Browns Canyon Rafting
Browns Canyon Rafting
5
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Full view
About
Browns Canyon Rafting is your trusted, locally owned and operated Colorado Rafting Outfitter and Outdoor Adventure Company. At our Buena Vista Rafting headquarters, we provide guided Arkansas River Rafting and Clear Creek Rafting trips. In addition to rafting, we offer many outdoor activities like Inflatable Kayaks, Rock Climbing and kayak lessons. We are also partnered with other providers to offer Zip Lining, Horseback Rides, ATV Rentals, Mountain Bike Rentals and Natural Hot Spring passes. We look forward to sharing in your next adventure. Get away from the crowds! We are an experienced, smaller, personable outfitter that would be delighted to help you plan your next adventure and experience the beauty of the Colorado rocky mountains with you. We would love it if you joined our Browns Canyon Rafting family! We cater to all ages and ability levels. From scenic flat water floats to extreme heart pumping class five adventures and everything in between. Come make memories with us today!
Buena Vista, Colorado
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
996 reviews
Excellent
954
Very good
27
Average
4
Poor
8
Terrible
3
deanna s
9 contributions
Jul 2020
We had a group of 4 adults that did a 3 1/2 hour kayak trip in their inflatable "Duckies" with Brown's Canyon Rafting. I called the night before and booked the trip for the next morning. Their customer service is very good and it was a quick process. Our group had kayak experience but being from the midwest our rivers don't have the rapids that Colorado has. Our guide Ethan was the BEST! He was very informative about the trip and how to read the river and how to maneuver the kayaks. We felt very comfortable and confident in his hands should anything happen. He was very personable and shared his knowledge about the local area. We covered a part of the river that was class 2+ rapids. At times he would hang back and let us take the lead and learn by experience! Brown's Canyon is off the beaten path and maybe not as big as some of the other outfitters but if you are looking for a great time with great people, this is your company. Thanks to Ethan and Brown's Canyon we have some wonderful memories of our trip on the Arkansas River and the beautiful Buena Vista area. If we get the chance to come back we will for sure tour with Brown's Canyon and maybe check out their rafting!
Written July 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim P
Denver, CO10 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Our recent rafting trip with Browns Canyon Rafting, led by the incredible river guide Jevon, left me speechless. From start to finish, it was an adventure of a lifetime that I won't soon forget.
Jevon's expertise, enthusiasm, and passion for rafting were evident from the moment we stepped foot onto the raft. His knowledge of the river and the surrounding area was unparalleled, as he effortlessly navigated us through the rapids of Browns Canyon. With his unwavering attention to our safety and enjoyment, I felt completely at ease and in good hands.
Not only was Jevon an exceptional guide, but he also managed to infuse the trip with humor, storytelling, and interesting facts about the stunning natural beauty that enveloped us. It felt like more than just a thrilling ride; it was a unique learning experience.
The team at Browns Canyon Rafting also deserves a special mention for their seamless organization, sense of humor, and impeccable customer service. From booking the trip to the moment we bid farewell, they made sure every aspect of our adventure was handled with utmost care and professionalism. (Be sure to arrive 30 minutes before your call time; so if you have a 9AM trip-arrive at 8:30am!!)
Whether you're a seasoned rafter or trying it for the first time, I wholeheartedly recommend Browns Canyon Rafting. And if you're lucky enough to have Jevon as your guide, consider yourself even luckier - he'll make your experience truly unforgettable. Five stars all around for Browns Canyon Rafting and Jevon! Can't wait to return for another incredible journey down the Arkansas river.
Jevon's expertise, enthusiasm, and passion for rafting were evident from the moment we stepped foot onto the raft. His knowledge of the river and the surrounding area was unparalleled, as he effortlessly navigated us through the rapids of Browns Canyon. With his unwavering attention to our safety and enjoyment, I felt completely at ease and in good hands.
Not only was Jevon an exceptional guide, but he also managed to infuse the trip with humor, storytelling, and interesting facts about the stunning natural beauty that enveloped us. It felt like more than just a thrilling ride; it was a unique learning experience.
The team at Browns Canyon Rafting also deserves a special mention for their seamless organization, sense of humor, and impeccable customer service. From booking the trip to the moment we bid farewell, they made sure every aspect of our adventure was handled with utmost care and professionalism. (Be sure to arrive 30 minutes before your call time; so if you have a 9AM trip-arrive at 8:30am!!)
Whether you're a seasoned rafter or trying it for the first time, I wholeheartedly recommend Browns Canyon Rafting. And if you're lucky enough to have Jevon as your guide, consider yourself even luckier - he'll make your experience truly unforgettable. Five stars all around for Browns Canyon Rafting and Jevon! Can't wait to return for another incredible journey down the Arkansas river.
Written July 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aaron R
1 contribution
Jul 2023 • Family
What a great experience. Class act outfit. It was my family’s first time going whitewater rafting including myself. It was a blast. Amazing views and to top it off our guide Sam Miller was awesome. He made us all feel safe and was very knowledgeable about the canyon. We also had my 78 year old mom with us who absolutely loved it. I highly recommend this experience I would recommend the all day trip and I would request Sam Miller as your guide he was awesome and an absolute pro at steering the raft.
Written July 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Colin G
Denver, CO6 contributions
Aug 2022
We had an excellent time rafting The Numbers with Nathan F.. At least for beginners, rafting is a trust exercise between rowers and their guide. The rafters (us) hope the guide will keep us on the right path and the guide (Nathan F.) hopes we listen to his instruction. From my perspective, if the guide can nail the trust piece with their team, you are in for an incredible day. I note all of this to say that Nathan did an excellent job giving us the information we needed in a timely fashion leading to an amazing full day trip. Thank you, Nathan, and the whole team at Browns Canyon Rafting!!
Written August 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amelia S
3 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
I went here for my first time whitewater rafting ever in late August, and was blown away by the experience so much that my partner and I decided to come back a second day in a row to raft a different route! Our guides on the first day for the Browns Canyon section were Jeremy and Cody and both of them are extremely well-versed in all things pertaining to rafting and the Arkansas river. We actually rode in Cody's raft, and he was awesome at providing instruction to keep our raft of 6 people afloat, despite it being my first time and not really having any idea what I was doing. There were spots to swim in the river in between rapids and the views along the river are unmatched. Both Cody and Jeremy gave a ton of extra info about the history of the area, too, which was fun to learn.
The second day, my partner and I came back to do The Numbers section of the river. It was late in the season so it was a small group with just my partner, myself, and our guide Cody in a smaller boat than the day prior. The smaller boat was a lot of fun to experience and The Numbers was more challenging than Browns Canyon, but still very manageable for a beginner as myself. Once again, Cody's awesome instruction made everything less scary and felt like we were in safe, capable hands the whole time. I also learned a ton about proper rowing technique, how to navigate river obstacles, the correct angle of the raft to avoid flipping on rocks, etc. In both days, we didn't flip once!
Everyone in the front office was extremely helpful and reassuring too. I can't recommend this place highly enough. I'll definitely be returning in the peak season to see what high flow looks like!
The second day, my partner and I came back to do The Numbers section of the river. It was late in the season so it was a small group with just my partner, myself, and our guide Cody in a smaller boat than the day prior. The smaller boat was a lot of fun to experience and The Numbers was more challenging than Browns Canyon, but still very manageable for a beginner as myself. Once again, Cody's awesome instruction made everything less scary and felt like we were in safe, capable hands the whole time. I also learned a ton about proper rowing technique, how to navigate river obstacles, the correct angle of the raft to avoid flipping on rocks, etc. In both days, we didn't flip once!
Everyone in the front office was extremely helpful and reassuring too. I can't recommend this place highly enough. I'll definitely be returning in the peak season to see what high flow looks like!
Written September 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Happiness57306784051
3 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
The team at browns canyon is highly skilled and knowledgeable. Being my first time going in rapids I never once felt anxious going into the level 4 rapids because our guide Byron did such an amazing job instructing us and guiding the raft downstream. I 100% recommend experiencing this exhilarating ride down the rapids and I wouldn't recommend anyone else, I felt extremely safe and had a blast.
Written June 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heidi B
Tucson, AZ23 contributions
Jun 2021
We were on our honeymoon and booked the Paddle and Saddle package for a half day of rafting and half day of horseback riding. This was amazing! Olivia was our rafting guide and she gave clear instructions and great information along the way. We felt like we were so involved vs just along for the ride. It was an amazing half day rafting and this was our first time ever and we never felt in danger or at risk of falling out. We followed instructions, laughed a lot and met some great people. After we had a little time to buy a t-shirt and our pics from the river (amazing!!!!! and well worth it!!! and then grabbed a quick bite to eat down the road and headed over to the stables (Mt Princeton) where our guides were awesome and fitted us to an appropriate horse based on experience and the ride was fun and varied and the guides all very helpful and informative. I strongly suggest this combo package for both young and old and if you are inexperienced, definitely book it and gain the experience. Well worth it!!!! A perfect day of adventure!
Written June 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
eric s
1 contribution
Jun 2024 • Friends
We went on a half day adventure with these guys and had an amazing time! The water was high and turbulent this time of year (between category 2 and 3+) and our hearts were racing (in a good way!) I've never done this before but our guide assured us that he had just "watched a YouTube tutorial 20 minutes prior ;D"... though, he seemed to know the river quite well. The guides are very thorough when it comes to safety and will give you all of the confidence you'll need to ensure a safe and fun trip. They even threw in "dry" jackets for us (available to rent), because they were worried we'd get too cold and not have as good of a time. Looking back, it's worth the extra $10 or $15 or whatever it would have been... Those first waves that hit you are pretty cold! Overall, I'd ride this river with these guys anytime. I'd give them an A++ for being courteous, attentive, knowledgeable, safe, and especially fun! Extra points for the cute and friendly dogs we met at their base and that rode the bus down to the river with us :)
Written June 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Venividivici81
8 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
My husband and I were in town for our anniversary. We had an amazing trip! We did the Numbers full day trip. Jevin was our raft guide and I don’t think that I have ever had a guide do such an professional job with steering the raft. I was really impressed with his skill. (There were three inexperienced rafters on our boat which lead to less coordinated paddling.) Plus he was extremely knowledgeable about the river and surrounding areas, so I feel like I was getting a full tour as well as a rafting trip! I was really hoping for more extreme white water than what we got, but that is not the company’s fault. It was mostly class III’s and a couple of IV’s. The scenery was breathtaking! I would def go rafting with this company again.
Written May 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GemAHane
Thatcham, UK7 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
Phenomenal trip with probably the best guide (river or otherwise) we’ve ever had. Moose was absolutely fantastic: funny, knowledgeable and skilled at navigating us to the fun parts of the rapids despite our rookie paddling. Cannot recommend this guide and rafting company enough! Loved, loved, loved it!!!
Written June 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is there a place on site to change out of swimsuits after the rafting?
Written July 29, 2018
Where do you fly into? What city?
Written July 2, 2018
There is an Aiirport in BV , but I would imagine it has limited service. Colorado Springs would be the closest airport.
Written July 3, 2018
Hi, we recommend synthetic over cotton clothes. Basically shorts and a t shirt have been perfect lately. It has been hot and the water has been refreshing. If you are worried about being cold you can always bring an extra fleece, jacket, or shirt (synthetic, no cotton). We do also have wetsuits, splash tops (rain jackets) and booties (footwear) available here; lately we have not been recommending them because it has been warm. As far as footwear goes, something that will stay on your feet. Shoes you don't mind getting wet or sandals with a strap, no flip flops and no crocs. If you have any other questions please let me know.
Thanks,
Byron
Written July 13, 2016
It's hot right now so swimwear on top because the life vest provides a good deal of protection from cold water. I'd wear neoprene short-pants because that's where you'll be most wet and need to stay warm. Because it's so hot in July you can get away with skipping neoprene booties but be sure to wear a sturdy water shoe with a closed heal like Chacos or Tevas. Don't forget your sunscreen!
Written July 13, 2016
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