We are travelling to Colorado in July and would like some advise about white water rafting with kids. Ages 8 and 14. We have no experience but would like a "safe thrill". Is there such a thing. Thanks

I haven't been too keen on the combination of swift rivers and young children since I watched my little brother get swept away in the Snake River while he was just walking along its banks. Yes -- we got him out and "brought him back", but it was still a pretty traumatic experience.

Statistics-wise, apparently more people drown in the U.S. in rivers than in any other body of water (the ocean, lakes, etc.)

I think you can be selective on what level of raft trip you take. Where will you be in Colorado. Rivers are low this year, so water will be slower. Look for float trips (level 2). There are some pretty safe trips in the state, and there are challenging trips. We took a float trip with a few bumps near Durango, it was perfectly fine for kids. Years ago, I took a trip down Brown's Canyon. It certainly was exhilarating, but I wouldn't be comfortable with that trip for the unskilled.

To reiterate what the others are saying: the term white water is not where you want to go with younger kids. (the 14 might be able to do some light white water) Take a raft trip, but on calm areas of the river. In general that probably means not the Colorado. As mentioned in one of the posts, another popular spot is the Snake river in Idaho, perhaps doable if you're going to be in west Colorado. They have white water there, but they have raft trips as still as a lake as well, and everything in between. Take the kids rafting by all means, just get the right trip.

We are from Colorado and have been on four rafting trips. The Arkansas river out of Buena Vista is a great trip for adults, but I would not take kids youger than 14 on it.

We did take our kids on the Rio Grande out of Durango and on the Colorado River near Winter Park. Both were great trips for younger kids. My husband is taking our 10 year old on a two day trip on the Gunnison river just outside Gunnison National Park later this month. My understanding is that it will be more challenging than the two mentioned above but less difficult than the Arkansas.