Browns Canyon Rafting and Hot Springs Day Trip
Raft Browns Canyon, enjoy a riverside BBQ, then soak at Mt. Princeton Hot Springs in one full-day adventure
Duration
Up to 8 hours
Includes
Rafting, BBQ lunch, Hot springs
Highlights
Spend a full day rafting through Browns Canyon National Monument, savoring a riverside BBQ, and soaking at Mt. Princeton Hot Springs. Enjoy included gear that keeps you comfortable on the water.
- Raft the Browns Canyon National Monument
- Savor a burger BBQ lunch in a riverside beer garden
- Relax with tickets to Mt. Princeton Hot Springs
- Use complimentary wetsuit, splash jacket, and river shoes
- Start at 9:00 am with 45 minute early check-in
- Allow up to 8 hours for the full experience
What's Included
- Guided rafting in Browns Canyon
- Burger BBQ lunch
- Mt. Princeton Hot Springs tickets
- Wetsuit, splash jacket, and river shoes
Things to know
Minimum age is 7. Trip departs from the Buena Vista Rafting Outpost. Check in 45 minutes before the 9:00 am departure; pick up hot springs passes at the outpost.
Cancellation Policy
For groups under 10: full refund if canceled more than 72 hours before departure; no changes or refunds within 72 hours. For groups of 10 or more: full refund if canceled more than 1 week before departure; no changes or refunds within 1 week. Arrive by check-in time. Trips may be altered without refund due to water levels.
Meeting details
Buena Vista Rafting Outpost
More about Browns Canyon National Monument
Browns Canyon National Monument is one of Colorado's most spectacular stretches of wild country, a 21,500-acre expanse of granite cliffs, ponderosa forests, and rolling whitewater carved by the Arkansas River. Designated a national monument in 2015, this protected corridor sits between Buena Vista and Salida and offers some of the most accessible and exhilarating river rafting in the American West. The combination of dramatic rock formations, abundant wildlife, and consistently splashy rapids makes Browns Canyon National Monument a bucket-list destination for anyone who loves the outdoors.
This experience takes you straight into the heart of Browns Canyon National Monument by raft, navigating classic Class III rapids like Zoom Flume, Big Drop, and Seven Stairs as the river twists through towering walls of pink-hued granite. Between the adrenaline-pumping sections, calmer pools give you time to soak in the scenery: bighorn sheep picking their way along the cliffs, bald eagles overhead, and wildflowers spilling down the canyon walls in season. After the river miles, the trip continues to Mount Princeton Hot Springs, where natural geothermal pools at the base of the Chalk Cliffs offer the perfect counterpoint to the cold splash of the Arkansas. The pairing of whitewater inside Browns Canyon National Monument and a long soak afterward is what makes this day trip so memorable.
This adventure is ideal for active travelers, couples, families with older kids, and friend groups looking for a true Colorado mountain day. You do not need previous rafting experience, just a willingness to paddle, get wet, and trust your guide through the rapids. History buffs and nature lovers will appreciate the geology and wildlife of Browns Canyon National Monument, while anyone who enjoys a good soak will find the hot springs finale deeply restorative. If you want one day that captures the wild beauty, the thrill, and the relaxed mountain spirit of central Colorado, rafting Browns Canyon National Monument and unwinding at Mount Princeton delivers all of it.
