Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours

What Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours does

Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours is a family-owned, Durango, Colorado-based adventure tourism operator founded in 1994 by Molly and Alex Mickel. The company provides guided white water rafting, off-road Jeep tours, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, and national park tours across 11+ locations in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, serving individual tourists, families, school groups, youth groups, and corporate clients. Its portfolio spans mild Class I-II family floats to Class IV-V expert runs on the Upper Animas, the most demanding commercially run river section in North America, plus multi-day wilderness expeditions on the Yampa, Gates of Lodore, Cataract Canyon, and Desolation Canyon rivers operated under the Adventure Bound USA brand, acquired in 2017 and carrying 60+ years of heritage since its 1963 founding.

The company operates an integrated direct-to-consumer booking platform at mild2wildrafting.com featuring a Trip Finder tool, real-time availability, payment processing, and waiver management, complemented by phone reservations and walk-in sales at its headquarters and field offices. Technology is conventional web-booking infrastructure with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Product pricing is unit-based and pay-as-you-go, with trip SKUs ranging from approximately $99 for a half-day Jeep tour to $1,159 for a four-day Salt River wilderness expedition, plus 8-9% BLM/Forest Service access fees and a $60 Apache Tribal Land Access Fee on Salt River trips. Tiered school group discounts of 10-20% support a dedicated education vertical.

Commercially, the business combines organic content marketing (blog, YouTube, social), SEO, TripAdvisor optimization (#1 rated), an affiliate program, and partnerships with America Outdoors, CROA, UGO, and the National Park Service as an Authorized Concessioner. The company is privately held under family ownership with 51-100 employees, has served more than 300,000 rafters historically, and was named USA Today Readers' Choice Best Rafting Company in 2024 and Best of Durango in 2025.

Name

Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours

Legal name

Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Tours

Website

https://mild2wildrafting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours is a family-owned, Durango, Colorado-based adventure tourism operator founded in 1994 that provides guided white water rafting, Jeep tours, kayaking, and national park tours across 11+ locations in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, serving families, tourists, school groups, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Tourism Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other (4879), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & River Adventures (THAJABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Off-Road & Overland Adventure Tour Operators (4x4, ATV/UTV) (THAAADAF), Guided Tours & Interpretive Services (Ranger-Led, Naturalist, Cultural Interpretation) (THAAAGAB), Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Tours (Guided/Paddling Excursions) (THAJAJAF)

Keywords

• White water rafting
• Guided jeep tours
• Outdoor adventure tourism
• National park tours
• Multi-day river expeditions

Headquarters

HQ city

Durango

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Day Rafting Trips: Single-day white water rafting experiences ranging from mild family floats to advanced Class V rapids, with standard and premium raft options
2. Multi-Day Rafting Expeditions: Extended wilderness rafting trips including camping, meals, and guided experiences ranging from 2-6 days on various rivers
3. Jeep Tours: Guided off-road vehicle tours in La Plata Canyon, Silverton, Telluride, and Moab areas with standard and premium options
4. Kayaking and Paddle Boarding: Inflatable kayak and stand-up paddle board rentals and guided experiences on various rivers
5. National Park Tours: Guided tours to Arches and Mesa Verde National Parks with standard and premium tour options
6. Adventure Packages: Bundled multi-activity packages combining rafting, jeep tours, and national park visits at discounted rates
7. School Group Programs: Discounted group rates for school groups with experiential learning components including environmental education
8. Equipment Rentals: Wetsuit, wetsuit boots, splash jackets, and other rafting equipment available for rent
9. Affiliate and Gift Certificates: Affiliate marketing program and gift certificate sales

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours provides guided outdoor adventure experiences across Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, with white water rafting (single-day and multi-day expeditions from Class I to Class V) and off-road Jeep tours as the primary offerings. The portfolio is supplemented by inflatable kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, national park tours (Arches, Mesa Verde), and specialty add-ons such as ziplining and via ferrata, with combination packages bundling multiple activities. The company operates 11+ destination locations and serves individual tourists, families, school groups, and corporate clients.

Product overview

Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours is a family-owned outdoor adventure company offering a comprehensive portfolio of guided experiences across Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. The core offering centers on white water rafting (single-day to multi-day expeditions) and Jeep tours, supplemented by kayaking, paddle boarding, national park tours, and specialty activities like ziplining and via ferrata. The company operates under two primary brands: Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Tours (founded 1994 by Molly & Alex Mickel) and Adventure Bound USA River Expeditions (acquired 2017, heritage since 1963). Multi-day rafting expeditions cover remote canyon wilderness areas including Cataract Canyon, Desolation Canyon, Gates of Lodore, and Yampa River, while single-day offerings include urban rivers like the Lower Animas through Durango. Combination packages (Rivers & Trails, Rivers Trails & Mesas, Moab packages) bundle multiple activities. School group programs provide educational adventure experiences with discounted group rates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• White Water Rafting Guided white water rafting experiences on multiple rivers across Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, ranging from mild Class I-II family floats to wild Class IV-V high-adventure rapids, for tourists, families, and adventure enthusiasts.
• Multi-Day Rafting Trips Extended multi-day white water rafting expeditions (typically 2-6 days) on wilderness rivers including Cataract Canyon, Gates of Lodore, Desolation Canyon, Yampa, Upper Animas, Salt River, and Upper Colorado, with camping, meals, and guiding included.
• Jeep Tours Guided off-road Jeep tour adventures in La Plata Canyon, Silverton/Ghost Towns, Telluride/Imogen Pass, and Moab slickrock terrain, with standard and premium small-group options for individuals, families, and groups.
• Inflatable Kayak Tours Guided inflatable kayak tours and trips on the Lower Animas River (Durango), Colorado River (Moab), and Trout Lake (Telluride), available as half-day, full-day, and multi-day adventures.
• Stand-Up Paddle Board Tours Guided stand-up paddle board (SUP) tours on Trout Lake near Telluride, Colorado, offering alpine water adventures with San Juan Mountain scenery.
• Arches National Park Tours Guided tours of Arches National Park near Moab, Utah, with morning, afternoon, and combination package options (e.g., Arches & Rivers, Arches & Trails, Arches River & Trails 2-day).
• Mesa Verde National Park Tours Guided tours of Mesa Verde National Park near Cortez, Colorado, exploring ancient Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings (UNESCO World Heritage Site), with half-day, full-day discovery, and combination package options.
• Ziplining Guided zipline tours near Idaho Springs/Denver, Colorado, offered as an add-on activity at the company's Clear Creek area location.
• Via Ferrata Climbing Guided via ferrata climbing experience on Mount Blue Sky near Idaho Springs, Colorado, offered as an add-on adventure activity.
• Salt River Rafting (Arizona) White water rafting on Arizona's Salt River near Globe/Phoenix, with single-day and multi-day (up to 5 days) options, Class II-IV rapids, and a March-May season.
• Verde River Rafting White water rafting on Arizona's Verde River near Sedona, the state's only Federally designated 'Wild and Scenic' river, with a short late February to mid-April season (currently not operating due to closures).
• Adventure Bound USA River Expeditions Multi-day river expedition brand operating on Yampa River, Gates of Lodore, Cataract Canyon, and Desolation Canyon, carrying 60+ years of heritage and National Park Service river permits under the Mild to Wild umbrella.
• School and Youth Group Programs Educational and experiential group rafting and adventure trips for schools, camps, and youth organizations, with curriculum-aligned social, emotional, educational, and altruistic elements and discounted group rates.
• Rivers & Trails Package (Durango) Full-day Durango combination package pairing a half-day Jeep tour through La Plata Canyon with afternoon Lower Animas River rafting, priced per adult/youth.
• Rivers, Trails & Mesas Package (Durango) Two-day combination package from Durango including Animas River rafting, La Plata Canyon Jeep tour, and Mesa Verde National Park tour, priced per adult/youth.
• Arches & Rivers Package (Moab) Moab combination tour pairing an Arches National Park visit with a Colorado River float near Moab, Utah, priced per adult/youth.
• Arches, River & Trails Package (Moab) Two-day Moab combination adventure including rafting, jeeping, and Arches National Park tour, priced per adult/youth.
• Durango & Silverton Train Packages (Trails & Rails) Combination packages pairing Jeep tours with the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for the 'Trails & Rails' experience in Durango/Silverton, Colorado.
• Equipment Rentals Rental of wetsuits, wetsuit boots, splash jackets, and other rafting equipment for customers on guided trips.
• Gift Certificates and Affiliate Referrals Gift certificate sales and a formal affiliate marketing program for partners driving bookings to the company's adventure offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300,000+ thrilled rafters served over company history
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Adventure Bound River ExpeditionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Adventure Bound merged with Mild to Wild in 2017, bringing 60+ years of river running heritage from its 1963 founding by Keith Counts. This merger expanded Mild to Wild's trip offerings to include daily Colorado River sections near Moab and provided premier permits on iconic wilderness rivers including Yampa, Lodore, Cataract, and Desolation Canyon. Adventure Bound's legacy operations, equipment, and heritage are now integrated under the Mild to Wild family.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• OARS: Multi-day whitewater rafting outfitter operating on many of the same iconic Western rivers (Colorado, Cataract, Yampa, Lodore) with comparable Class I–V trip tiers. Direct overlap in product, customer base (experiential adventure travelers), and multi-day expedition pricing.
• Western River Expeditions: Utah-based rafting outfitter running multi-day trips on the Colorado, Green, and Cataract Canyon, plus Grand Canyon. Closest direct competitor on flagship Utah rivers and a similar premium multi-day value proposition.
• Arkansas River Tours: Colorado-based whitewater rafting outfitter operating on the Arkansas River (Browns Canyon, Numbers, Royal Gorge). Direct overlap with Mild to Wild's Buena Vista Arkansas River operations and Colorado day-trip customer base.
• Moab Adventure Center: Multi-activity adventure operator in Moab offering rafting, jet boat, 4x4/Hummer, and Arches National Park tours. Overlaps directly with Mild to Wild's Moab portfolio (Colorado River rafting, jeep tours, Arches NP tours) for the same Moab visitor base.
• Colorado River & Trail Expeditions (CRATE): Grand Canyon and Cataract Canyon rafting outfitter with comparable multi-day expedition product and similar customer mix of family and adventure-tier travelers in the Southwest market.
• Arizona River Runners: Arizona-based rafting outfitter operating on the Salt River and Colorado River. Direct overlap with Mild to Wild's Salt River (Phoenix/Globe) and multi-day expedition product for Arizona adventure travelers.

Broad incumbents

• Viator (Tripadvisor company): Global OTA for tours and activities that resells Mild to Wild's products alongside many other outfitters. A channel partner today, but also a competitive aggregator that could disintermediate direct bookings over time.
• REI Adventures: National multi-sport adventure travel brand offering rafting, hiking, and family trips across the U.S. and abroad. Competes for the same experiential traveler wallet with a much larger marketing and member base, though not specialized in Southwest rafting.

Regional players

• Durango Rivertrippers / Animas River Adventures: Local Durango competitor offering Lower Animas rafting and tubing. Direct product overlap in Mild to Wild's home market; smaller scale, regional rather than multi-state footprint.
• Adventures in Whitewater (Durango): Durango-based rafting outfitter focused on the Animas and Piedra rivers. Direct local competitor in Mild to Wild's headquarters market, primarily a regional day-trip operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Mild2WildRaft
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/mild2wildvideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/Mild2WildRafting
• Instagraminstagram.com/mild2wildraft
• Pinterestpinterest.com/mildtowildraft

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours