15 Grand Summer Adventures
As the snow melts and the rivers swell in Grand County, our thoughts turn to the simple pleasures of summer... like these...
Gore Canyon is an isolated is a 3-mile isolated canyon along the upper Colorado River, just southwest of Kremmling. The canyon was created by the Colorado River after many years of passing the northern end of the Gore Mountain Range. The walls of Gore Canyon are roughly 1000 feet on both sides and make for an awe-inspiring view. The canyon is road-less and is inaccessible by most traffic. Although Amtrak’s California Zephyr travels through the canyon if you would like to take a unique train adventure.
Gore Canyon is known for its class V whitewater rapids. In the 19th century, many considered Gore Canyon unnavigable by boat. Today, expert kayakers and rafters frequent the canyon, and now even hold a river festival including races and other river celebrations. Each year, the Gore Canyon Whitewater Festival is held every year on the third Saturday in August and is also the host of the US National White Water Rafting Championship. Some say that Gore Canyon has the wildest commercially available whitewater rafting in the state of Colorado, and perhaps in the nation.
New to Gore Canyon is the Gore Canyon Whitewater Park at Pumphouse. This is a “park and play” whitewater feature on the Colorado River. Kayakers, stand-up-paddler boarders, boaters and fisherman can explore and enjoy the diverse rapids of the upper Colorado River.