About MAD Adventures
MAD Adventures is a whitewater rafting outfitter with over 35 years of experience, operating under a special permit from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. From their Winter Park base on US Highway 40, they run trips on two distinct Colorado rivers from May through September: the Upper Colorado River near Rocky Mountain National Park, where scenic canyon walls and gentle Class II rapids make for an ideal family float, and Clear Creek west of Denver, where Class III and IV whitewater delivers a more adrenaline-charged ride through a forested gorge with occasional bighorn sheep sightings.
Trip formats range from mellow half-day scenic floats suited to first-time paddlers and young children to vigorous full-day excursions that challenge experienced rafters with continuous rapids and technical manoeuvres. All guides hold Colorado River Outfitter licences and carry first-aid and CPR certifications, and safety briefings are thorough without being tedious. Shuttle service from Winter Park to the put-in is included with every trip, and both rivers are roughly 45 minutes from town, so even a half-day outing leaves plenty of afternoon to explore.
Beyond rafting, MAD Adventures offers a guided Continental Divide off-road tour in partnership with Grand Adventures, taking visitors on side-by-side ATVs through the Arapahoe National Forest to nearly 12,000 feet of elevation along historic Rollins Pass. Online booking through their reservation system shows real-time availability and pricing, making it easy to lock in a date before you arrive. For visitors who want to balance their ski holiday with a summer-style adventure — or who are visiting the Fraser Valley specifically for warm-weather thrills — MAD Adventures is the most established rafting operator in the Winter Park corridor.
