What Arkansas River Tours does

Arkansas River Tours (ART) is a private, direct-to-consumer whitewater rafting and fly fishing outfitter founded in 1973 and headquartered in Cañon City, Colorado. The company operates across four river systems — the Arkansas River, Clear Creek, Upper Colorado, and Gunnison River — from three outpost locations (Cañon City, Cotopaxi, and Dumont), serving individual travelers, families, multi-generational groups, and corporate/private events. It is the most experienced Colorado outfitter on the Arkansas River with 325,000+ lifetime guests served.

The core offering is guided single-day whitewater rafting trips spanning Class I scenic floats (Cottonwood Canyon, ages 4+) through Class IV–V expert rapids (Royal Gorge, Lower Clear Creek, ages 14–16+), priced $89–$249/person. The product surface extends to guided fly fishing on Gold Medal waters of the Arkansas and Gunnison Rivers (float and walk-and-wade formats, $320–$1,000 single-day, up to $3,999 for multi-day expeditions), inflatable kayak self-navigated trips on Bighorn Sheep Canyon ($500–$1,000/trip for up to 5 participants), and multi-day 2–3 day overnight camping expeditions ($514–$1,449/person). All trips include supplied safety equipment (PFD, helmet, paddle, wetsuit, splash jacket) and professionally trained guides. Bundled partnership packages — River & Rail (with Royal Gorge Route Railroad), Rapid & Rope (with Captain Zipline), and Zip N' Dip (with The Broadmoor Soaring Adventure) — combine rafting with adjacent regional attractions. ART's fly fishing vertical is delivered through a strategic partnership with Royal Gorge Anglers.

Commercially, ART operates an exclusively DTC model: customers book via arkansasrivertours.com or a toll-free phone line (1-800-321-4352). The company employs 11–50 personnel (heavily seasonal guide staff), has no disclosed external funding or M&A history, and is independent/founder-owned. Pricing is unit-based, pay-as-you-go per person or per boat. Marketing relies on organic content (website, blog, trip-planning quiz), Google/TripAdvisor/Facebook review accumulation, organic social (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube), email, and destination content targeting Denver, Colorado Springs, and Salida. Strategic advantages cited by the company include industry-leading guide training (exceeding state requirements; most guides are Swiftwater Rescue Certified EMTs or Wilderness First Responders with average experience >5 years, ranging to 38 years), proprietary safety practices (self-bailing rafts with foot cups, swim tests at certain water levels, mandatory Royal Gorge helmet use), and three decades-long operating relationships with industry associations (AROA, Colorado River Outfitters Association, America Outdoors).

Name

Arkansas River Tours

Legal name

Arkansas River Tours

Website

https://arkansasrivertours.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Arkansas River Tours is a privately held, 50+ year Colorado outfitter offering guided whitewater rafting, fly fishing, and inflatable kayak trips across the Arkansas, Clear Creek, Upper Colorado, and Gunnison Rivers from three outpost locations, serving families, thrill-seekers, anglers, and private groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Tourism and Whitewater Rafting Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487), Inland Water Passenger Transportation (483212), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other (487990)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & Canoeing Outfitters (THAAADAB)

Keywords

• Whitewater rafting trips
• Guided fly fishing
• River adventure tours
• Outdoor recreation services
• Multi-day rafting expeditions

Headquarters

HQ city

Canon City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Whitewater Rafting Trips: Arkansas River Tours generates revenue primarily from selling guided whitewater rafting experiences across multiple rivers (Arkansas River, Clear Creek, Upper Colorado, Gunnison River). Trips are offered in multiple formats: quarter-day (1-1.5 hours on water), half-day (2-2.5 hours on water), full-day (4-6 hours on water), and multi-day (2-3 day camping expeditions). Pricing varies by trip duration, difficulty level, and river section. All equipment (PFD, helmet, paddle, wetsuit, splash jacket) is included in the trip price.
2. Guided Fly Fishing Trips: The company offers guided fly fishing experiences on Gold Medal waters of the Arkansas and Gunnison Rivers, including float fishing, wade fishing, and multi-day overnight fishing trips. Fishing trips run April through September and include equipment and professional guiding.
3. Adventure Packages (River & Rail, Ropes & Raft, Zip N' Dip): Bundled multi-activity packages combining rafting with other regional attractions such as the Royal Gorge Route Railroad, aerial ropes courses, and zipline adventures. These packages are sold as single combined tickets at a premium price point.
4. Inflatable Kayak (Duckie) Trips: Self-navigated inflatable kayak experiences on Bighorn Sheep Canyon, priced per trip (up to 5 participants) rather than per person, offering higher per-group revenue than standard rafting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Arkansas River Tours sells guided whitewater rafting, fly fishing, inflatable kayaking, and multi-day river expedition experiences on the Arkansas River, Clear Creek, Upper Colorado, and Gunnison River in Colorado. Trips range from gentle Class I scenic floats for young children to Class V advanced rapids, with all safety equipment (PFDs, helmets, wetsuits, paddles), professional guides, and roundtrip shuttle logistics included. Bundled adventure packages combine rafting with regional attractions such as the Royal Gorge Route Railroad, high ropes courses, and zipline tours.

Product overview

Arkansas River Tours operates as a whitewater rafting and outdoor adventure company offering a comprehensive portfolio of guided river experiences. The core offerings span multiple river systems including the Arkansas River, Clear Creek, Upper Colorado River, and Gunnison River. The product lineup includes: single-day whitewater rafting trips ranging from gentle scenic floats (Cottonwood Canyon) to extreme Class IV+ rapids (Royal Gorge); inflatable kayak adventures; multi-day overnight rafting expeditions with camping; and guided fly fishing experiences including float fishing, walk-and-wade trips, and multi-day fishing adventures. The company also bundles activities through partnership packages combining rafting with train rides, ziplining, and aerial ropes courses. All trips include professional guides, safety equipment (wetsuits, PFDs, helmets), and transportation to put-in points from their three outpost locations in Cañon City, Cotopaxi, and Dumont, Colorado.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arkansas River Rafting Trips Guided whitewater rafting adventures on the Arkansas River featuring multiple sections including Bighorn Sheep Canyon, Royal Gorge, Cottonwood Canyon, and Browns Canyon for all skill levels from ages 4 to adult.
• Clear Creek Rafting Whitewater rafting trips on Clear Creek near Denver, the closest world-class river adventure to the Front Range, offering family-friendly to advanced Class IV-V rapids.
• Upper Colorado River Rafting Scenic mild whitewater rafting on the Upper Colorado River designated as a Wild & Scenic River near Kremmling, suitable for entire families.
• Royal Gorge Rafting Premier whitewater rafting trip through the iconic Royal Gorge featuring Class III-IV+ rapids with 1,000-foot canyon walls, suitable for ages 14+.
• Bighorn Sheep Canyon Rafting Family-friendly whitewater rafting through Bighorn Sheep Canyon featuring Class II-III rapids with wildlife sightings, available for ages 7+ in half-day and full-day options.
• Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Family Float Mild, relaxing scenic float trip through Cottonwood Canyon designed for seniors and families with young children, ages 4+, with Class I-II+ rapids.
• Browns Canyon Rafting Intermediate whitewater rafting through Browns Canyon National Monument featuring Class II-IV rapids through granite canyons, suitable for ages 8+.
• Multi-Day Rafting Trips 2-3 day overnight rafting adventures on the Arkansas and Gunnison Rivers featuring camping under the stars with riverside meals.
• Gunnison Gorge Rafting Two-day wilderness rafting expedition through Gunnison Gorge featuring Class III+ rapids, hiking, world-class trout fishing, and camping below Black Canyon National Monument.
• Inflatable Kayak (Duckie) Trips Guided inflatable kayak experiences on the Arkansas River through Bighorn Sheep Canyon, allowing participants to navigate their own craft on Class II-III rapids.
• Float Fishing Trips Guided fly fishing trips on Gold Medal waters of the Arkansas River where anglers fish from rafts while drifting to prime fishing spots.
• Walk & Wade Fly Fishing Instructional fly fishing trips along the banks of the Arkansas River with personalized casting lessons and water-reading skills, operated through Royal Gorge Anglers partnership.
• Multi-Day Fly Fishing Overnight fly fishing adventures on the Arkansas or Gunnison River combining Brown and Rainbow trout fishing on Gold Medal waters with camping.
• River & Rail Packages Combined whitewater rafting and historic Royal Gorge Route Railroad scenic train experience packages in partnership with Royal Gorge Railroad.
• Rapid & Rope Packages Combination packages pairing half-day whitewater rafting with high ropes course challenge at Captain Zipline Adventure Tours aerial course near Colorado Springs.
• Zip N' Dip Packages Adventure packages combining whitewater rafting with ziplining at The Broadmoor Soaring Adventure, featuring the Fins Course with 5 ziplines up to 1,800 feet.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 325,000 guests served since 1973
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Royal Gorge Route RailroadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerART partners with the historic Royal Gorge Route Railroad for the 'River & Rail' package, combining a scenic train ride through the Royal Gorge with a half-day or quarter-day raft trip. This partnership provides a full-day multi-activity experience for families, with the train ride departing from Cañon City in the afternoon following the morning raft trip. Coach or deluxe vista dome seating options are available.
• Royal Gorge AnglerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerART partners with Royal Gorge Anglers, the oldest fly fishing guide service on the Arkansas River, endorsed by Orvis. This partnership allows ART to offer guided walk & wade fly fishing trips on 102 miles of Gold Medal water. Royal Gorge Anglers provides the fly fishing expertise, gear rentals, and access to prime fishing holes, while ART handles broader customer acquisition and trip coordination.
• Captain Zipline Adventure TourssecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerART partners with Captain Zipline Adventure Tours for the 'Rapid & Rope' package, combining a half-day whitewater rafting trip (Cottonwood or Bighorn) with a high-ropes course challenge. The ropes course is located 25 minutes from ART's Cotopaxi office in the Lost Canyon on 60-foot telephone poles with 9 courses of varying difficulty.
• The Broadmoor Soaring AdventuresecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerART partners with The Broadmoor Soaring Adventure for the 'Zip N' Dip' package, combining ziplining (5 ziplines, 2 rope bridges, 1 assisted repel) with a half-day whitewater rafting trip. The Broadmoor Soaring Adventure's Fins Course features ziplines between 300-1,800 feet in length.
• Idaho Springs Rafting CompanysecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorART operates its Clear Creek and Upper Colorado River rafting trips out of a shared business space in Dumont, CO with Idaho Springs Rafting Company. Both companies share the Dumont outpost location (1181 Co Rd 308, Unit B, Dumont, CO 80436) for Clear Creek whitewater rafting departures, with shared signage and facilities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Western River Expeditions: Multi-day whitewater outfitter running guided expeditions on the Colorado and Green Rivers. Directly comparable in multi-day and overnight product structure (meals, camping, gear-included pricing) though based in Utah.
• OARS (Outdoor Adventure River Specialists): Long-established, multi-state rafting outfitter running guided trips on the Arkansas, Colorado, and other Western rivers. Closely comparable to ART's multi-day/half-day guiding model with broader geographic reach.
• Performance Tours Rafting: Buena Vista-based Colorado outfitter running Arkansas River rafting (including Browns Canyon) at family to advanced Class IV levels with similar trip-length tiering.
• Royal Gorge Rafting: Long-running Arkansas River outfitter competing head-to-head on Royal Gorge and Bighorn Sheep Canyon trips with similar pricing, duration tiers, and family/adventure customer mix.
• Adventures Whitewater: Colorado-based outfitter running Arkansas River and Clear Creek trips with similar half-day, full-day, and family-float offerings; competes on price and trip availability in the same Front Range market.
• Echo Canyon River Expeditions: Direct Arkansas River competitor based in Cañon City offering whitewater rafting across Royal Gorge, Bighorn Sheep Canyon, and Browns Canyon. Operates the same rivers and class ratings as ART with overlapping guest demographics from Denver and Colorado Springs.
• No Limits Rafting: Colorado outfitter running Browns Canyon and other Arkansas River sections with comparable multi-day and half-day packages. Targets the same Front Range and tourist populations with similar Class II-IV trip lineup.
• Idaho Springs Rafting Company: Clear Creek outfitter that actually shares ART's physical Dumont outpost location. Competes directly on Upper, Middle, and Lower Clear Creek sections for Denver-area guests.

Others

• The Broadmoor Soaring Adventure: Zipline and aerial adventure partner operator near Colorado Springs. Bundled with ART in the Zip N' Dip package; adjacent experience provider in the regional outdoor tourism stack rather than direct rafting competitor.
• Royal Gorge Anglers: Endorsed-by-Orvis fly fishing guide service on the Arkansas River. Direct fly fishing product partner of ART providing walk-and-wade guides; adjacent rather than competitive given the partnership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/coloradorafting
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@arkansasrivertours7032
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArkansasRiverTours
• Instagraminstagram.com/arkansasrivertours
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arkansas-river-tours

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Arkansas River Tours