Tube the Arkansas River in Salida

There are so many options for floating down the Arkansas River in Salida, CO, but a simple, fun, and easily accessible option is tubing. 

The easiest and most central way to tube the river is to begin your float at the first whitewater feature at the beginning of the walking path (right behind High Side Bar & Grill) down through the surf wave (the Scout River Surf Wave located at the edge of Riverside Park). You can hop out after the surf wave and walk your tube back up to the starting point. No shuttle is needed as this is about a 6 min, 0.3 mile stroll. 

If you want to go for a longer tube (if you want to float the river for an hour or more), there are plenty of put-ins up the river. You would just need someone to drop you off at a location up-river and pick you up in downtown Salida once you're done, or, if there is a parking lot by the put-in you can drop a car downtown, drive up to your put-in location in a separate car, and then shuttle back to pick it up once you pop out of the river downtown. 

You must wear a life jacket while in the river. There are free life jackets available (while supplies last on a hot summer day) at the boat ramp next to the Salida Steam Plant Theater, or pack your own. You can bring your own tube as well, or rent one from Totally Tubular River Rentals.

The Arkansas River is always cold, so come prepared with a wetsuit, rash guard, or a fluffy towel to dry off and warm up if you're just going to wear a swim suit. 

Be cautious and make sure the water level is safe for tubing before you go! Check the weather as well - afternoon thunderstorms often roll in very quickly in the summer.

The best months for tubing are July (once water levels have come down from their peak) through August and sometimes into September (if there's enough water in the river still).