It’s no secret that Colorado’s winter snowpack broke all-time-low records around the state. Given that snowpack leads to snowmelt, which fills the many rivers and waterways around the state, many people are curious how rafting season will shake out this year.

Bob Hamel, the Executive Director of the Arkansas river Outfitters Association, seemed optimistic in a recent interview. After all, drought and years of low snowpack aren’t too rare, and when they occur, the industry is able to adjust their approach to keep clients happy.

While the length of this year’s rafting season probably won’t be shortened too much, strategies like putting fewer people in a boat to better navigate lower flows and turning to inflatable kayaks will keep the river fun despite the conditions. It’s also worth noting that high flows don’t always mean a better experience – sometimes lower flows can make a stretch of river more fun as more obstacles are revealed opposed to higher flows that rise above these features.

In a sense, 2026 could also cater to being a summer of trying new things – some stretches of river will better cater to beginners and first-timers given their lower flows while others will better cater to the kayak experience compared to other years when rafting may be more ideal. It’s also likely that river fishing will have a big year, and don’t forget about the mountain town surf parks, too.

All projections from the USDA show that Colorado’s snowpack will be gone by the first week of June – about two weeks ahead of the norm and currently at about 17 percent of the long-term median. The rafting season will stretch far past that though, into August or maybe September.

According to Hamel, the river will still be fun to navigate regardless of the flow. Don’t be fooled into thinking that lower water levels will prevent great memories from being formed, regardless of one’s skill level. It’s also worth noting that Colorado’s rivers are at the top of the food chain, in a sense, and are expected to fair a bit better compared to states that rely on water from Colorado to fill their rivers.

This summer, there doesn’t seem to be a need to put the rafting trip on hold. High flow or low flow, it’ll still be a fun day on the river that helps to support local towns.

Want to book a trip? Find outfitters here.

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