Dowd Chute Upper Eagle

The Eagle River near Vail offers some of the most intense and exciting early-season whitewater rafting in Colorado. The water levels in Dowd Chute are not dam controlled and fluctuate according to weather conditions and spring runoff levels. For this reason, we run the stretch of river each day that offers the best trip appropriate for that day’s water conditions. Dowd Chute is a physically demanding whitewater rafting trip, and all participants must be in excellent health and be strong swimmers; previous whitewater rafting experience recommended. The Gore Creek portion of the trip, when run as seasonally appropriate, starts at Ford Park and runs through the heart of Vail Village. Gore Creek converges with the Eagle River at Dowd Chute, which then runs into the Upper Eagle River.