The DC Traveler

Now that the dog days of summer are here, kick back and enjoy a relaxing day rafting, canoeing or tubing down the Shenandoah River.

I recently took a short rafting with Front Royal Canoe Company and the entire experience was great.

FRCC rents canoes, one and two-person kayaks, inflatable rafts and tubes for rides down the Shenandoah River.  You start out at their facility, grab a life jacket, and they shuttle you and your choice of water craft to the drop off point.  After some directions and basic instruction, off you go. 

Trips range from under 2 hours, about 3 miles (30-4 hours on a tube) to their 3-day, 40-mile excursion.  On overnight trips, you need to bring your own camping gear. You an make about 20 miles a day, (7-8 hours).  Timing and distance traveled depends on the speed of the river and your paddling speed. The river ranges from calm and slow, to brisk (after big rains). So check current river conditions on their website.

Trips include water craft, paddles, life vests, maps, shuttle service and basic riverside instruction.  Tube trips also include a floating cooler. Weekdays are much quieter on the river, and 10%-25% discounts are available.

Make sure to bring sunscreen, a hat, a cover-up to get out of the sun, a small cooler with ice and drinks (and food for longer trips), as there aren’t many places to stop along the way. 

For a second choice, check out one other company, located in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Front Royal Canoe Company
8567 Stonewall Jackson Hwy.
Front Royal, VA 22630  (map it)

Dates and Times - 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends.  Call 540-635-5440 or 800-270-8808 to make a reservation.

To allow enough time to complete the trip, tube trips start weekdays between 9:00 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. and between 7:00 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. on weekends.

Costs – Prices depend on type of watercraft and length of trip.  Trip Raft traps range from $40 - $140 for 3 up to three people, canoe trips (up to 3) $40 - $130, Kayaks $28  - $130 for one or two person kayaks, and 3-4 hour tube trips cost $16.00 per person. Each person must sign a waiver (under 18 requires a parent’s signature).

NOTE: No child under 6 years of age is permitted except on raft trips, where children 4+ are allowed only with two or more adults in the same raft.

Parking - Free

Images - from personal collection   ©2008, Jon Rochetti 

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