Hot Air Balloon Flight Details
A hot air balloon flight with Rocky Mountain Balloon Adventures is more than just time in the air. It’s a complete ballooning experience from inflation to landing and celebration.
Your adventure begins shortly after sunrise in beautiful Pagosa Springs, Colorado, when mountain conditions are typically ideal for ballooning. From helping prepare the balloon to floating above the landscape, you’ll experience the magic of ballooning from beginning to end.
Here’s how your adventure unfolds.
1. Welcome & Orientation
We meet our guests shortly after sunrise, when the mountain air is typically calm and stable, creating ideal conditions for hot air ballooning.
You’ll meet your pilot and crew, receive a brief orientation, and get ready for your flight over the beautiful Pagosa Springs area.
During our busiest times of year, we may operate back-to-back flights. This does not reduce your time in the air.
2. Balloon Inflation
Hot air ballooning can be a hands-on adventure, and we invite you to join the crew during the setup and inflation of the balloon.
Have your camera ready as the colorful envelope fills with air and our approximately 120-foot-tall balloon rises from the ground. Watching a hot air balloon come to life is one of the most exciting parts of the experience.
3. Ascend to the Sky
Once the balloon is ready, it’s time to climb aboard the basket and take to the sky.
The ascent is remarkably gentle. As you rise above Pagosa Springs, the landscape begins to unfold beneath you, revealing valleys, lakes, forests, and the surrounding San Juan Mountains.
Because a hot air balloon travels with the surrounding air, you feel very little wind while flying. The result is an incredibly peaceful way to experience Southwest Colorado from above.
4. Float Through the Air
Every hot air balloon flight is unique because our direction and route are determined by the winds that morning.
Depending on conditions, we may float low over the landscape or climb higher for expansive views of Pagosa Springs and the surrounding mountains.
Along the way, your pilot will share stories about ballooning and the Pagosa Springs area. Keep an eye out for local wildlife, too. You may spot hawks, ospreys, bald eagles, and other wildlife as you drift peacefully through the sky.
5. Landing & Balloon Deflation
As your flight comes to an end, your pilot will select an appropriate landing location based on the winds and conditions that morning.
But landing doesn’t mean the adventure is over.
After touching down, you’ll have the opportunity to help the crew deflate and pack the balloon. Guests are often amazed to see how quickly such an enormous aircraft can be packed away.
6. Closing Ceremony
We finish the adventure with a traditional ballooning celebration inspired by the earliest days of balloon flight in France.
Enjoy a beverage as we celebrate your flight, and receive a personalized flight certificate to remember your Rocky Mountain Balloon adventure.
Hot Air Balloon Flight FAQs
