ITINERARY
ROYAL GORGE ARKANSAS RIVER

You must arrive at River Runners Royal Gorge office 45 minutes prior to trip departure. You must be ready 15 minutes prior to your departure time for a safety orientation. When you arrive please park your vehicle and check in at our front office. At our office and retail store you will have the opportunity to use the restrooms, shop for light snacks and beverages that you may enjoy on your trip.

Once you meet your guide he/she will fit you with a life jacket and helmet before discussing river safety and guidelines. River gear is available for rent.

A short shuttle ride in one of our River Runner vans to the put in only takes about 15 minutes. Your guides will unload the boats and your trip leader will explain river safety and paddling techniques in a river safety orientation.

Outstanding rapids and world-class views make this the best rafting trip in Colorado and has been our most popular advanced trip for over thirty years. This 20-mile stretch is rated at class IV-V and is an excellent full day of rafting. Previous experience is recommended but not required for this trip. Paddle Rafts are also recommended for this trip and hold five to seven paddlers plus a guide. After meeting at our shop near Canon City we will take a short drive to Pinnacle Rock where we start the trip and our guides give a brief safety talk. The first part of the trip is through "Bighorn Sheep Canyon" where you will encounter big waves to cool you down and class III-IV rapids, like "Three Rocks" and "Spikebuck." After ten miles of fun and excitement you will be ready for our homemade riverside lunch and ice-cold beverages on the beach at Parkdale.

After a relaxing lunch we will get back on the Arkansas River and get ready for the biggest rapids of the day! Paddlers will have a little warm-up before entering the river corridor that creates class IV-V rapids like "Sunshine Falls", "Sledgehammer", and "Wall Slammer." Big waves and thrilling action great you at Sunshine Falls so paddle hard as you pass Photographer Rock, as this may be your best photo opportunity. After a deep breath you will notice you are suddenly beneath massive red canyon walls over 1,000 feet straight above you! More large rapids await as you move downstream and after negotiating Wall Slammer rapid, look up briefly as you pass under the world's highest suspension bridge. Throughout the day you will have opportunities to cliff-jump and swim in calm areas between rapids, and water fights between boats are always fun considering the 90-degree temperatures that are common in the summer. When the day is done you will have completed 20 miles and over twenty major rapids. We hope you will enjoy an ice-cold beverage of your choice at our river shop.

At our River Runners Royal Gorge rafting center enjoy a beverage or light snack while viewing a slide show of professional photographs of your trip. Photos are available for purchase. You may purchase a print or CDROM of all your photographs. Souvenirs are available for purchase; this is the world's largest selection of River Runners souvenirs. Our location allows for a unique experience offered by no other outfitter. Our retail shop offers snacks, ice cream, refreshments and souvenirs.