Adventure seekers will love a day of whitewater rafting and there are plenty of places to get out on the water in and around New Jersey. Here are the best spots to try.
NEW JERSEY
Delaware River Tubing
778 Frenchtown Rd., Milford
Tubing, rafting, canoeing and kayaking services will reopen this summer. The Famous River Hot Dog Man is open along the river with BBQ food.
PENNSYLVANIA
Adventure Center at Whitewater Challengers
Lehigh River, Poconos
Easy Whitewater Rafting is open to kids 4 and older because of the family-style rapids. Spend 2.5-3 hours based on the conditions of the river.
Premier Whitewater Rafting is available on dam release weekends. Family members ages 8 and older can spend 3-4 hours on the water experiencing Class II and III rapids. The Whitewater Rafting Marathon is the longest adventure! Class II and III whitewater will thrill you for 5-7 hours on the water.
Jim Thorpe River Adventures
The Lehighton Outdoor Center, Lehighton
Depending on your level of comfort on the water, you can choose from three options. EasyWater is for young kids, those starting out later in the day or rafters with physical concerns. Intro to Whitewater is a fun-packed Lehigh River trip of 4-6 hours along 10 miles. The most challenging and longest river trip is BigTime Whitewater, where you will paddle your own boat while River Adventures guides in a neighboring kayak guide you at every turn.
Kittatinny Canoes
Barryville or Matamoras
Rafting on the Delaware River is perfect for beginners, families and large groups. Paddle along cliffs, beneath bridges and past spectacular rock formations as you take in the panoramic views that can only be seen by boat. The occasional calm pools offer time for a picnic lunch along the way. All of the river trips are unguided, but you’ll be provided with all the tools to make your day on the river a success.
The Staircase to Matamoras trip is the shortest, with a distance of 6 miles and a length of 3 hours. The Barryville to Pond Eddy trip is slightly longer, with a distance of 7 miles and a length of 4 hours. The Pond Eddy to Matamoras trip is a distance of 10 miles and a length of 5 hours. The Lackawaxen to Barryville trip is the longest, with a distance of 11 miles and a length of 5 hours. For a bit more of a thrill, try for a release day on Lackawazen River when the local hydro-electric plant pushes extra water into the river.Â
Pocono Whitewater Rafting
1519 PA-903, Jim Thorpe
Your family can choose from five different rafting adventures. The Dam Release Whitewater adventure in the Lehigh Gorge State Park, for ages 8 and up, is 12 miles and 4-5 hours long and takes you through 17 sets of rapids.
If you have children younger than 8, the Family Style Whitewater rafting adventure on the Lehigh River is an 8-mile and 3-4-hour trip that is more relaxed. This includes a free all-you-can-eat riverside barbecue served at the site’s riverside meadow.
If you’re seeking a big multisport adventure – rafting, biking and hiking – then the Big Day Out is definitely for your family. After checking in, embark on a 23-mile bike ride between the 1,000-foot walls of the Lehigh Gorge Rail Trail. At the famous Glen Onoko in Jim Thorpe, you’ll enjoy a boxed lunch. Continue with a scenic hike to an abandoned railroad tunnel and a beautiful overlook of the Lehigh in the Pocono Mountains. Then head back to the river where whitewater rafts and equipment will be ready for your arrival. Well-trained guides will accompany you every step of the way as you explore the Poconos.
For more adventure, try the two-day adrenaline-packed Battles & Paddles, also known as Skirmish Paintball and Whitewater Rafting. On day one you will play the biggest paintball game in the world. The next day, you’ll go whitewater rafting down the Lehigh River.
Kids will love The Pocono Pirate Rafting adventure, which adds a fun element to the typical rafting experience. Perfect for ages 4 and up, this trip includes a custom pirate ship raft through which riders will experience Class I and II whitewater rapids.
If your kids are older, the Moonlight Rafting adventure, for ages 13 and up, is a great option. You depart on the raft at sundown and continue on an 8-mile path, accompanied by a guide to help you experience the river at night. Afterward, sit by the bonfire and roast marshmallows.
The Expedition is another option for ages 13 and up, which entails traveling down a 12-mile course in an inflatable kayak.
Sourced Adventures
Lehigh River Gorge
Pickup is from NYC
A Sourced Adventures staff member will guide you along 3-4 hours of rafting class II and III rapids on the Lehigh River Gorge. Round-trip transportation, lunch, and the life vest, paddle and raft are included.
Whitewater Rafting Adventures
101 W. Adventure Trail, Nesquehoning
Whitewater Rafting Adventures in the Poconos offers several types of trips. Their Whitewater trip, for ages 8 and up, is 13 miles long, 4-6 hours, and courses through Class II and Class III whitewater. This trip requires no experience, and a professional guide will accompany you and your family in a kayak.
If you’re looking for something more relaxed, the EZ Whitewater trip is perfect. It’s 11 miles long and takes about 4 hours to complete. Its Class I and II rapids are great for children ages 6 and up.
The Summer Rafting trip is another option ideal for families. You’ll start the trip in Jim Thorpe and take out in Bowmanstown. You’ll experience half a dozen small rapids on this 8-mile adventure, and feel free to stop and swim in the Lehigh River on the way.Â
NEW YORK
Adirondac Rafting Company
6440 NY-30 (100 W. Main St.), Indian Lake
Paddle through more than 15 miles of Adirondack whitewater in the middle of the largest protected wilderness area in New York State, the Hudson River Gorge. The minimum age for this trip is 8 and children must be accompanied by a family group. A licensed river guide, rafting gear, a bus shuttle to and from Hudson River Gorge and riverside lunch is included in the rates. Wetsuits are recommended based on the weather and are available to rent. Private rafts with a guide are available for groups of five; otherwise, groups of five or less will be placed with other small groups in one raft.Â
Adirondack Adventures
4659 Rte. 28, North River, NY
877-963-RAFT
Glide along a pristine scenic Adirondack lake in a canoe or kayak, watch for loons or enjoy a lazy river paddle. Want a bit more excitement? Hit some Class II to III white water rapids on an inflatable kayak (“Duckie”), or bring the whole family along for a day of tubing down the Middle Hudson River from North River to North Creek, NY!
Adventure Center at Whitewater Challengers
Black River or Hudson River, NY
Take a whitewater rafting trip on the Hudson River, about 15 miles and 4-6 hours long with Class III to IV plus whitewater rapids. An on-river snack and wetsuits are included. Ages 7 and up are able to participate through October.
The Black River Canyon near Watertown is much more adventurous: narrow canyon walls force the river through passageways where boulders and ledges turn the fast-moving currents into Class III and IV whitewater. Spend 2-3 hours on the river. Snacks and beverages provided on the river. Must be 13 to raft.
Beaver Brook Outfitters
Wevertown, NY
Rated as one of the top ten whitewater rafting trips in the U.S., the Hudson River Gorge is 15 miles of whitewater combined with spectacular scenery, big rapids, swimming, splash fights, and reliable dam-released water.
Lander’s River Trips
Narrowsburg, NY
Rafting, kayaking, tubing, canoeing and camping are options up in the Catskills.
Silver Canoe and Whitewater Rafting
10 Corso Rd., Port Jervis
Choose between a rafting trip from Pond Eddy to Port Jervis Landing, or from Mongaup to Port Jervis. The Pond Eddy to Port Jervis Landing trip is 9 miles and typically takes about 4-5 hours to complete with several rapids to traverse. The Mongaup to Port Jervis trip is more suitable for families, as it is 3 miles and 1.5-2.5 hours long. On this course, you will experience the Mongaup rapids, the Hawks Neck section of the river, the Millrift rapids, the #2 Bridge and the Eddy Farm rapids and cliffs.
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