Vail Colorado rafting and biking?

[klisow]

We will be heading from Yellowstone down to Avon/Vail the second week in July and would like to start planning some of our activities.

Two things we would like to do is a white water rafting trip and biking down the "Vail" pass. We will be traveling with our 13, 11, and 8 year old children.

My husband and I have rafted many times, but this will be a first for our children, and our first in this area. I would like to know if you would recommend one rafting trip over another? Also, which outfitter would you advise, and do you know where to come up with some coupons for the trips?

I would like to know the same thing for biking down the Vail pass. Is it better to rent their bikes, or bring our own? Should we use a guide, or just go down by ourselves?

Also, what else would you recommend that we must see/do while in the area.

I can always count on fellow tuggers to help make our trip the best one ever! Thanks everyone!

 

[JLB]

I'm short of breath just reading this!!!

We haven't stayed there since before we discovered Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.

But when we stayed at Streamside there was a major kayak tournament going on at Minturn, the next exit west. They were even kayaking in the stream at Streamside. The waters were pretty rough and it appeared to verge on dangerous.

Although I admit that we did not look very hard, I sensed that it was not easy to find accessible places to go do that kind of stuff around Vail. Not like some other areas of Colorado. I pretty much just fished.

But I'm probably wrong.

 

[SallyMagoo]

I don't know much about the biking, but a few years ago we took a rafting trip in the Colorado River starting in Glenwood Springs. It was with a company called Blue Sky, I believe, and was a lot of fun. There was only one part that was really "white water". Most of it was a float. I would look in some of the pamphlets that you pick up in the visitor center, etc., for coupons. I think we had some sort of coupon.

If you aren't too tired of water, you could make a day of it in Glenwood Springs and go to the large hot springs pool there, which the kids would enjoy. There are some nice restaurants in Glenwood too, and the drive through Glenwood Canyon is gorgeous. Glenwood is about 1 hour to the west of Vail.

Another great thing to do in Vail is to go to concerts at the Gerald Ford Pavilion, and take a picnic on the grass. Sometimes they have free ones. You will have to check out the schedules at the visitor center, etc. Other ideas in Vail are visits to the ski museum, the Betty Ford gardens, etc. You can also take the gondola up the mountain.

I am sure others will give you advice too as to what to do in Vail and the biking. There is a Tugger who has a list of things to do in Vail.

 

[scottmindib]

Klisow,

I am going to Avon in June to whitewater raft and am using breckenridge whitewater company. They have a website on the net and a 1-800 number to call. They seemed very knowledgeable and prices were very reasonable with lunch included. You need to do the Arkansas River if you truly want the whitewater experience- (The Number Section of the river - Class IV). You can do Brown's Canyon on the Arkansas river as well (Class III mostly) if you want a little tamer version. You can go to their website and they have a description of all of the rivers that they run in the area but I hear the Arkansas is the one to do. I am doing The Nubers on June 10th and can give you all a rundown after I get back if you want me to e-mail you all. I hear the Eagle River (which runs right through Avon ) is a wild river as well but you have to do it early on in the year to get the best rapids. As far as Mtn Biking goes I have not looked into trails but I am researching hiking trails. We just bought a summer unit at the Lakeside Terrace in Avon and I want to see it all!!! If you find any good trails to hike and mountain bike while you are out there please let me know what you find (scottmindib@yahoo.com). Have fun

Scott Billings

 

[JustPlainBill]

It is not possible to raft down Vail Pass. There is no river. The best rafting is on the Arkansas, the Colorado ABOVE Glenwood Springs, and, depending on the water flow, the Upper Colorado near Kremmling (pretty gentle, good for children), or Clear Creek. I don't know about the Eagle--it does not look like a very big river. Rely on the recommendations of the local outfitters. I am not sure that all of them are licensed to operate on all rivers, so watch out for biases.

It is always better to take your own bikes if you can. There are perhaps 150 miles of off-road paved bike trails in Summit and Eagle Counties. You do not need a guide. You can pick up free trail map pamphlets at sporting goods stores. If you are really energetic, you can bike over Vail Pass on a beautiful paved trail. An easier ride is 10 mi. from Frisco to Breckenridge. If you have mountain bikes, you will want to ride up Boreas Pass Road from Breckenridge to the Pass--it is about 9 miles. Or, Shrine Pass Road from the top of Vail Pass through Red Cliff (where you get fish tacos at Mango's) and on to Vail--mostly downhill.

If you rent bikes from these folks in Frisco: http://www.pioneer-sports.com/summer.cfm, they will give you a free shuttle ride to the top of Vail Pass and you can mostly coast downhill back to your car. Your children could manage it too.

The Breckenridge Music Festival is pretty good and not expensive. Calendar of events is here:
http://www.breckenridgemusicfestival.com/events.cfm

Your children would get a kick out of the Georgetown Loop Train. Info here:
http://www.georgetownlooprr.com/

Vail also has concerts and other stuff. Check here:
http://vail.snow.com/summerhome.asp#a=ae|b=calendarofevents