This is my second time floating this river with Zumbro Valley Canoe Rental and I cannot say enough…read moregood things about the experience. The staff and owner were great and made sure we had a safe and enjoyable trip on the river. We saw bald eagles, giant blue herons and other wildlife.

The float from Zumbro Falls to Hammond is a beautiful, peaceful 3 hour trip in kayak or canoe. That…read moregave my rating the fourth star. The establishment itself is a 3 star because the overall condition of the kayaks. The kayaks are Old Town which when new were high quality. However, most of the kayaks here are in pretty rough shape. My wife and I had two that were ok, but several had missing peddles and/or major damage to the fiberglass. So beware, before you pay make sure your kayak meets your approval. After all you're going to be in it for 3 hours. The canoes looked in better shape. The price of $35 per kayak was reasonable and Sully gave us excellent advice on how to navigate the river.

Duane was extremely friendly, helpful, and punctual. Excellent service and equipment. We definitely…read moreplan to come back and see him again. 10/10. If you enjoy supporting local businesses this is the way to go.

Duane, the owner, was super responsive and made our day so easy! We called at 10AM and we were on…read morethe water by 1:00. He met us at a boat ramp that worked well for us and the rental rate was really affordable. Great service at an affordable price, highly recommend.

A group of friends and I came tubing for the afternoon & we had a blast! For $20 per person, you…read moreget a tube rental, twine to tie together, & a shuttle bus to the top of the river (where you then float back to the rental place/your car). We got an extra tube for our cooler, which did cost an extra $20. It's also only cash, so know that going in! The river is gorgeous, I wish I'd had a way to take pictures. It's super clean, a good pace (some faster areas & plenty of slower spots), & took us about 2.5-3 hours. Definitely wear sunscreen, that was a mistake we made I will absolutely be back & can't wait to bring my husband & other friends!

I wanted to share my experience because there were some serious safety concerns that I think would…read morebe helpful for the business to address. I called ahead before coming because rain was in the forecast and I wanted to make sure they were still open. I was told that they were. Their website also says to check their social media for updates, which I did, but there weren't any recent updates indicating that the water level was unusually low. Unfortunately, the water was extremely low, and throughout the entire trip we were constantly hitting hard rocks. At one point, a large rock hit my tube hard enough to knock me completely out of it. I landed on a bunch of rocks, and the current kept pushing me back down onto them, making it difficult for me to get back up. I ended up bleeding and was extremely lucky that a canoer happened to stop and help me. I honestly don't know what I would have done if they hadn't been there. My group had tried to help me, but the rocks are so slippery that they also got hurt. (See my bruises and scratches in photos attached) The experience at the end of the trip also wasn't great. A worker yelled at us and was quite rude about putting our tubes back, even though there wasn't any visible signage in the front beach area explaining where or how we were supposed to return them. There was towards the back area, but we hadn't gotten there yet before he had already started yelling. I strongly advise future goers to specifically call and ask about water levels, and think this business should be more adamant about posting about them giving that not only can it ruin an experience, but it can be a safety hazard as well.

My wife and I attended a paddling class with Pilgrim Paddles to learn techniques needed to paddle a…read moresolo canoe and be better at paddling together in a tandem canoe. We had basic experience paddling a tandem canoe but after taking this class and receiving great instruction on so many paddle strokes and techniques, we understood the nuances necessary to control a canoe in ways I never thought were possible. The instructor, Jeff, is incredibly knowledgeable and accomplished and has amazing patience working with new students. He also has a very strong safety ethic and ensures his students not only learn how to be a better paddler but also confident with safety protocols essential to manage conditions that increase risks when paddling a canoe. I highly recommend taking paddling instruction from Jeff and Pilgrim Paddles.

A couple of years ago I wanted(thought I wanted)to learn to paddle board. I knew Jeff from a group…read morekayak class some years previous. He attempted to teach me paddle board skills. He was successful teaching me the rules and safety protocol. He was patient and had a sense of humor with me because it simply was not going to be something I would accomplish. I have said to a friend that if I had to be lost in the wilderness, I would want to be with Jeff because he is experienced and level headed. Jeff is a thoughtful and masterful expert in his field.

Very friendly and helpful place. Easy process to rent bike - sign a waiver and pay when you…read morereturn. We rented their regular 24-speed Fuji bikes. The rate was $18 an hour plus an additional $5 dollars for every additional hour and $5 for helmets. They sell water if you need it and have a holder on each bike for a water bottle. We rode first to Whalen and checked out the pie shop and then returned and went back the other way for a while for a total of two hours. A pretty bike trail that is mostly flat. The visitor center is right next-door and has clean restrooms. A very nice experience.

Great bike rental place right on the Root River Trail. Mom…read moreand I rented two Biria bikes because they looked comfortable and cool. ;) The staff was super friendly and we had the best time on an hour long toodle down the path and back. Would definitely do it again! Seeing all the tubes and kayaks out front of the store made me think it would be super fun to hit the water next summer!

We rented kayaks for a two hour trip down the Mississippi. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Good…read moreequipment and directions. Would come again.

We just love this company! We utilized their shuttle services to take us and our kayaks North on…read morethe Mississippi so we could do a sweet 5 mile paddle back down yesterday. Super friendly and helpful staff! Lots of great kayaks and canoes for sale and rent in their shop, as well as cool gear (and more!) in their fun gift shop. We will definitely be back!

My niece and I have been tubing on the river for years and we look forward to this annual…read moreexperience. We went out on Sunday and we were told that the river was "running faster than normal" and the route would take two hours instead of the usual three. We thought that might be nice because the weather was kind of chilly and we didn't know if we wanted to be there for three hours. That said, we did not know that the river running faster would mean that it would also feel dangerous in certain parts and the rapids were a lot rougher than normal. We were pushed into various parts of the river where there were sharp rocks and fallen trees jutting out. I understand that root river outfitters doesn't have anything to do with nature, but I do think that there should be a warning about how the river running fast also means that the river is running more rough at certain points. My tube was pushed into a large tree branch from behind and I cracked my neck and I have been in pain ever since. I am not blaming root river outfitters for the situation, but I do think that they should at least let people know what they are getting into when they are going to be having a two hour experience on a river where they really don't have an opportunity to get off if they feel in danger or uncomfortable. This is just something I think that they should inform people before they go.

Great day on the root river. Easy parking and drop off with root river outfitters. Would recommend!read more

Broad selection and service. Although this business hasn't been around as long as Heather is in the…read morearea, it is now very well established in one of the best spots around La Crosse area to go to, for equipment, apparel, accessories, gear, and more.

Great service, highly recommend Island Outdoors for rentals, outdoor gear and fishing needs!!read more

Very fun float kayak paddling trip! We rented kayaks and they helped us put in and take out along…read morewith a quick bus ride back. It was about 8 miles on the river with a few small rapids. The water was fairly shallow and easy to navigate. It took us maybe 2.5 hours for our kayak trip with beautiful scenery. We saw deer, 2 fawns with spots and a doe. We saw two bald eagles and 1 golden eagle, blue herons, turtles, kingfisher, turkey vulture etc. The parking is free; there is a bathroom where you put in. You need to sign waivers before going. They offer PFDs to everyone; under 18 must wear PFD.

We love the town of Cannon Falls. We decided to plan a Kayak trip with some family and give this…read moreplace a try. This area is beautiful and we saw many Bald Eagles as we strolled down the Cannon River. I don't think this was too expensive and it was a lot of fun. We had not been kayaking before and my wife was clueless. I had used canoes when I was a kid and had been up to the Boundary Waters, I felt okay. We told the people that it was our first time and without much of any instruction, they put her in the kayak and away she went. I felt like they could have done anything to make her more comfortable. The rental area is a shack, basically. They put you in kayaks and then pick you up in an hour from departure at the pick up point. Look for the large pink rock, that is where you exit the river to be picked up. We had the last time slot with several people overturning and having to empty their kayak, not me, I stayed dry. The people that had to drain their kayak wasted a lot of time and we were late to our pick-up at the end of the day when you know they wanted to go home and start their weekend. I felt bad but it wasn't my fault. This was a fun time. I would recommend that you have some experienced people to help you if you are new at this. The people running this place are not interested in spending time teaching you how to stay dry. That is up to you.