What mad adventures does

MAD Adventures is a Colorado-based, privately held outdoor adventure company founded around 1989 that operates guided whitewater rafting and off-road UTV tours. The company runs trips on two distinct river corridors: the action-packed Clear Creek near Idaho Springs (Class II-IV rapids, 30 minutes from Denver) and the scenic Upper Colorado River near Kremmling and Rocky Mountain National Park (Class I-III rapids, ages 4+). Operations are conducted under a special permit from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management on Public Lands, and the company also offers multi-day overnight rafting and camping trips launching from the Pumphouse site. A separate Winter Park office supports Side-by-Side UTV tours delivered through a partnership with Grand Adventures, and access to Poudre River rafting is provided through sister company Rocky Mountain Adventures, which shares the Fort Collins headquarters.

The business model is direct-to-consumer and transaction-based. Customers book through the company website (madadventures.com), a Peek-powered online reservation system, or by phone, with full payment required at booking and no walk-ins accepted. Pricing is per-person for guided rafting trips ($89-$95+ starting), per-day for equipment rentals ($16 wetsuit package), and per-trip for private raft packages ($350 first day). Group discounts of 10% apply to reservations of 10 or more guests, and trip prices vary by demand, time of day, and seasonality. Refunds are issued only for cancellations 48+ hours in advance (less 15% fee), making all inside-48-hour sales final. Customer segments include families with young children, adventure seekers, Colorado tourists, and corporate or organizational groups, served through referrals from lodging providers, guest ranches, and complementary activity partners.

The company has 35+ years of operating history and has built a multi-office Colorado footprint (Fort Collins, Dumont, Kremmling, Winter Park), a professional guide team trained in first aid and CPR, and a 4.8/5.0 guest rating on 56 reviews. There is no proprietary technology, no mobile app, no AI/ML capability, no disclosed funding rounds, no headcount disclosure, and no revenue disclosure in the available data; the company is operated as an independent small business with sister-company ties to Rocky Mountain Adventures.

Name

mad adventures

Legal name

MAD Adventures

Website

https://madadventures.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

MAD Adventures is a Colorado-based outdoor adventure operator founded around 1989 that provides guided whitewater rafting trips on Clear Creek and the Upper Colorado River, overnight rafting excursions, and Winter Park UTV tours, serving families, thrill-seekers, and Colorado tourists on a direct-to-consumer booking model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Adventure Tourism

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & Canoeing Outfitters (THAAADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & River Adventures (THAJABAB), Off-Road & Overland Adventure Tour Operators (4x4, ATV/UTV) (THAAADAF)

Keywords

• Guided whitewater rafting
• Outdoor adventure tours
• Off-road UTV tours
• Equipment rentals
• Group rafting trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Collins

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Whitewater Rafting Tours: Per-person guided whitewater rafting trips on Clear Creek and Upper Colorado River. Pricing varies by trip type (beginner, intermediate), duration (half-day, full-day, overnight), and seasonality. Full payment required at booking.
2. Equipment Rentals: Wetsuit packages, individual gear items (booties, spray jackets, wetsuits), and private raft/oar frame rentals for self-guided trips. Rental pricing per day with deposit requirements.
3. Off-Road UTV Tours: Side-by-side ATV guided tours in Winter Park area through partnership with Grand Adventures, providing additional adventure revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MAD Adventures provides professionally guided whitewater rafting trips on two Colorado rivers (Clear Creek near Denver/Idaho Springs and the Upper Colorado River near Rocky Mountain National Park), along with multi-day overnight rafting-camping trips, guided off-road side-by-side UTV tours in Winter Park, and equipment rentals (wetsuits, booties, spray jackets, and private raft packages). Trips range from scenic family-friendly Class I-II floats to action-packed Class III-IV rapids, with reservations required and full payment due at booking.

Product overview

MAD Adventures operates a multi-offering outdoor adventure platform centered on whitewater rafting experiences across Colorado rivers, complemented by off-road vehicle tours. The core products include Upper Colorado River Rafting (scenic, family-friendly Class I-III trips near Rocky Mountain National Park), Clear Creek Rafting (action-packed Class II-IV rapids near Denver), and Overnight Rafting Camping Trips (multi-day adventures). The company also offers Off-Road Side by Side Tours through partner Grand Adventures, and Poudre River Rafting through sister company Rocky Mountain Adventures. Equipment rentals including wetsuits, booties, and private raft packages are available as add-on services. The offerings collectively serve families, groups, and adventure seekers with trip options ranging from mild scenic floats to intense whitewater experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Upper Colorado River Rafting Scenic family-friendly whitewater rafting trips on the Upper Colorado River near Rocky Mountain National Park. Features Class I-III rapids, canyon scenery, and wildlife viewing. Suitable for ages 4 and up with half-day and full-day options. Targets families, first-time rafters, and tourists.
• Clear Creek Rafting Action-packed whitewater rafting on Clear Creek near Denver and Idaho Springs, offering Class II-IV rapids. Beginner trips for ages 7+ and intermediate trips for ages 13+. Targets adventure seekers and thrill-seeking visitors.
• Overnight Rafting Trips Multi-day camping rafting adventures on the Upper Colorado River with two-day trips launching from Pumphouse site. Includes meals, riverside camping, and guided side hikes. Minimum age 6 years. Suitable for families and adventure travelers seeking a deeper experience.
• Off-Road Side by Side Tours Guided Side-by-Side UTV tours in Winter Park's Arapahoe National Forest, featuring Continental Divide tours reaching 12,000 ft elevation. Customers drive their own machines while following certified guides. Offered through partnership with Grand Adventures.
• Equipment Rentals Rental equipment for rafting including wetsuit packages ($16 per day) covering farmer John wetsuit, booties, and spray jacket, plus individual items and complete paddle raft or oar raft packages for private/self-guided trips ($350 first day, $175 additional days, $5500 deposit). Available accessories include life jackets, paddles, barrel pumps, cargo nets, dry bags, dry boxes, and fire pans.
• Poudre River Rafting (via sister company Rocky Mountain Adventures) Rafting trips on the Cache la Poudre River near Fort Collins and Estes Park, operated through sister company Rocky Mountain Adventures (RMA). Offers experiences for all skill levels.

Quantifiable outcome

• Guests rated 4.8/5.0 based on 56 ratings for Clear Creek rafting

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rocky Mountain AdventurescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRocky Mountain Adventures (RMA) runs rafting trips on the Cache la Poudre and North Platte Rivers from its Fort Collins, CO office. They also offer river rentals, instructional classes, and a full retail store. RMA is a sister company to MAD Adventures, providing Poudre River access and backup trip capabilities when needed.
• Grand AdventurescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrand Adventures is a premier Colorado outdoor activity company offering guided and unguided snowmobile tours in Winter Park, Fraser, and Grand Lake during winter, and Side-by-Side ATV tours during summer. They provide access to high-elevation trails near the Continental Divide. MAD Adventures offers Off-Road Side by Side tours at this location.
• Epic Mountain SportsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEpic Mountain Sports offers bike rentals (half-day, full-day, multi-day) including Full Suspension, Front Suspension, Hybrids, Cruisers, Kids Bikes, and Trailers in Grand County. Provides complementary outdoor activity options for MAD Adventures customers.
• Rusty Spur RanchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRusty Spur Ranch near Kremmling, Colorado offers horseback riding experiences including authentic cattle drives across 10,000 acres, or 1, 2, or 3-hour mountain rides. Group sizes stay small with off-trail riding opportunities. Open Mid-May through end of September.
• Drowsy Water Guest RanchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDrowsy Water Ranch is the premier Guest Ranch in Colorado and a top 25 all-inclusive resort in the world, offering amenities and fun activities for everyone.
• Winter Park Mountain LodgeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWinter Park Mountain Lodge is conveniently located across from Winter Park Resort, offering great rooms at great rates. They offer special combo trips in conjunction with MAD Adventures.
• KAYAKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKAYAK provides travel planning services as a one-stop shop for trip planning in the Winter Park area, helping travelers discover additional activities alongside MAD Adventures rafting.
• Winter Park Adventure Quest – Aerial ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAD Adventures offers activities on a 2-story ninja-style aerial obstacle park with guided climbing experiences. Aerial Adventure Park Challenge Course (max capacity 30) with 24 obstacles plus a two-person 25-foot outdoor climbing wall.
• C Lazy U Guest RanchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerC Lazy U is an all-inclusive, year-round guest ranch in the heart of the Rocky Mountains offering high-class amenities and down-home experiences for families.
• YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain RanchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch in Grand County offers mountain lodging for conferences, groups and reunions, plus activities including High & Low Ropes Courses, Indoor Climbing Wall, Hiking, Zip Line, Roller Skating, and Archery.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Arizona River Runners: Established outfitter offering multi-day Grand Canyon rafting expeditions. Comparable guided whitewater rafting business model with overnight trip product similar to MAD Adventures' overnight offerings on the Upper Colorado.
• Mountain Whitewater: Idaho Springs, CO-based whitewater rafting outfitter operating on Clear Creek, the same river as MAD Adventures. Direct geographic competitor offering similar Class II-IV trips minutes apart.
• Timberline Tours: Colorado-based outfitter offering rafting, fly fishing, and horseback riding tours. Comparable multi-activity outdoor adventure tour operator with similar trip format and Colorado mountain focus.
• Wilderness Aware Rafting: Buena Vista, CO-based family-owned rafting outfitter on the Arkansas River. Comparable multi-generational family-friendly rafting business with established brand heritage and similar difficulty-tier offerings.
• Rocky Mountain Adventures: Sister company operating Cache la Poudre and North Platte River trips out of Fort Collins, CO. Directly comparable whitewater rafting product with overlapping customer base and shared ownership; effectively the same business extended onto additional rivers.
• Arkansas River Tours: Colorado-based whitewater rafting outfitter on the Arkansas River offering Class II-V trips. Direct competitor in the Colorado guided rafting market with similar difficulty-tier offerings and family-friendly positioning.
• Grand Adventures: Winter Park, CO-based outdoor activity provider offering UTV/side-by-side tours and snowmobile tours. Channel partner that operates MAD Adventures' off-road product line under partnership; directly comparable outdoor adventure tour operator in same geography.

Others

• Peek.com: Online booking platform used by MAD Adventures for reservations. Acts as a distribution channel for outdoor adventure tours broadly; relevant as technology/platform peer in the activity-booking ecosystem.

Regional players

• KODI Rafting: California-based outfitter offering American River rafting trips. Comparable guided whitewater operation with similar difficulty tiers and family-friendly programs, but serves California market rather than Colorado.
• Wet Planet Rafting: Whitewater rafting outfitter operating primarily in Washington State (White Salmon River) and Oregon. Comparable guided rafting business model with multi-tier difficulty offerings and family-friendly positioning, but operates in Pacific Northwest rather than Colorado.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MadAdventures
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/madadventures

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 mad adventures