Southwest Raft and Jeep

We rented a 2 door soft top Jeep. The service was great as the owner even met my husband early to pick it up in the morning. We had a great day out on the trails near Purgatory. There was just enough room for my 2 teenage kids to fit in back seats and to bring a picnic lunch. This is a much better option than the ATV rentals both in comfort and cost. We kept it all day and had a blast!

Had a blast today with Jarod as a guide and Troy was the best driver. We have been in Durango working for about 3 weeks and we finished today and the boss treated us to rafting. They let us park our truck in front of their shop and kept an eye on our truck with all of our tools. Thank you so much for the great time. Oh, and we got to stop and have bbq for lunch.

My cousins and I had an absolute blast white water rafting with Southwest Raft and Jeep, not only because of the river rapids, but also because of the amazing staff. I know there are a number of rafting companies in the area who tackle the same river for the same price, but I highly doubt there is a crew as fun, sociable, kind, and helpful as the crew here.
From the very beginning of my experience with them on the phone, their service was top notch. I called to inquire about some same day rafting and was skeptical about the time so I told them I’d call back. When I did call back, I got hesitant after one ring because I didn’t think I’d make it in time, so I hung up. The folks at Southwest Raft and Jeep are so kind that they actually called me back, apologizing because they thought they had missed my call! They then convinced me to come by because they’d wait for us despite their desire to hit the water earlier than scheduled. Their customer service is what ultimately reeled me in.
Once we arrived, the crew was clearly ready to go. They probably would have already been out on the water if it weren’t for my cousins and I, but they didn’t mention it or show any signs of frustration. They were all joking around with us, helping us get into our wetsuits, and making space for us to store our stuff. Each and every one of them was incredibly helpful.
Finally we were ready to go and got in the van to head out to the river. We were the only customers; the rest of the van was filled with employees and trainees. During the short ride, the staff made us feel comfortable, which was nice because we were definitely nervous. They joked around with us and helped ease our minds. This didn’t stop once we were on the rafts. They remained engaged the entire time.
We did the two hour trip and I’d say that it is plenty of time on the river IF you have other items on your agenda (which we did). If you have a free day though, definitely go for the four hour trip because you surely won’t get bored. Our guide did tell us that the two hour trip includes the major rapid (the best part) so we were happy with that. The few rapids that we hit were well maneuvered by the staff and a lot of fun! They also gave us an opportunity to jump into the river at the beginning. I did so and it was freezing, but a good way to prepare yourself for the cold splashing to come.
Once we finished, we went back to the store and watched a slideshow of photos they had taken during the trip. The photos were great! They are very high quality photos and the photographer managed to get a good assortment of action shots and posing photos. You can purchase the pictures, but Troy told us he would put them on Facebook for us (which he did). I really appreciated that!
I could go on and on about how awesome Southwest Raft and Jeep is, but I think you get the point. They are awesome in every way and so is the white water rafting. If you’re in Durango and you don’t stop by here for an adventure, you’re making a critical mistake. Thanks for the good times Troy and crew!

AWESOME time with Southwest Raft and Jeep crew! Thanks to everyone that works there, from the sweet young lady that drove the van to Andy and Troy for answering our questions ahead of time (mostly to calm my nerves). Biggest thank you to Zach, our guide and Keenan, our guide-​in-​training for showing our family of first-​time rafters a magnificent time on the Animas River! We chose the 4 hour tour and it was definitely the hi-​light of our family vacation. As soon as we came to the end of the trip on the river, my kids, husband and myself wanted to do it all over again! It was so much fun! My anxiety of taking my kids on a fast moving, ice cold river was quickly squashed by Zach and the rest of the crew at Southwest with their professional, knowledgeable and fun personalities. I knew we were in good hands. Zach kept it fun and safe and exciting from start to finish. Also, Southwest wanted to make sure we got our money’s worth and adjusted the length of the trip because the water was moving so fast, we went twice as far in order to stay on the water for our 3−4hr trip. *They planned ahead and took a group of guides down the same route a couple of days before to make sure it was safe and still fun. We were also served a full on bbq lunch (included in the price), not a wimpy little peanut/​pretzel snack, like the other rafting places serve. Perfect for us, Texans! Serious Texas BBQ really lived up to it’s hype.
We can’t wait to get back to Durango on our next family vacation and take the trip with Southwest and their crew!

If I could give them 6 stars, I would! The owner went above and beyond to accommodate a last-​minute jeep rental and an after hour return due to the late start. The jeep was in excellent condition and was clean. The owner was so friendly and down-​to-​earth. We will return! Don’t let the business hours keep you from renting from them… They are responsive outside of business hours and provide great customer service!

Great service, nice people, fun experience, will go back next season. Short trip from their place to get in and short trip back to their place after you are done. They do sell new and used equipment.

Excellent service and best prices! Best we could find in Durango!
I called and asked if they could provide us with two inflatable kayaks, and within 20 minutes I was finishing up the payment and loading the kayaks into my car!
The owner even offered to meet us after hours so that we could return the kayaks same day, and not worry about keeping them stored in my car.
At $ 40 per kayak for a full day rental, it’s easily the best price in the town of Durango.
Quality equipment, great customer service, helpful and friendly family-​owned business! Definitely use them for your next rafting, jeep or other outdoor adventure in Durango — they do it all!

Troy the owner of the company and the entire crew did a great job on the rafts we had. We had a party of 12 with adults and young kids. We had two rafts and both guides were great. It was a short bus ride to the «get in», less than 10 minutes. The safety instructions were very thorough and Troy then split the group into two boats for the most optimal ride.
The river was running very fast and high for June, just over 4400 cfs, normal was around 2500 cfs. We definitely had a number of 2’s and 3’s and a couple of the rapids were pushing a 4, but what a rush!
We stopped for lunch for about 45 mins at Seriously Texas BBQ. They have stairs down to the river so it’s an easy walk up. The food and service at the restaurant were great. Back in the river for the remaining 25 – 30 minute float down to the «get out». A short bus ride back, less than 20 minutes and the entire trip will be one we won’t forget.

Troy and the rest of the staff are amazing. We use them often for our guests to white water raft and they are extremely friendly and experienced. Everyone always loves the historic details the raft guides provide in route. The rapids are fun and everyone is very helpful! We definitely recommend them and plan to keep going back. They are the best rafting around Durango and are a great price! Don’t miss it!

The experience was everything we hoped for! Family of 4 visiting from Colorado Springs… wanted to rent a Jeep for a day of off-​roading and sightseeing. Troy was responsive, very helpful, and courteous — he sincerely cares about his customers. We didn’t know where to spend our time, and Troy obliged. He mapped out several route options for a great day and that is exactly what we got. As for the equipment, the Jeeps are new with low miles and well taken care of. On the trails, «Silver Surfer» (what my daughter named it) handled so well! Impressively versatile, and I always felt in control. HIGHLY RECOMMEND Southwest for your Jeep rental.

Troy and co at Southwest were amazing. He set us up on an awesome jeep adventure to a wonderful mountain vista and glacier lake. Brand new Wrangler, too … unheard of anywhere else. Day Two, we had a great 2 hr rafting trip with a fun, friendly guide. All around success. This fairly new company has a really bright future! Thanks for making our trip a success. Two thumbs way up!

Great company! We rented 5 kayaks for the day. The staff was extremely helpful with advice and maps. It was very affordable and included helmets and PFDs. One of our group decided not to do it and even though we had the Kayak for the day they credited it back and I didn’t even ask. I would definitely recommend this company to anyone looking for guided trips or to those who want to rent and do their own thing.

The guides are the friendliest on the river. The are conveniently located in town and they include all the gear that you need to have a great time. I would go with them again.