float trip!
Awesome adventure!
chadsI5303ZD,Jul 19, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Awesome trip, Jake was an excellent guide, very professional and fun— especially with 3 boys who are 10, 9 and 7 on their first rafting adventure! We all can’t wait to go again!
Awesome guides, beautiful float down the river. Well run operation!
ShamanGirl,Jun 8, 2021
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Awesome guides, beautiful float down the river through Salida. Well run operation! Highly recommend this as a fun family activity.
The experience was fantastic and I will surely go again.
troywclark,Aug 7, 2020
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We were very fortunate to have an incredible guide, Courtney (Big Country). She made the experience very enjoyable. She had complete control of the raft, but made us all feel very involved. Her positive, high energy made the ride even more thrilling than I had expected. During the slower moments, she filled our heads with points of interest and relevant history stories. We challenged her to make the ride as exciting as possible and she came though, going through shoots backwards and rubbing rocks and such.
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Operated by Wilderness Aware Rafting