Blog & News

You know you just can’t get enough of Colorado when you move here for the winter skiing and find yourself looking for a way to stay all summer long. That’s exactly how many of us river guides find our way to American Adventure Expeditions. We typically start out as ski patrollers or ski instructors while...

Rafting season is in full swing here in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. Water levels are up and the river is running. Play holes are loaded with stand-up paddleboarders and kayakers attempting tricks and improving on their moves from last season. Body surfers donning life jackets are braving the waves for a little fun –...

Looking for a weekend escape that’ll blow you away? Then you’ll dig a trip to the Royal Gorge in Cañon City. The Royal Gorge has everything that we adrenaline junkies love, including sheer cliff faces, awesome wildlife, raging rapids, and one of the highest suspension bridges in the world. Here’s a rundown on what you...

This is the second of two blogs on wildlife along the Arkansas River. Check out last week’s post, A Guide to Wildlife Along the Arkansas River. Colorado wildlife is frequently most active in the early morning hours and around sunset. Particularly in the heat of summer, birds, sheep, and even fish choose the cooler temperatures...

If you’re planning a trip to Colorado, checking out the wildlife that call our state home should be on your to-do list. In our opinion, there’s no place better to spot some native creatures than from the waters of the Arkansas River! Here are some of the wild animals you’re likely to see from your raft:...

Sheer granite canyon walls peppered with colorful rock formations. Bighorn sheep hanging out on treacherous cliffs. Postcard-perfect landscape, perhaps with a glimpse of mule deer, elk, bobcats, black bears, falcons, and other wildlife thriving in the surrounding canyon. All this as you surge along channels of churning water atop a raft – whipping through rapids...

Blasting rapids. Sloshing waves. Steep turns and crazy angles. Yep, white water rafting can be totally insane. But you can also tone it down a notch to make it an amazing adventure that’s suitable for kids. While you can’t take kids younger than age 6, you can definitely make rafting a family-friendly activity for your...

All across the country, thousands of high school and college seniors are tossing up their caps. To say nearly everyone knows someone who is graduating this May may be an understatement – CU Boulder alone awarded 8,163 degrees during their 2018 spring commencement. Graduation time of year also means it’s backyard barbeque and gift-giving season....

A sweet summer weekend might well be summed up something like this: rafting + live music + arts + local brews + incredible food + mountain views = bliss. Luckily, the Arkansas River Valley is filled with weekends that fit this formula perfectly! Our local calendar is packed with summer festivals. Here’s a sampling of...

The weather this past week was fabulous for spending time outside on the river. We’ve been surfing some sweet play holes and riding the rock features on the Arkansas River just outside town. We’re getting super stoked about rafting season this year! We’ve also been geeking out on snowpack data and water level graphs for five...