Frequently asked Questions about Tubing
Trips
Your help is needed. Please carpool as much as
possible. We have very limited parking, especially on weekends. Besides, it's
good for the environment.
Why should we go with River Riders?
Where do the trips go?
How rough are the rapids?
How old do you have to be to participate?
How long does the trip take?
Do we need to wear shoes?
Can we bring a cooler?
How many coolers can we bring?
Can we bring alcohol?
Can we bring glass or Styrofoam?
What size cooler fits in the "cooler tube"?
What is the difference between a "cooler tube" and a "Cool Float"?
How do we get to River Riders?
Can we stop on the trip?
What happens if I fall out?
What happens if I lose my tube?
What happens if I pop my tube?
What kinds of animals are in the water?
What happens if there is a storm?
How do I know where to get out?
What happens if I miss the place to get out?
How often does the bus come?
Can we go more than once?
Can we tie our tubes together?
What is the difference between the upgraded
PVC (vinyl) and basic rubber inner tubes?
Other Frequently Asked General Questions
Why should we go with River Riders?
River Riders is the ORIGINAL Harpers Ferry
tubing company. We started tubing by renting them on the side of the road from
a truck. People would walk to the beginning and tube back down to the truck.
Things have changed considerably over the years. Tubing is now one of the most
popular activities here at River Riders. We serve thousands of guests over the
year and take several hundred people per day on weekends. Although you may
experience some wait time on weekends, we are committed to providing you with a
quality experience. We began offering Upgraded vinyl tubes in 1999 for a more
comfortable and durable option. They are now considered the standard.
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Where do the trips go?
Whitewater and guided tubing trips go on
the Potomac River from Lock 34 on the C&O Canal to Potoma Wayside floating
by Harpers Ferry, a total of 3.5 miles.
Flat water trips vary
depending on the water levels, but the standard trip is from the Millville Dam
down the River Riders rafting put-in about 1.5 miles. The flat water trip does
not pass Harpers Ferry.
Click for larger map
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How rough are the rapids?
The rapids on the whitewater trip and guided
trip are class I-III at normal water levels. American Whitewater terms class
I-III as beginner to intermediate level rapids. Here is some information taken
from the International Scale of River Difficulty.
class I: fast moving
water with riffles and small waves. few obstructions, all obvious and easily
missed with little training. risk to swimmers is slight; self-rescue is
easy.
class II: novice. straightforward rapids with wide, clear channels
which are evident without scouting. occasional maneuvering may be required, but
rocks and medium sized waves are easily missed by trained paddlers. swimmers
are seldom injured and group assistance, while helpful, is seldom needed.
class III: intermediate. rapids with moderate, irregular waves which may be
difficult to avoid. strong eddies and powerful current effects can be found,
particularly on large-volume rivers. injuries while swimming are rare;
self-rescue is usually easy but group assistance may be required to avoid long
swims.
The trips are
successfully completed by thousands of people each year, but they are not
without danger or difficulty. If you are unsure of your ability, the guided or
flat water trip options may be a better choice for you.
The flat water trip
generally contains moving current, but no rapids. It is suitable for most
guests including children ages 4 and up. This is a relaxing float trip, not an
excitement trip. Please be aware however, that as with all water and outdoor
activities, this trip is not without risk.
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How
old do you have to be to participate?
Our recommendation is 12 years and 5 feet tall for
whitewater tubing; 10 to 12 years guided tubing; and 4 years and 30 lbs for
flat water tubing. These are just recommendations, and decisions will have to be
made by the participants as to individual suitability.
We always reserve
the right to change these ages if river conditions warrant it.
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How
long does the trip take?
Trip times vary depending on water levels, trip
length, and participant behaviors. For the guided trip, we can tell you it
normally takes around 2 to 2.5 hours because our guides regularly participate
and chose routes that generally make the trip as ideal as possible.
That
being said, when you go on the river on your own, people take considerably
different amounts of time to do the same trip. On average, the whitewater trip
takes 2 hours to float straight from the put-in to the take-out without
paddling yourself down the river. The flat water trip takes about 1.5 hours
without paddling yourself down.
Known variables that can affect your trip
time include paddling yourself down the river other than to avoid obstacles,
stopping on rocks, losing your tube, sitting on the shore, and waiting for your
friends.
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Do
we need to wear shoes?
Yes, we always recommend wearing suitable footwear,
including old tennis shoes, sports sandals or aqua socks. Flip-flops are not
suitable footwear as they can easily come off your feet. Footwear needs to be
worn because of the rocks and other unseen sharp objects that can potentially
be stepped on or floated into.
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Can we bring a cooler?
Yes, at normal water levels coolers can be brought on
the non-guided trips. We do not allow them on the guided trips however because
the guides cannot be responsible for them.
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How
many coolers can we bring?
We allow one cooler per five people on flat water and
one per ten people on whitewater. We reserve the right to limit this further
because of water levels or any other factors.
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Can we bring alcohol?
No, while on the river, you are in a public place,
therefore it is illegal to consume alcoholic beverages.
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Can we bring glass or
Styrofoam?
No, please bring only canned or plastic
items on the trip to avoid the possibility of the item breaking. We do not
allow Styrofoam coolers on the trips because they tend not to hold up to the
rigors of floating down the river. We rent floating coolers if you need
one.
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What size cooler fits in the "cooler
tube"?
16-quart
Playmate type rigid coolers work best. The tube has a 15" diameter hole.
Smaller and/or soft coolers fall through, and larger coolers don't easily fit.
 
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What is the difference between a "cooler tube" and a "Cool
Float"?
A
"cooler tube" is an extra basic black rubber tube with a 15" diameter
hole in the middle. They rent for $6.
A "cool float" is a round plastic cooler that
actually floats. It is similar in size to a 16 quart "Playmate" cooler. They
rent for $10.
Cool Floats hold up to 18 cans inside and 6 cans
outside plus ice.
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How do we get to River Riders?
See our
location page for detailed
directions.
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Can
we stop on the trip?
Yes, you are welcome to stop on any rocks or islands
in the river. On the whitewater trip you may also stop on the shores as the
left bank is the C&O Canal National Park and the right bank is the Harpers
Ferry National Park.
On the flat water trip, you may also stop at the public
picnic area at the beginning of the trip. The right bank is all private
property and may not be used.
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What happens if I fall out?
You will be provided with a life jacket. On the
whitewater and guided trips, you will be provided with a type III life jacket
similar to a water skiing life jacket. On the flat water trip you will be
provided with a "horseshoe" type II life jacket. Without a doubt the best thing
you can do to assure your safety if you fall out of your tube is to wear your
life jacket. Other than that, there are several other factors. Mainly you should
try to get back into your tube as quickly as possible. If you can get back into
in the river, do that. Otherwise, find a large rock or the shore to stop on and
get back in. Do not try to stand up if you are in moving current, as the bottom
of the river is all rocks. You can bang your legs into them or get your foot
caught in between 2 of them. Float on your back feet first through the rapid.
At the first calm spot, swim to shore or climb on a rock.
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What happens if I lose my tube?
It is important to keep your tube with you the entire
trip. If you do end up losing it, try to get it back as quickly as possible. If
you are with a group you should always try to stay together so that you can
help each other out. If you are separated somehow, find a good spot to get out
of the river. Generally float on your back feet first through any immediate
rapids, and then swim to shore. Once on shore, walk downstream and try to
locate your tube. If it has stopped on a rock or is sitting near the shore and
not in a rapid you can try to swim out to retrieve it. Do not
take any chances if the tube is in a rapid or if you are not sure that you can
get to it. Although you are responsible for bringing your tube back, it isn't
worth risking yourself to get a tube that is in a potentially dangerous
location. The best way to avoid all of this is if you flip off your tube, grab
it as soon as you come up to the surface. It will almost always be right beside
you. The longer you wait to grab your tube, the more likely you are to lose
it.
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What
happens if I pop my tube?
In the unfortunate event that you pop your tube, you
have several different options. Please don't leave any deflated tubes in the
river. Bring them with you to your pickup point. If you do this, you won't be
held responsible for damaging it.
Depending upon the trip you are on and
your location on that trip, your options vary. One popular method is to climb
on a friends tube and go down together. This is successful for some and not so
successful for others. This generally works best for people who are small and
flexible.
Other good options include getting out on the side of the river
and flagging down one of our drivers to get another tube. Remember to think
about your location before you do this. It is very important that you get out
on the side of the river where the road is, and that the section of the river
you are on has a road next to it. Fortunately there is road access along most
sections of the tubing trip. If you aren't sure, climb out on the shore and
survey the situation. You may have to walk a ways to find the road, but never
leave the river very far. Walk along the shore until you find the road. Keep in
mind that you should not walk in the middle of the road. The roads in this area
are windy and visibility is often limited. Other drivers may not be prepared
for a person or group of people walking in the road. Stay on the side and be
aware of cars, trucks, etc. If you are on a section that has train tracks, they
are in use. Be very aware of trains as they don't always make much noise and
are often traveling fast. Find the end point or a good spot to meet a driver.
You can also call us at 800 326 7238.
The final option is to swim/hike your
way to the take-out. Do not swim unnecessarily through rapids. Get on
rocks or the shore and walk around them. Whenever you are in calm pools or flat
section, you can float with your life jacket. downstream. Just be aware on the
whitewater trips that more rapids lay ahead, and you'll have to get back out to
walk around them. Use this method only as a last resort.
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What kinds of animals are in the
water?
The rivers
are a natural environment and home to many animals. In the water you could see
fish, turtles, frogs, and rarely a non-poisonous water snake. We have never had
a single person have any type of bad interaction with an animal on the trip.
They are more scared of you than you are of them. Just use caution if you see
one and slowly back away. They will continue about their business as if you
weren't there.
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What happens if there is a storm?
During the summertime it is common to have
afternoon thunderstorms. The odds of being struck by lightning are very low. No
one has ever been struck by lightning while tubing with us, but you should be
cautious as it isn't impossible for it to happen. To limit the possibility of
being struck, we recommend several courses of action. First get out of the
water onto the shore. Also look around you. You should not stand near
the highest object in the area. On the whitewater trip, there are high cliffs
all around so this shouldn't be much of a problem. On the flat water trip, just
don't stand immediately next to any large trees. Find some smaller trees or sit
in more of a clearing.
Do not get out in the middle of the road with
your tubes. If you are on the shore on the side with the road, we will have
vehicles out as soon as possible. You must remain off the side of the road in
an orderly fashion. Being in a mass group or being in the road will only delay
getting you on the bus as the driver will also have to straighten out any
issues with the equipment before departing.
How do I know where to get out?
The driver will show and/or explain the
take-out to you on the way to the put-in. If you have any questions at all
about where you are getting out, be sure to ask your driver. It is your
responsibility to understand where you are getting out.
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What happens if I miss the place to get
out?
You will have
to go back and find it. Mainly be sure you understand what the driver has
explained about landmarks indicating the ending point. Then trust that they
have told you the right place. We have heard from people over the years, "Well
I thought that was the spot, but ... my friend said it wasn't, or it didn't
seem like the right amount of time, or I thought their would be another bridge,
etc."
If you miss the end point, you will have to hike back along the shore
until you get to it. We don't have the ability to pick you up in road less
areas that occur beyond the take-out points.
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How often does the bus come?
Timing varies. Good communication with your driver
is very important. On weekdays or non-peak weekends we would prefer to set up a
specific pickup time with you based on your desires while on the river. Please
bring a watch along. On weekends, we have buses that driver loops between the
shop and the put-in's and take-outs. We strive to be at the pickup points
between every 1/2-hour to an hour. Be aware that especially on Saturdays and
sometimes Sundays from mid-June through mid September there may be a wait.
Please be patient.
Good times to be at the end point for
whitewater tubing on weekends are 1 pm, and 3:30 pm to 5 pm. The most
common wait time for whitewater tubing is between 1:30 and 3 pm because of
shuttle timing.
Good times to be at the end point for flat water tubing
on weekends are 2 pm to 3 pm and 4:30 pm to 5 pm. The most common wait
times for flat water tubing are between 1:00 and 2 pm and 3:15 to 4:30 pm
because of shuttle timing.
Our service is similar to Amusement Parks on
weekends, and we do experience wait times. Be assured that we are not sitting
around. All buses are on the road non-stop during busy times and will pick you
up as soon as possible. Keeping you group organized, like having them all
together, and stacking tubes neatly on the side will help the drivers to keep
moving during busy times.
If you have to wait please help the driver load
up quickly and talk with someone at the office when you get back. The drivers
are working hard to provide you with the best possible service and do not
control pick-up times.
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Can
we go more than once?
Yes and no. Guided trip timing is regulated by the
guide to ensure an optimal experience and only goes down the river once.
Whitewater trips get only one shuttle. You are welcome to walk back up and run
rapids more than once, but you only get one ride. You only need to be sure that
you are at the pick up points on time - 5:30 pm.
Flat water trips that are
run on the regular flat water section can be run more than once if you come
early. The last shuttle to the top is at 4:00 pm, and you must be at the end by
that point to catch the last shuttle to the put-in. If we run the trip on a
different section due to water levels or any other reason, we may not allow
multiple runs. As on the whitewater trip you may stop along the way, etc., but
we may only provide one shuttle to the top. You may ask your driver what trip
we are running on the day of your trip. It is normally decided that morning
depend upon water levels and other factors. You only need to be sure that you
are at the pick up points on time - 5:30 pm.
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Can
we tie our tubes together?
No, and we do not provide string or ropes even for
coolers or "Cool Floats". Having a rope in moving water is a safety hazard.
Even on the flat water trip, if your rope were to get tangled in something you
could get caught in it, and be pulled under water or trapped. If you need to
stay close together just periodically put you hand on each other's tubes. If
you have small children we have a limited supply of double tubes that can be
reserved in advance. They are only suitable for an adult and a small child or 2
smaller children. They are not large enough for 2 adults.
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What is the difference between the upgraded PVC (vinyl) and
basic rubber inner tubes?
The vinyl tube is made out of a heavy gauge
vinyl fabric specifically made for river use. It is a heavier fabric than a
vinyl "swimming pool" tube and therefore stands up to more use. It is more
comfortable and durable than the basic tube and has handles.
The basic rubber tube is one that
was made to go inside a car tire. It has a 15-inch hole in the middle and was
the standard tube before the vinyl ones came along. It is $5 less to rent, but
not nearly as good of a tube. "Tube rash" may occur from rubbing your skin on the tube, and they are not as durable.
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