An image of a large group of raft guide guests and guides smiling and posing for a picture after a day of white water rafting. Shown in picture are local service industry workers and river guides from Santa Fe Rafting.

Santa Fe Rafting Guide School 2025

April 21- April 25, 2025

A River Guide position offers a great start to what can become a long, rewarding career in outdoor leadership. New whitewater guides join a highly experienced group of fun-loving, thoughtful, and talented outdoor professionals with an immense passion for the natural world.

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Every year, mid-April, Santa Fe Rafting Co. conducts a Whitewater Guide School. This course is five consecutive days of classroom and practical training to prepare you to navigate through class I-III rapids safely, responsibly, and confidently. This course is for any individuals interested in guiding professionally or privately.

You will be taught by one of our own Swift Water Rescue Certified Instructors with 20 years’ professional experience guiding commercially across the Southwest.

You will learn how to run a river trip successfully from beginning to end. This will include but is not limited to: rigging, equipment care, safety, anchoring boats, reading water, steering, water hydraulics, giving effective paddle commands, flip and recovery, high-siding, rope techniques, river signals, river etiquette, and emergency procedures.

Post Guide school Santa Fe Rafting then hires exceptional individuals seeking entry-level positions as whitewater river guides. All hires must complete SFR Guide School Course, put in additional training hours, obtain First Aid and CPR, and successfully pass an evaluation before guiding commercial trips.

This career can take you to new places, allow you to meet new people, and develop the confidence to meet challenges with a problem-solving mindset and resilience.