Water
Along the Arkansas River, you’ll find many rafting outfitters and guides that offer everything from one-hour, family-friendly trips to full-day adventures. Browns Canyon National Monument and the Royal Gorge are the most well-known rafting sections, however, Buena Vista, Florence, Salida and Cañon City have in-town whitewater parks for kayaking, river surfing and stand up paddle boarding. Anglers can choose from access points to fish the Arkansas and its tributaries, or hike to a pristine high-alpine lake in the Collegiate, Sawatch or Sangre de Cristo mountain ranges.
Choose your adventure
WHITEWATER PARKS
Find man-made water parks along the Arkansas River in these communities:
Buena Vista
Florence
Salida
The Central Mountains have the highest concentration of 14ers in Colorado, old mining roads and hundreds of miles of trails.
Go skiing or snowboarding at Monarch Mountain or Ski Cooper, find miles of groomed trails for snowmobiling, XC skis, snowshoes or fat bike.
Enjoy float trips, kayaking, whitewater parks for kayakers, river surfers and SUPs, or convenient fishing access points and high alpine lakes.
Experience an adrenaline-filled activity at a zipline or adventure parks, or spend a day relaxing day with a round of golf or soaking in a natural hot springs.
Explore the history of the area, visit historic townsites, on interpretive mining history trails, or visit a dinosaur museum.
