The Blue River is the closest and best rafting experience in Summit County. The Blue River runs through a beautiful rugged landscape of Colorado ranch lands tucked up next to the mountains of the Gore Range. This gorgeous class III river is located North of Silverthorne, just 20 minutes from Breckenridge, 30 minutes from Vail, and only 1 hour from Denver.The Blue River is a treasure of the Colorado high country. The river rises south of Breckenridge near Quandary Peak at 14,200 feet, and flows downward through the town, then is collected in the Dillon Reservoir where it is retained for domestic water supplies and for recreation. In summer you’ll see sailboats, paddleboards, and kayakers crisscrossing the lake, but no swimming is allowed to help keep the water cleaner. In drought years, almost all of the river’s flow is stored in Lake Dillon, but in wet years, Denver Water can let the river flow, and we can raft it!
The Blue River rafting trip is a great blast of excitement for people on a tight schedule or for those who want a quick taste of Colorado fun! This short trip has you on the water for 5 miles and departs twice daily.
The season for rafting the Blue River is May through July, depending on water levels. The river flows depend largely on the water released from Dillon Reservoir, so it’s probably a good idea to give us a call to see what the river is doing this year.
We do recommend wetsuits and/or splash jackets for this early season river. The water is cold so don’t be afraid to bring your long underwear and fleece jackets for this classic Colorado rafting trip.
Rafting on the Blue River is just the beginning of your adventure with Colorado Rafting Company. We offer a variety of adventure packages around Summit County.
Hike to the top of one of Colorado’s world famous mountains, sling some dirt on the mountain biking trails, or push your skills on one of our local climbing crags. Offering full day or multi-day adventure packages. Check out our packages page for more information.
What should I wear on a river trip?
Avoid cotton clothing, as it tends to get wet and stay wet – not to mention taking valuable warmth from your body’s surface. For rafting, bathing suits and shorts or long sleeve/leg clothing are recommended with comfortable, secure footwear ie NO FLIP FLOPS. While not required, we do provide wetsuits free of charge. Splash jackets and booties are available for an additional small rental fee. This equipment isn’t mandatory but it is designed to keep you warm. Towels are best kept in your vehicles at the office and don’t do you much good on the river because there is no way to keep them dry. For rafting and other activities your best bet would be materials such as wool, polypro, fleece, micro fleece, polyester, waterproof jackets, and any other outdoor material that dries fast. There is limited space on the rafts, so you should limit what you bring to what you can wear. Personal flotation devices (PFDs) are included with all rafting adventures and helmets on all Clear Creek and Blue River trips. If you have any questions please give us a call and we can give you information so that you know what to expect and can plan accordingly.
Is whitewater rafting dangerous?
All our guides go through extensive training, basic first aid, CPR, and all river guides are certified by the state of Colorado. Rafting is an adventure sport and involves a degree of risk on the part of the participant. Although we take precautions to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable trip, we cannot be responsible for lost or damaged articles and/or personal injury. It is important for the group to choose a trip within their entire group’s limits. Colorado Rafting Company/Colorado Adventure Guides is committed to the safety of our guests. Due to the inherently dangerous nature of some outdoor recreation activities in the backcountry, all participants are required to acknowledge these risks by reading and signing a liability waiver prior to trip departure. All participants under the age of 18 must have a liability/health history waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian. In addition to this form, the health history questionnaire must be filled out for each participant. All information submitted is completely confidential; it is for the guide’s use and would only be shared in the event of an emergency with medical and/or rescue personnel directly caring for the guest. It is Colorado Adventure Guides’ policy that all Emergency Contacts be a person over the age of 18 and not participating in the same guided trip or course.
What should we bring on our river trip?
For river trips you will want to bring a few towels to leave in your car; you’ll be happy to have something to dry off with after your adventure. Bring a change of dry clothes to leave in your car. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, sunglass straps, and a waterproof camera to document the amazing memories. Bring water for pre-rafting and post-rafting hydration.. Remember, you’re in the Colorado Rockies, and it’s important to stay hydrated! We also suggest bringing cash to tip your guide. Please see our equipment lists for other activity specific gear.
Do we go rafting it it is raining?
The weather in the Colorado Rocky Mountains is very unpredictable and varies from mile to mile and minute to minute. Colorado averages over 300 days of sunshine a year. The odds are, the weather will be good. We run our outdoor activities in all weather conditions, rain or shine, and have gear available to help keep you comfortable, even in the worst conditions. Wetsuits, neoprene booties, and splash tops can really make a big difference and make your trip a pleasurable one. Don’t forget, you’re going to get wet rafting, even on the sunniest of days. Weather is not a cause for cancellation.
What is the best time of year to go rafting on the Blue River?
The Blue River can be a tricky one to time. The river is dam-release controlled from Lake Dillon in the heart of Summit County. Some years the Blue won’t run due to water being diverted to the Front Range and beyond. It is best to always contact us to see if the Blue River is running, or follow along on our social media outlets for the most up to date information.
Is there an age limit to raft on the Blue River?
Yes. Due to the river classifications and difficulty of the Blue River we have an age limit of 7 years old. During times of high water, we reserve the right to increase the age limit. For all inflatable kayaks the age limit is 15 years old.
Do I need to know how to swim to go rafting?
Nope! Except for advanced and expert trips, you can go white water rafting even if you can’t swim. Each person will be fitted with a Type-V Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device (life jacket) to be worn while on the river at all times. This life jacket is designed to float the wearer on his/her back with his/her head out of the water. Guests are instructed on the proper use of this life jacket in a safety orientation talk before departure. It does help to have some knowledge of swimming, especially in some of the more aggressive sections.
Should we tip our guide?
Our guides make a base wage similar to a bartender or wait person. General guidelines for tipping would be the same as for a bartender or a waitperson (15-20%). If you do believe in tipping, and the guide has proven to do a great job, it is a nice way to express your appreciation but only if you feel you had a safe, fun, and informative experience. If you did not have a pleasurable and adequate experience, we would appreciate it if you would please bring it to the attention of our management. Feedback and letters from our guests are greatly appreciated and helps us maintain the highest standard of customer service and appreciation.
