centennial canoe outfitters - day tour

You might not think canoeing sounds like an adventure, but last summer I had the opportunity to float through the spectacular canyons of the Colorado River. We started near Grand Junction and ended up just across the border in Utah. We paddled our canoes down river, between islands over several small riffles and even a few rapids. The wildlife was out in force as we saw eagles, big horn sheep and then more eagles. If that wasn't enough, the guides not only saw us safely from start to finish, but provided meals that were delicious. I will be back.

Went on a memorable 3.5-day canoe trip coordinated by Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, during which we helped the Bureau of Land Management eradicate invasive tamarisk on the banks of the Colorado River. Our Centennial Canoe guides Greg and Josh instructed us in canoe basics, kept us safe, cooked delicious meals for us, complied with BLM’s stringent rules, took us on spectacular hikes, and remained patient and upbeat at all times. Their efforts allowed us to fully enjoy the truly spectacular scenery along the Colorado River in the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area. It was at the same level of grandeur as many National Parks of the West, but much quieter. Highly recommended.

Just back from three night trip with Centennial. The second time on this stretch, once on the Gunnison. It is magical being on the river(s). We had great weather. The night sky was incredible. My canoe partner threw out her back unloading the car at put in. That meant we needed help paddling so we ended up barging 2 of the 3 days with Josh. He was great!The meals are well done. It didn't seem onerous to help out. This was a VOC work trip in conjunction with the BLM. They do a great job taking care of the Loma to Westwater section.

This small Olli group had experienced guides who also were efficient gourmet cooks. Having a guest geologist made the experience all the more positive. This trip is a Must at any age.

Great trip and a good way to get into the fabulous Colorado river country. Guides provided all necessary equipment which was all in good condition. Guides were very friendly, professional, well trained, and attentive. I must say this trip required guest participation which I appreciated. I like to be involved so we helped to haul gear in and out of the river which made it feel like a real experience. The trip was safe and enjoyable. For those readers who are more comfortable in a theme park with pseudo-adventure rides, go to Disneyland. But, if you like a real experience with wildlife, rain, water, sun, and beautiful scenery this is it.

Greetings Regina H – Thank you for taking the time to review CCO.Your input, and the feedback from all of our guests is vitally important to us and we always want guest expectations to be met and many times exceeded. We try our hardest to make your wilderness canoe experience, safe, educational, and fun.We tried to accommodate you and your group of moms and their teenage daughters by selecting two female guides to make the trip atmosphere female-only and more comfortable for your group. We regret there was a personality conflict with one of our guides. This guide has done numerous trips and gotten outstanding reviews from other groups. Based on your comments, I have to wonder why your group of 8 families gave the guides an $800 tip. The best way to learn to paddle a canoe is to get out on the water; there is only so much you can do on land. Our guides are always willing to help with paddling tips while on the river if they are asked; they will also tie up a customer’s boat with another boat if the customer is having problems paddling and if he/she is willing to do that. I will agree that to feed a group of 15+, provide bathroom facilities, water, safety equipment, etc. in the wilderness, a fair amount of gear is required and it doesn't automatically get from boats to campsites without human intervention. As our trip packet states, we never require customers to help carry community gear and I am sorry if you were made to feel that you had to help. Hopefully you took away some of the many positive aspects of the trip like learning a new skill, hiking and paddling through the canyons. Marty, President Centennial Canoe Outfitters Inc.

In 2012 three of us (my adult daughter, her son then 9, and I) took the Centennial Canoe 3-day trip down the Colorado and enjoyed it so much we wanted to go again. I persuaded another daughter and her two children (6 and 8) to join the original threesome for the same trip in August 2014. All six of us had a fabulous time. The whole time was relaxed, with easy paddling for 26 miles starting in Loma, CO, and going a short way into Utah. The trip hit the sweet spot for our group -- a bit too easy for the experienced ones, but doable and enjoyable for all of us. It was a wonderful to share this trip with three generations. The guides were very thoughtful and charming with the kids (ages 6, 8, and 11). We saw one bear, and one of the guides was terrific about sharing his extraordinary knowledge about the fascinating bugs and lizards we encountered. The scenery was spectacular. We lucked out with fine weather. Pesky mosquitoes at the first campsite (because heavy rains this year created standing breeding pools) were the only real negative.

Thanks for another another great trip.My crew, without exception, wants to do this again. I had several people thanking me for the opportunity. My comment was "I didn't have anything to do with it", other than let you know what we were doing.We had a great trip, sans mosquitoes at Cottonwood 5. They all took the inconvenience with aplomb.Great guides, Charlie and Nick were as expected from you. Tristan was super for a 1st year guide with the kids.Only 6 of the 16 that came with me this time had been river canoeing before. They had a great time and will be back.As Arnold would say, "I'll be back" with another group.Keep up the great work, you make it to easy to recruit another years' crew.This was Kathy's and my 7th trip, and we will be back.If you think that this will be a catered "cake walk", forget it. You will be traveling through the wilderness and everybody is responsible for their own well being. The guides are there to keep you as safe as they possibly can.Hauling your own gear to your campsite is a pain, but your guides have to do the same thing. Assisting them with the common gear is not required, but is only common courtesy.

Hello BldrMom,I'm glad that you thought the food was great and enjoyed hiking in Dominquez Canyon with petroglyphs and floating in your life jacket. We are also very proud of our experienced guide staff and glad you recognized that. I will agree that to feed a group of 15-20, provide bathroom facilities, water, safety equipment, etc. in the wilderness, a fair amount of gear is required and it doesn't automatically get from boats to campsites without human intervention. As our trip packet states, we never require customers to help carry community gear and I am sorry if you felt you had to or that it was too labor intensive. Julia, Centennial Canoe co-owner

Greetings Meghan,We value your feedback and appreciate you taking the time to comment. I am sorry the trip was not what you expected. We try our hardest to make this a safe, educational, fun & authentic wilderness experience. That may include a black bear coming into camp searching for food. Although black bears are generally not aggressive towards humans, they can be a nuisance. I applaud your guides for taking precautions with the food and staying up during the night to ensure everyone’s safety.I was glad to hear your kids & other customers had fun on the trip but regret it wasn’t as relaxing or to your comfort level as you would prefer. Of the 4 customer surveys we have gotten back so far from that trip, 100% of the respondents rated it good or above average (highest ranking). Hauling community gear is always optional & we never require guests to help. I am sorry if you felt guilty about not helping. The best way to learn to paddle a canoe is to get out on the water; there is only so much you can do on land. Our guides are always willing to help with paddling tips while on the river if they are asked; they will also tie up a customer’s boat with another boat if the customer is having problems paddling and if he/she is willing to do that. When there are kids 6-12 on a trip, we always give the parents the option of having a child sit in the middle of the canoe so another adult can help paddle.Hopefully you took away some of the many positive aspects of the trip like learning a new skill, hiking and paddling through the canyons, meeting new people and bonding with a group in a wilderness experience.Julia, Centennial Canoe co-owner

We took a large group of Scouts on a three day trip (ages 12-17). The guides were awesome. They worked well with our Scouts and customized the trip to meet our needs. One of the teens was apprehensive about canoeing, and his guide instantly found a way to connect and make the trip fun for him. This was my third trip with Centennial but the first one with this type of group; all of my trips have been excellent. The owner is caring, detail oriented, and has dedicated guides. We will certainly be working with Centennial Canoe again in the future.

Greetings Ann – Thank you for taking the time to review CCO. Your input, and the feedback from all of our guests is vitally important to us and we always want guest expectations to be met and many times exceeded.We tried our best to accommodate you and your group of moms and their teenage daughters. We selected two female guides with a combined 20-years of river guiding experience to make the trip atmosphere female-only and more comfortable for your group. Colorado Boating regulations require only one guide per trip not two or three. CCO always staffs a minimum of two guides on each trip. Our experienced female guides enjoy what they do as much as our male guides and we’ve never seen any of our guides in a situation they couldn’t handle. Guide’s can be a valuable resource to help make your backcountry canoe experience a safe, educational, and fun outdoor experience. However, there is some expectation that campers will attend to their own gear. Our goal is to make wonderful and memorable experiences that lasts a lifetime. We strive for that on each and every trip. Over the last 30 years we have had thousands of customers do just that. And, they continue to return each year for their next experience of hiking, finding petroglyphs, camping, and paddling on remote rivers. Although we have already talked by phone, I will sincerely apologize again, here, on TripAdvisor. We hope everyone took home some positive aspects of the trip and wish you the very best.Marty, President Centennial Canoe Outfitters Inc.

As usual, the head guide was outstanding - the equipment was sturdy, appropriate and well worn in the true centennial fashion. Food was pretty good but slipped a little from their usual fare. We have gone on many of their trips on CO and Utah rivers and also have a great time. Very relaxed and you can help the staff to your level of interest and ability. This is a down home company which we prefer. This trip we had Tito aboard, a first rate astronomer and a really sweetheart. We leave soon for a trip in the San Juans with an affiliated company.

I just did a raft trip on the Gunnison with guides, Tracy, Shauna, and Tristan, and I can't tell you what a great time we had. The guides were fantastic, the food was great and the overall experience was wonderful. It's a lot of work, but the work is fun and good for the kids. We are positively going to do this again.

Hello Fara B,So glad your family had a great first-time experience on our Colorado River star gazing trip with the Denver Museum. We are very proud of our guides and the job they do. Our astronomer from the Denver Museum has been doing trips with us for years & always gets great reviews too! Hope to see you back on the river soon.JuliaCentennial Canoe co-owner