Overnight Rafting in Colorado: What a Night in Browns Canyon Is Really Like

The Browns Canyon Overnight is 24 hours and about 20 miles of Class III whitewater through Browns Canyon National Monument, with a night on a quiet riverbank in the middle. We bring the tents, set up camp and cook every meal. You bring a sleeping bag.

Ask our guides about their favorite trips and most of them won't name a rapid. They'll tell you about camping: dinner on the riverbank, cake out of a Dutch oven, and a sky so dark you can see the Milky Way. Here's what a night in the canyon is really like.

The overnight at a glance

• 24 hours from launch to take-out
• About 20 miles of Class III river over two days
• Ages 7 and up, 50 pounds minimum
• $399 per person, with gear, camp setup and every meal included
• Departs at 11:30 am, May 14 to August 15
• Book at least 72 hours ahead

Day one: into the canyon

Check in at our outpost at 7330 US-50 in Salida, finish your online waiver and get fitted for a wetsuit, splash jacket, helmet and life jacket. We hand you a dry bag for your overnight things, then it's a shuttle to the river.

Browns Canyon has no road access, so once you're in, you're in. The walls start climbing on both sides and the Class III rapids begin. The canyon is pool-drop: you run a rapid, then get a few calm minutes to catch your breath, laugh about what just happened and look around.

Zoom Flume is the one people talk about. It has a true horizon line, so you can't see the river past the drop until you're in it. The Staircase is the tightest part of the canyon, with the tallest walls. And when the water allows, there's Jump Rock, about 10 feet above deep water, for anyone in your crew who wants a story to take home.

Camp: what the night is really like

Your guides pick a secluded riverbank, set up the tents and start dinner. You're free to swim, explore the shore or do absolutely nothing.

Dinner surprises people. It might be steaks on the grill, with a cake baked in a Dutch oven over the coals for dessert. Your guides filter your drinking water right there on the river.

Then the sun drops behind the mountains and the stars come out. With no town lights in the canyon, you can see the Milky Way. Your guide might pull out a laser pointer: find the Big Dipper, follow its edge to the North Star, and the whole sky starts to make sense.

For a lot of families, it's the first night they've ever slept outside. We provide the tent and sleeping pad. Some of our guides skip the tent and sleep right on the sand.

Day two: back on the river

After breakfast by the river, you pack up and float the rest of the canyon. The shuttle brings you back to the outpost about 24 hours after you launched.

Wildlife to watch for

Wildlife is most active early and late in the day, which is one of the best reasons to spend the night. Bighorn sheep are the most common sighting. You might also see deer, and moose have been spotted near the take-outs. Bears are rare, but a few of our guides once watched them swim across the river.

Bird people, bring binoculars. Red-tailed hawks are everywhere, and you may spot golden eagles, falcons and great blue herons.

Who the overnight is for

Families with kids 7 and up, youth groups and scouts, corporate teams, and bachelor or bachelorette groups who want more than a day trip. Bringing a crowd? See our group rafting page. You don't need any rafting experience. Browns is Class III, and your guide tells you exactly when to paddle.

We see the same thing on almost every trip: someone is nervous at the put-in, trusts their guide by the second rapid, and wants to do it again by the take-out. New to Browns? Start with our Browns Canyon rafting guide.

What's included

• Your river guides
• Wetsuit and splash jacket
• Helmet and life jacket
• Shuttle to the put-in and back to the outpost
• Tent and sleeping pad
• A dry bag for your things
• Campsite setup
• Every meal, cooked by your guides

What to bring

• A sleeping bag
• Warm layers and dry shoes for camp
• A headlamp
• Quick-dry clothes for the river, like a sun shirt and board shorts or leggings (no cotton)
• Shoes that stay on: water shoes, sandals with a heel strap or old sneakers (no flip-flops)
• Sunscreen, a water bottle and a strap for your sunglasses
• Any medication you need, like an EpiPen or inhaler

Pack light: everything goes in the dry bag we give you. We sell water shoes, sunglass straps, sunscreen and water at the shop.

When to go

The overnight runs May 14 to August 15. June is high water, when Browns can run 12-foot waves and gets serious. By July it settles into the classic summer run.

Ready for a night in the canyon?

Pick your dates on the Browns Canyon Overnight page, or call us at (719) 626-1350 and we'll help you plan it. Shopping for someone else? A rafting gift card works for the overnight too.