Silver City - Whitewater Rafting

Rafting the Gila River is a unique way to explore the Gila National Forest and Wilderness areas to the northwest of Silver City. The runnable season on the Gila is short as it is powered by snow melt and snow pack variations from year to year, which makes running the Gila not always a sure bet.

For those visitors, however, that get to float upon the waters of the Gila the payoff is great. The Gila's season runs from late spring to early summer and there are a couple of sections of the Gila that are most popular with boaters, ranging from casual day float to multi-day whitewater adventures.

The upper Gila, typically only a 1-2 hour day float, offers great scenery, wildlife viewing and casual floating through the dry mountain landscapes. The Middle Gila River pours through the Gila Wilderness Area, which protects 600,000 acres of land and was the 1st established wilderness area in the nation. The middle Gila takes several days to float, goes to class III in difficulty and winds 35 miles through the Mogollon Mountains to the north and the Pinos Altos Range to the south.

Several guide & outfitters offer trips down these stretches of the Gila, allowing visitors to kick back and go with the flow, leaving the logistics to a professional guide. Visitors planning a trip to the Gila should check with the local BLM offices in Stafford Arizona for more information on outfitters and river flow information.

Whitewater rafting trips and rentals in the Silver City area are offered by the guides and outfitters listed below. Click on any name for more information. For information on rivers in the area, select River Information.