Looking at going on a white water rafting trip with the wife-possible overnight. Looking for recommendations based on experiences on where to go and who to use.

I've been on the Ocoee River in Tennessee with Ocoee Outdoors. It was back in 2008, but we had a blast when we did it.

Canon City in Colorado was a good time, on the Arkansas river. It will depend some on the snowfall/runoff. We got in late in late July, river was about average, but it was still a very fun time and the guides were fun. Take a week and see all the local sites as well.

This was our guide service but there are many to choose from.

Echo Canyon - https://www.raftecho.com/

Unless you're really wanting to travel a long distance and/or camp, I think most people experience plenty of thrills and enjoyment on a 2-4 hour trip. For that, I highly recommend Three Rivers Outfitters in Almont, CO 10 miles north of Gunnison. They offer plenty of Class 3-4 options on the Taylor River. I've used them many times with family and friends, and every trip has been great.

I haven't done it, but I am familiar with overnight trips on the Gunnison River on the Gunnison Gorge, which is below the Black Canyon National Park near Delta. Looks pretty awesome, but 2 days of rafting isn't for everyone.

Salida, Colo, on the Arkansas river is great. Timing is pretty important. Really a neat town to knock around in. If interested I can give more details.

This right here the black canyon is an awesome place. Haven’t done rafting there. But I have the Taylor.

We’ve used Noah’s Ark Whitewater Rafting and Adventure Co right outside of Buena Vista, Co. a couple of times.
We rafted Brown’s Canyon and the Royal Gorge with them.

Noahsark.com

Try Red Oak Creek out of Ovilla after a heavy rain. I'll let you launch behind my house.

Snake River in Jackson Hole, WY was very fun. We went over a decade ago in early summer and it was a record snow melt and the river had swelled up to a class 5. We overturned at the lunch counter and had to be rescued. My dad and I loved it but definitely shook up, my sister was traumatized. Would definitely do it again, maybe on a lighter snow melt year.

We have ratted just about all the major rivers in Colorado over the last 15 years. If you’re not in good shape or have experience in rafting, I would stay with a late July time frame and a 4 hour trip and stick to the Class 2-3 rapids. The over night trips are typically a full 8 hours of rafting the first day and about 6 hours the next day.

I tried to convince the wife to go on a 5-7 day trip from Telluride on the Colorado River towards Southern California. There was only one night in actual lodging, the rest was in tents, she wasn’t really feeling the tent camping after a day of rafting.

I will say that the Arkansas river is our favorite. Mid June if they don’t have a late winter is a great time, big rapids and fast water. Most outfitters going on class 4+ will require a swim test. Basically you have to swim across the river, no wetsuit or life jacket, before they will allow you on the trip. Class 3’s are fun, 4’s are exciting, 5’s make you think, 6’s make you pray.

What about those WV "Deliverance" rapids, understand some great rafting and scenery there...

tr22,
Are you a member of the Texas Fishing Forum?

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Taos, NM "The Box"

Glacier National Park.

https://glacierraftco.com/rafting/multi-day-trips/2-day-middle-fork/

Yes-the same. I often cross post when I do post as some don't cross over

Thank you all for the recommendations and input. We are both athletic and adventurous, but this would be our first float trip so rather than being locked in on a multiple day trip will look into single day and then other activities. This would be the sole purpose of the trip so will look at what else there is to offer, hiking,fishing wise. CO,UT,MT were on the list of places to start looking and will add NM.

Deschutes river outside of bend oregon. It's where they filmed rooster cogburn