Whether it's a first-timer trip down a pretty river with riffles or the white-water trip of a lifetime through the rugged Grand Canyon, Adventure Gateway's members have the perfect river (and trip). Many of them also feature other paddling adventures including kayaking and canoeing, instruction, dining, varied accommodations and more. Families are welcome on many trips, and safety for all participants is as big a priority as quality.
Adventures Unlimited: Located right on Coldwater Creek in the Panhandle region of Florida, Adventures Unlimited offers canoeing through the Blackwater River State Forest, as well as tent camping, cabins and an inn.
Buffalo Outdoor Center: Founded in 1976, BOC has grown from a small canoe-rental business into a first-class wilderness retreat with hand-crafted log cabins, a mountaintop lodge and a wide range of canoeing on the Buffalo National River.
Echo River Trips: With wilderness white-water trips since 1972, Echo runs on two of the finest rivers in the American West: the Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho and the Rogue River in southwest Oregon. Their varied multiday trips are a specialty.
Far Flung Outdoor Center: Big Bend National Park is one of the most remote parks in the lower 48, and Far Flung focuses on canoe and raft adventures along the mighty Rio Grande. Jeep and ATV tours are popular add-ons after a day (or several days) on the river.
Gunflint Lodge & Northwoods Outfitters: From a wilderness canoe trip in northeast Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area to a cabin vacation with every amenity, this long-time, family-run destination (75 plus years) is a canoeing mecca and much more.
New England Outdoor Center: Based in northern Maine, NEOC features white-water rafting on the Kennebec, Penobscot and Dead rivers, as well as their own lodging and dining options, moose tours and snowmobiling in winter.
Outdoors Unlimited: Specializing in Grand Canyon river trips on the Colorado, Outdoors Unlimited brings more than 30 years of experience to trips that can run from five to 15 days (and almost 300 miles).
Wildwater Ltd.: With varied locations, including lodging, in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, Wildwater features adventures on the Chattooga, Ocoee, Nantahala, Cheoah and Pigeon rivers. Their North Carolina location has "yurt" lodging, making for a unique base for rafting, biking, dining and more.
This laundry list of varied adventures on and off America's top rivers makes it easy to see why Adventure Gateway's one-stop shopping option has been so popular. Get set to get wet!
IF YOU GO
Adventure Gateway is a consortium of 11 top rafting and canoeing companies. Their Web site makes for one-stop shopping when you're looking for mild to wild paddling adventures on more than 30 rivers. The Web site also features river overviews, tips on choosing an appropriate trip and links to each member's unique Web site.
Lynn Seldon is a veteran freelance travel journalist, with more than 750 publication credits.
