Good company. Moving water.
Clear Creek live flow
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Connecting to USGS · USGS gauge near Lawson
Flow alone does not determine river safety. Confirm current trip availability with a local outfitter.
Know before you go.The first splash usually settles it. One minute you are tightening a life jacket beside the creek. The next, your whole boat is paddling through a canyon shaped by snowmelt, rock, and a little teamwork. Clear Creek offers guided trips ranging from approachable family floats to technical Class IV and V rapids for experienced rafters. You do not need to know the strokes or own the gear. Local guides teach you what to do and help you choose a trip that fits your crew.
Choose the Right TripNew to rafting? Start with a gentler section of the creek and let your guide show you the ropes. More experienced paddlers can take on faster, more technical stretches. Minimum ages and ability requirements change with water levels, so ask your outfitter which trip is right for your group.
Follow the SnowmeltRafting season generally runs from May through August, but the mountains set the schedule. Early summer often brings colder water and faster flows. As the snowmelt slows, some sections become more approachable. Your outfitter will know what the creek is doing that day.
Dress to Get WetWear a swimsuit or quick-drying layers, secure shoes, and sunscreen. Most outfitters provide your life jacket, helmet, paddle, and any necessary wetsuit or splash jacket. Leave a towel and dry clothes in the car. Future you will be glad you did.
Plan Ahead and Listen to Your GuideWeekend trips can fill quickly during the heart of summer, so booking ahead is a good idea. Arrive early, share any medical or mobility considerations with your outfitter, and pay attention during the safety talk. Your guide knows every bend. You just need to paddle when they say paddle.
Start easy
A mellow float through the lower canyon that a nine year old can handle, with a guide in the boat and a wetsuit that does most of the thinking about temperature. If you have never done this, start here. Nobody will make you feel new.
Then go bigger
Class III through the Idaho Springs section, Class IV and V if you have done this before. Outfitters run May into August and peak flow is usually early to mid June. Book about two weeks out for a Saturday. Walk up on a Wednesday and you will probably get on a boat.
AVA Rafting & ZiplineMake a day of it.
Start with paddles in the water, then see the canyon from a different angle. AVA pairs guided Clear Creek rafting with options for ziplining or a via ferrata outing in Idaho Springs. Choose an introductory river trip or a more demanding stretch, with a little extra adventure waiting back on shore.
Phone: 970-423-7031
Clear Creek Rafting CompanyYour first rapid starts here.
There is a moment when everyone finds the rhythm and the raft starts moving as a team. Find yours with a guided trip through Idaho Springs. Clear Creek Rafting Company offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced routes, giving first-time paddlers and returning rafters different ways to spend a day together.
Phone: 303-567-1000
Colorado Adventure CenterStart on the creek. See where the day goes.
Bring the people who always want to try one more thing. Colorado Adventure Center combines Clear Creek rafting with zipline and aerial adventure park options at its Idaho Springs base. Paddle together, explore the courses, or keep the day focused on the river. There is room to build a visit around your group.
Phone: 877-947-7238
Colorado Rafting CompanyFind your rhythm together.
Ask the questions, practice the paddle strokes, and get comfortable working as a team. Colorado Rafting Company emphasizes smaller groups and personal guidance on Clear Creek, with introductory trips and more challenging routes departing from its Dumont boathouse. Choose the experience that fits your crew and let the day unfold downstream.
Phone: 970-893-8007
Downstream AdventuresMeet you downstream.
Meet your guide in Dumont and follow Clear Creek into a day of paddling, canyon views, and shared splashes. Downstream Adventures offers beginner, intermediate, advanced, and full-day options. Talk through your group’s experience before choosing a route, then make a little room in the day for whatever comes after the river.
Phone: 303-848-4595
KODI RaftingOne boat. Plenty of shared stories.
Bring a curious first-timer or the friend who always asks about the next rapid. KODI offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced Clear Creek trips from Idaho Springs. With wetsuits and river gear included, you can focus on learning the guide’s calls, paddling together, and watching the canyon pass by.
Phone: 877-747-7238
Liquid DescentA splash worth sharing.
Cold creek water, moving paddles, and a whole boat reacting to the same wave. Liquid Descent offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced Clear Creek trips from its Idaho Springs outpost. River gear is included in its flat-rate pricing, making it easier to choose your trip and plan the rest of the day.
Phone: 970-372-2870
MAD AdventuresFollow the creek into the day.
Trade a stretch of road for a stretch of river. MAD Adventures guides Clear Creek rafting trips through the canyon and historic mining country near Idaho Springs. Expect an active outing with paddling and plenty of splashes, and ask the team which trip suits your group’s ages, experience, and comfort on moving water.
Phone: 970-726-5290
Performance Tours RaftingGive the day a different current.
Put a little whitewater into your mountain plans. Performance Tours advertises introductory and intermediate Clear Creek trips, with guides and river gear included. Call to confirm available dates and the meeting location, then spend a few hours learning the river together before finding somewhere in town to settle in.
Phone: 800-328-7238
Rocky Mountain Whitewater RaftingA local guide. A new way to see the canyon.
There is more to a river day than the rapids. Rocky Mountain Whitewater Rafting’s guides share knowledge of Clear Creek, the surrounding mountains, and Idaho Springs along the way. Choose from introductory through advanced outings and spend a few hours getting to know this stretch of Colorado from the water.
Phone: 303-900-4802
Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep ToursA familiar creek. A fresh adventure.
Watch Idaho Springs pass from a different perspective as your group paddles through its historic mining corridor. Mild to Wild offers a Clear Creek Classic trip, more demanding intermediate and advanced outings, and a longer trip with lunch. Choose your pace, meet your guide, and give the day a story worth bringing home.
Phone: 970-247-4789
River Rush RaftingSmall groups. Shared stories.
Get to know the people in your boat and the guides who make their days on this creek. River Rush keeps its trips intentionally small, with introductory outings and longer options for paddlers looking for more. Meet in Idaho Springs, find your rhythm, and make a little time for a river day together.
Phone: 720-919-1737
Pura Vida RaftingFind a little more life on the water.
A new paddle stroke. A shared splash. A story that gets told again on the drive home. Pura Vida Rafting offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced outings on Clear Creek near Idaho Springs. Talk with the guides about your group and the day’s conditions to find the right stretch of river.
Phone: 720-464-6575
Idaho Springs Rafting CompanyMeet the mountains at water level.
Start in Dumont, meet your guide, and follow Clear Creek through the canyon together. Idaho Springs Rafting Company offers trips ranging from an introduction to whitewater to more demanding routes for experienced paddlers. Choose a day that fits your group, with time afterward to explore the town from dry land.
Phone: 303-845-7544
Over the water
Via ferrata routes bolted into the canyon walls, zip lines strung above moving water, and aerial parks for the version of your family that cannot sit still. No experience needed on most routes, and a guide comes with all of them.
In the water, slowly
Via ferrata routes bolted into the canyon walls, zip lines strung above moving water, and aerial parks for the version of your family that cannot sit still. No experience needed on most routes, and a guide comes with all of them.
