We had so much fun on the Yampa River trip with Centennial Canoe in June that we decided to go on a trip on the Colorado River through Horsethief and Ruby Canyons with them in July! I'd been on this stretch of river before but my wife hadn't and I wanted her to see the magnificent canyons and paddle this fun stretch of river while enjoying the cooking and hospitality provided by Centennial's amazing guides. Mike, Nolan, Cam and Alba were our guides on this trip and they didn't disappoint. There's a surprising amount of work organizing a river trip from getting required permits, complying with government requirements, planning and supplying meals, providing adequate water, providing bathroom facilities (the Groover is the 'Gender Neutral Restroom' ;-)) as required by the BLM, working out shuttle arrangements, and more. Centennial does it all so efficiently that I suspect customers who haven't planned their own canoe trips don't even realize what's gone on in the background to make these trips as smooth and comfortable as they are. Each night after we had pitched our tents and those on the trip were getting together, our guides would bring out snacks and wine for us to have while they prepared dinner. Andy, a college professor and historian, was on this trip to talk about the history of the region and share stories of early settlers and outlaws that were in this part of Colorado. I've given this company 5 Stars, but I can also say that I keep coming back to spend time with them and repeat customers is a sign of a well run service. Luxury in the back country! read more

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We gave this trip considerable thought before booking, and overall it was a memorable experience with several outstanding aspects, but also several areas that would benefit from meaningful improvement. First, the positives. The guides were exceptional. They were professional, hardworking, safety-focused, and consistently maintained a positive attitude despite challenging conditions. Peyton, in particular, was outstanding and deserves special recognition for his leadership, dedication, and ability to make the best of every situation. The guides are clearly the organization's greatest asset. That said, there were several operational and quality concerns that significantly impacted our experience. Our itinerary instructed us to arrive at 7:00 a.m., which we did. However, we did not depart until nearly 11:00 a.m. Much of that time was spent loading canoes and equipment, which became an all-hands effort involving guests. This lengthy delay reduced valuable time on the river. The quality of the equipment was another concern. After paddling approximately 15 miles on the first day, we arrived at camp around 5:00 p.m. only to discover that the rental tent was in poor condition. Tent poles had been repaired with duct tape, the zippers were broken, and the stove was not operational. Fortunately, the guide was able to improvise a repair, but these are issues that should have been identified during routine equipment inspections before the trip began. As a result of these delays, dinner was not served until approximately 8:25 p.m., when everyone was simply exhausted and ready to eat and sleep. Food was another area where expectations did not align with what was advertised. Prior to the trip, I specifically informed the owner that one member of our group was a selective eater who enjoys foods such as beef, chicken, pasta, and eggs. Despite that advance notice, dinner consisted of cheeseburgers on both the first and second evenings. While the food itself was well prepared, there was very little variety. The website references meals such as salmon and brisket, creating an expectation of a more diverse menu. Instead, our dinners consisted primarily of cheeseburgers and stir fry. Again, this is not a reflection on the guides--they prepared excellent meals with the ingredients they were given--but rather on the planning and provisioning process. River conditions were also challenging due to unusually low water levels. At multiple locations we were required to exit the canoes and walk them over shallow, rocky sections. While I understand that river levels are outside your control, it is something prospective guests should be made aware of in advance when conditions are expected to be unusually low. The most disappointing aspect of the trip was the take-out location. Rather than ending at a maintained boat ramp or designated landing, the trip concluded beneath a highway bridge in an area littered with trash. We encountered two homeless individuals living nearby, observed discarded garbage throughout the area, and I personally saw two used hypodermic needles. It was a startling way to conclude what had otherwise been a beautiful river experience. The steep path used to carry the canoes and equipment back to the vehicles was also covered in debris. Ironically, the two homeless gentlemen kindly assisted everyone in carrying gear up the hill, for which we were genuinely appreciative. However, the overall condition of the take-out site left a lasting negative impression. In summary, the people made this trip worthwhile. Your guides demonstrated professionalism, dedication, and outstanding customer service under difficult circumstances. However, there appear to be systemic quality control issues involving equipment maintenance, trip logistics, menu planning, and the condition of the launch and take-out facilities. Addressing these areas would substantially improve the overall guest experience and allow the outstanding work of your guides to truly shine. Despite the concerns outlined above, we do not regret taking the trip. The river itself was beautiful, and your guides worked incredibly hard to overcome challenges that were largely outside of their control. Our hope is that you view this feedback as an opportunity to strengthen the overall experience. With better equipment maintenance, improved logistical planning, greater menu variety, and a more suitable take-out location, this could easily become an exceptional trip from start to finish. read more

We had an amazing trip on the Colorado river. Tim and Dean were great guides and excellent cooks. They were very accomodating for our friends who are plant based and the meals were amazing. It was a great way to unplug and really enjoy Colorado. This is my 3rd trip and I will be going again! read more

To get right to the point - I highly recommend going on a trip with Centennial Canoe Outfitters and I can't wait until I can go on another trip with them! I went on the canoe trip on the Colorado River through Horsethief and Ruby Canyons along with 6 friends and we all had such an amazing time! The scenery through the canyon was beautiful and we saw way more wildlife than we expected! My friends and I are all in our early 30's, and have varying amounts of outdoor/camping experience, plus there was also a family on our trip with a kid and a teenager. It's easy to see how almost anyone, any age or level of outdoor experience, could enjoy a trip like this, especially with the incredible service that Centennial provides! All the guides were clearly very experienced and every detail of the trip was planned for and super organized so that we could focus on relaxing and enjoying the outdoors. Even before you leave, they send you really helpful videos to show you what to bring and how to pack. Julie, Riley, and Laura were incredibly friendly, professional, competent, and fun! All the meals were really good and included more fresh food than I'm used to while camping, which was refreshing. There was always plenty of food and snacks and I was impressed with how well they accommodated the different dietary needs in our group. If you're considering going on one of Centennial's trips, just do it! read more

We canoed the Gunnison River over the 4th of July as a group of 26, with 3 being guides Jared, Max and Richard. I can't say enough about this trip. It isn't a Disneyland ride, as you are doing the paddling, lifting gear, strapping stuff in, unloading and hauling your stuff to camp, but it is completely worth it. Incredibly scenic, the guides are amazing and the hikes accessible are amazing. We had the option to paddle each day or paddle day 1 and 3 and thus only set up and break down camp once. We opted for the latter and stayed a layover day in the Dominguez Canyon area. There is a hike to a waterfall, some bathing pools and amazing petroglyphs that date back to 1054 AD. They provide great meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and Jared, Richard and Max are great cooks!!! That being said, I would eat a hearty breakfast before meeting up to put in. YOu're burning a lot of calories and the light breakfast there burned off well before lunch time! You will love this trip if you want a great time outdoors in some beautiful country. I highly recommend the experience and Centennial Canoe! read more

My husband and I planned a 3-day canoe/camping/hiking trip with centennial canoe outfitters. We drove about 3 1/2 hours to Fruita, CO to meet the party on the Colorado River. As you know, the drive was stunning. We camped at the James L. Robb state park the night before because we had to meet at 6:30AM. The scenery in the canyons were majestic, our guides Kat and Mark were fantastic, the hiking was phenomenal! Our guides cooked every meal for us, taught us the art of canoeing and saved a few lives in the process. We had a great time and it was well worth the $300 cost! read more

Zero stars for safety. Jul 05, 2019-Jul 07, 2019 Gunnison River trip marketed for beginners, age 6+. Do not trust this company! We, four beginners, had doubts if we should go because of the high water. The owner, Brooke wrote to us reassuringly " ...we feel confident in providing a fun trip with all safety precautions taken into consideration." We are grateful to be back home alive. Very fast flowing river gives extremely low margin for error and magnifies its consequences. Raging water, a big tree sticking out across the river and we ran into it. The four of us were ejected into the water and it was only extreme luck that nobody got stuck in the tree or got trapped under the canoe and drowned. We, VERY BEGINNERS, should have never been on this high flowing river going on this "easy trip". Brook should have given us a warning not encouragement. The river was going so fast that, despite a lot of time spent on the rescue, we made much more than half of the distance on the first day. On the second day we did not go on the water so that the trip would not end one day earlier. read more

I am a certain age, work in an office where the most physically-demanding task is moving the external drive, so this trip was hard for me. Get ready to do everything except cook: load, unload your canoe, lash everything down; set up, dismantle your tent, paddle all day long. There is not a shred of luxury to this trip. The CO River water was low, so there wasn't much rafting type floating. This is primitive camping, with no water, no amenities, not even a shelter to hang your lantern on. The guides, Mark, Nick, and Brooks, were fantastic, helping us even finish the trip. I would like to have had more explanation of the flora and fauna we saw, but this was a geology trip. Go with your eyes open, understanding this is a do-it-yourself, primitive camping experience. Enjoy. At the end of the trip, we stopped at an RV park in Fruita (lst exit, head towards the mesa. It's apx. 1/4 mile on your left). For $5, you can have a great, hot shower. Bring your own soap, towels (thanks to Mark for that tip.) read more

Centennial Canoe advertises that you don't need experience to canoe with them and that they will provide training. Well, if a 15 minute paddle stroke talk on dry land is training, I guess that is true. But once inexperienced people are in the river you can have a dangerous situation on your hands. Read on... Our most recent trip with Centennial Canoe was the last straw. We were the first to sign up for a trip in June 2017 on the White River. The rest of the openings on the trip were filled with senior citizens most of whom were not physically up to the challenges of spring river speeds and volume. Five boats flipped over on the first day on the water. Later in the day, due to the inexperience and lack of common sense of some members of the group, a boat was lost over night ahead on the river. Consequently, our trip was cut short - no refunds and we had extra unexpected lodging expenses. The owner, Marty, was not helpful in getting any kind of reimbursement from the travel insurance company that his company recommends you buy from, and you must have insurance to go. On the trip our family of four took with Centennial a couple of years ago, there were three children under the age of seven. Again, not physically up to the demands of river canoeing. Because of this the rest of us had to barge (tie together) our boats to get these families down stream. Not a whole lot of fun. Several years ago our family booked a trip with Centennial Canoe on the Colorado River. On this trip, after the 15 minute dry land training, two 13 year old girls were allowed to canoe together down a section of rapids. They flipped their boat, lost their gear, but luckily were not hurt. However, their canoe was wrapped around a rock and we were short one canoe for the next two days of the trip. Again, we had to barge the boats together because we had to fit extra people in the remaining canoes. Disappointing. We have given Centennial Canoe Outfitters several chances because the food is great and the scenery is spectacular, but we are done. Centennial has received a lot of our money over the years - save yours and look for a different adventure. Don't be a stupid as we have been. Oh yeah, on a trip my husband took with Centennial without me. They did not have a permit for the camping spot they planned to use. They told the group they were just hoping the outfitters that did have the permit would share. Of course they wouldn't, so Centennial did what was supposed to be two days of canoeing in one long day and camped at the day 2 site for two days. So, a three day canoe trip was only a two day canoe trip with a lay over. Another disappointment. read more

I took one of the themed trips offered by Centennial Canoe Outfitters. The theme was "Wine Tasting" and our group was accompanied by Talon Winery on the Colorado River. Our guides Ward, Peter, and Kaleb, made the trip fun and safe. We had expected to paddle every one of the three days but we were informed, before we left the put in, that we would be canoeing on day 1 and 3 and we would be staying in the same camp spot (MEE#2) for 2 nights. Initially, most of us were not too happy however, Ward explained the camping reservation process and we went on our way. Our entirely female group (aside from guides and the men from Talon Winery) did a fantastic job paddling (no tipped canoes) and for about half of us it was our first time. Glen and Brian from Talon did a great job pairing the wines and I will certainly be looking for their wine where I live. The wine tasting definitely "glamped" up our trip. The food was very good and plenty of water and snacks were always available throughout the day. On day 2 we hiked, explored, and cooled off by floating the river in our life jackets. Initially we were not too happy that we would be staying in one campsite for both nights, however, after the trip many of us agreed that if we had a choice, we would prefer to do it exactly the same. That said, this was my first canoe trip so I would not know if I missed the paddling every day but our day 1 and 3 paddling times did seem like just enough paddling for the day. I recommend Centennial Canoe Outfitters and I highly recommend the Wine Tasting trip with Talon! read more

Just completed a 3-day guided canoe trip with Centennial Canoe and absolutely loved it. Our 2 guides, Marty and Ward, really made the trip for our group of 7 guys. We canoed 2 days and had 1 day to hike around the Dominguez Canyon. They knew the history of the land, taught "most" of us how to canoe, and were great cooks! I recommend this trip for any group of friends or family looking for a relaxing, yet exciting trip and wanting to make a memory. Will definitely go again with friends next season! Thanks Marty and Ward!!! read more