Whitewater Rafting with Kids
Living my entire life in Missoula, where a river literally runs through it, you’d think rafting would be in our DNA. But to be honest, taking kids rafting through rapids was a little nerve-wracking. However, when our family was visiting recently, we decided to book a guided whitewater rafting trip, and let me tell you. I am SO glad we did.
As with anything involving kids, there’s more to pack and safety is the top of mind. Which is why I am here to tell you, white water rafting is not just for the kid-free. In fact, watching my son’s face light up as we hit each wave probably made the entire experience even more fun for all of us. Most raft companies we found will take kids ages 6 and up. Even the teenagers had fun!
Booking your trip
Choose a rafting company: We booked our half day trip down the Alberton Gorge with Montana River Guides. A locally-owned and family run business, they are very experienced and are actually the only company in Montana certified to teach river rescue. Their staff is trained in swiftwater rescue and are all CPR and First Aid Certified. Bonus points, the three guides we met were personable, funny and informative.
When to book: As with all things these days, booking as far advance as you can will give you the best chance or securing the date that you want, but if you are flexible, we were able to book with Montana River Guides for weekday half day and full day floats with only a few days notice.
Time of Year to Float: Our guide explained that late summer and even into September are great times to float the Alberton Gorge with kids! While there are still lots of rapids, as the river lowers later in the year, most of the rapids get “downgraded.” Which means Class 5 rapids may become less dangerous and be considered class 4 or even 3. Plus, later in the increases the odds that the weather will be warmer!
What to Pack
Depending on the trip you book, you probably only need to bring a water bottle! If you do want to bring a few snacks and a phone to snap some pictures during your adventure, your guide should have a dry sack to help keep items safe in. Otherwise, our trip included a helmet, life vest, and had various wet suits available to borrow.
Other Adventure Options
Even if whitewater rafting isn’t your things, there are lots of other scenic floats, kayaking, and even guided river surfing available around Missoula! If all else fails, you can always inner tube right through the middle of town!
