kickapoo river

We went with Drifty's. They were quick, efficient, friendly and had us set up and on the river in under 5 min. Very knowledgable and gave us good advice on where to take out and when they would meet us. The canoe was fine, if a bit heavy. We went 6 miles and spent about 3 hours on the river with some time for a picnic along the way, taking out at the Wildcat park landing. The water was shallow, never more than a few feet deep even in the deeper pools. There were enough logs and sand bars and turns in the river to keep us constantly on our toes about paddling and steering. Only one spot where there was a small pour off with a definite wave in it, but we lined up straight and went through easily. The scenery varied between open meadows, farms, and high limestone carved cliffs. Bird life was plentiful but hard to spot. Mid-week September we only saw one other canoe while on the river. Having it to ourselves was fantastic. I don't know how you'd maneuver some of those obstacles with more boats to work around. It would be a great way to spend the whole day, making more stops along the way to explore and enjoy. And fall would be nice as well, with the autumn colors.

First, books a site at Wildcat Mountain State Park, then call Kickapoo Wild Adventure & rent a kayak , canoe, or tube & spend a relaxing, BEAUTIFUL day on the river. We went on a Saturday in September & could not have asked for a better time. I will definitely be doing this every year & will definitely be renting from Wild Adventure's again. They were so kind & informative, they picked us up SO FAST! This place rules. I'm looking forward to doing this again next year.

The Kickapoo River is fabulous for family canoeing as the river is relatively shallow in most places and is generally slow-flowing with little or no "white water". The scenery is fantastic, with numerous soaring sandstone cliffs, studded with hemlock trees and draped with moss and liverworts. If you stay alert, you're likely to see lots of birds, muskrats, woodchucks, and the occasional snake. Various outfitters along the river make it easy to put in and take out at most of the dozens of bridges criss-crossing the river (Bridge 5 to 12 is a favorite stretch for our family, taking about 3 hours). Canoe rentals run about $30 per canoe. If you want a more peaceful and quiet day on the river, try to schedule on a weekday, as the weekends can be busy and crowded.

We want to share a secret to the best Kickapoo River experience...Kickapoo Wild Adventures is the ONLY place to go. Last year we were told to hit Kickapoo Wild Adventures by some locals and boy they were right...returning again this year, we knew right where to go! Shaun is super accommodating and we all love chatting with him on the ride back. Ok so why KWA?...These canoes have back rests!...and believe me, they are a nice option when spending several hours paddling down the river...just being able to lean back and take it all in just makes it that much more relaxing. Another big deciding factor is the fact that these boats are clean...Shaun and his staff wash everything down after each trip on the river and that little detail makes them stand ahead of the rest. Don't stop anywhere else when looking for canoe/kayak/tube rentals...this place is the best!!

We were camping at Wildcat Mountain and wanted to spend some time on the Kickapoo River. Our kids really wanted to tube instead of canoe. I was hesitant, because I wanted to travel more of the river. Still, we tubed and I ended up glad. We went slow enough to really enjoy the scenery (canoes flew by, having to pay attention to the curves). It was warm enough that we were glad to be cooled by the river, too. We only did the 3 1/2 hr trip from Ontario to Bridge 4 (before Wildcat Park) but it was just the right amount. Drifty's was great --for $15 each we had tubes to ride down on and they helped us get our car to our take-out point so that we didn't have to mind time. we floated at our own pace and set our tubes to the side at the outlet. Drifty's even threw in a floating cooler for us to put our waters and snacks in. It gets shallow at points, so you have to get up and walk a few times and it's good to have footwear on, but it is natural, beautiful and fun (our kids are 9 and 11).

We just went canoeing down the Kickapoo in July. We went during the week and saw a few other people but it wasn't busy. There are lots of places to rent from but we chose Kickapoo Wild Adventures. They are a little farther upstream and it was beautiful scenery even as we made our way past the other rentals. Looking around, I was glad we went with KWA because none of the other canoes I saw had backrests. It was nice to park the car in the shade while we were gone as well since it was a warm day. They offered kayaks and tubes but we wanted to stay dry! The owner was very friendly as was the bus driver who picked us up.The Milk Jug Cafe is a great place to get a filling breakfast at a good price. I love the small town atmosphere and friendliness. We stopped @ KPI for ice cream after and very reasonable prices there as well. All you need is good weather because everything else is already great!

Out of all places available to get you on the river this one is better than the Best! First of all they are better priced and have longer river runs. Second each canoe and Kayak along with all life vests are washed after each use, something I have not seen at the other outfitters!

We have canoed the Kickapoo many times over the last 15 years and have always enjoyed the trip. On our last trip, we rented from Titanic Canoe Rental and found the owner to be very rude. He acted as if our presence was a great inconvenience to him even though he wasn't busy. We also noticed that the canoes being rented just downstream at another business were much nicer and included backrests. We'll be back for many more canoe trips, but we won't be renting from Titanic ever again.

I spent 2 glorious days kayaking the Kickapoo river from Ontario, Wisconsin. Shawn, the owner of Kickapoo Wild Adventures shuttled my private kayak for only $10, a river distance of 16 miles. At a leisurely pace, I completed the trip in about 5 hours. There are many landings so you can plan a trip that of varying lengths. The bluffs along the river are beautiful and provide cool shade on a hot day. Shawn was fantastic. He helped me load and unload my kayak, he was waiting for me at the end of my trip even though I arrived a half hour early. He even gave me firewood for my campsite that night. The next day, he spotted my car in LaFarge and dropped me off at Bridge 7 so I could have another full day on the river yet see a different section. Since that was twice the distance, it cost double. Still a bargain. His kayak rental charges are the most reasonable in Ontario yet his service is tops. He suggested restaurants for breakfast and dinner, and other points of interest that I was unable to take advantage of this trip. I will be back and I will use Kickapoo Wild Adventures without a doubt.

We arrived in Ontario mid-day, stopped for lunch and then visited Drifty's Canoe Rental to confirm that our plan for kayaking on the Kickapoo River was a good one. We brought our own kayaks but he was more than willing to share his knowledge with us. He offered great advice on where to set in and take out and we adjusted our plans. What a wonderful experience we had. Dropped in on Bridge 4 and kayaked down to Bridge 10. Such a joyful time we had trekking in the winding and choppy waters due to the current being so strong the entire way. We really got a workout while enjoying the surprises that awaited us around each bend. The scenery was breathtaking. Since we visited on the Tuesday after Labor Day we were fortunate to have the entire river to ourselves. What a bonus!

My family and I went on this canoe trip (kids ages 11 & 12), we got 1 canoe for the adults and each child got a small kayak. Looking back we would have got 1 canoe and 1 kayak - that way when the kids get tired they could take a break and switch off. It is a beautiful river, lots of winding to it. There are some small sandy areas to stop and picnic. It was a nice time - we got out at bridge 7, had intended to go to bridge 10 but the kids were tired out. I called the office an they had someone picking us up - very little wait. It is worth the trip and $, don't forget snacks, drinks, hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen!!! : )

Our family rented several canoes in early August of 2013 to paddle down the Kickapoo River. This is our second time going. The first time we went in August 2009, and used Titanic Canoe Rental, and had a terrible experience. The gentlemen who runs the business was very rude at the end of the trip due to a group of intoxicated individuals that weren't related to our party. Instead of dealing with them personally, he decided to blame everyone located at the pick-up area, even though our party had no alcohol of any kind nor were we late. Now this year in 2013, we decided to try Drifty's Canoe Rental (http://www.driftyscanoerental.net/). I would highly recommend renting from them. They were very courteous, knowledgable, and were able to answer any questions we had. They do only take cash or check, just for planning purposes. Our family alone rented a total of 14 canoes over the course of the whole weekend, and not one person had a problem with Drifty's. We would definitely use them again.As far as the river goes, as others have said it has its good and bad. The river does not smell, and there is no wildlife in the river that I would worry about being near. Only fish and a few beaver are noticeably present. Of course, the height of the river depends on the rain that year. This year when we went it was high enough for most of the canoe trip with a few shallow places you had to push to get through. Depending on the weight dispersed throughout your canoe, you may not stop at all. I'm not light as a feather so the back end got stuck a few times. The river has several twists and turns, but there is no way you could get lost or end up going the wrong way, the light current prevents that. There are several places to stop along the way to relax, take pictures, or just enjoy the view. Along these beach areas, some are deep enough that you can go swimming, possibly even a few rocks to jump off of if you're adventurous. Be careful though, watch your step in a few places. The sand sinks faster than you realize. While canoeing this year we saw several beavers and a few deer that would run along the edge. One of the options that you have is to either canoe down the river, kayak, or float in a tube. My family personally has never tubed down it, we usually canoe, but along our journey there were several groups tied together who just floated along. You also have the option to choose how far you want to go. There are several bridges that you can go to, each with a longer time limit. We went to bridge five (5). It took us about three (3) hours. I believe the time limit is six (6) hours max for the farthest bridge. We also saw several people with their own kayaks going down the river, if you happen to own your own. Depending on when you go, we went on a Friday at 1:30 P.M., it can be busy. I would estimate over the course of our trip we saw at least fifty (50) other canoes. It was slightly congested in certain areas, but we made it through. Although I selected "No fee for this attraction", that is half true. As I said if you own your own canoe, kayak, or tube, there would be no fee for you because you do not need to rent any of these from one of the local business. If you or your family has the opportunity to canoe, kayak, or tube down the river I would highly recommend it. It's a great experience for all.

We enjoyed our trip down the Kickapoo river--would do it again if we are in the area. We used the Titanic Canoe Rental--comfortable canoes and friendly owners

We took a group of kids (two 17, two 15 and one 6 year old) and all had a great time. Rented from Kickapoo Wild Adventures and so happy we did. The canoes were in great shape and the seats had back rests which was awesome after a couple of hours on the river. The owner of KWA was great, giving the kids a quick lesson on how to maneuver their canoe. When we arrived at our pick up point (15 minutes early) the owner was already there waiting for us to take us back to our car. Great service! Even though the river is super cold the kids still had fun playing in the water when we spotted a sand bars, etc. Everyone said this was the highlight of our camping trip.

We rented canoes from Kickapoo Wild Adventures and had a great time. We did go mid week so it wasn't to busy and we didn't run into any groups that were not "family friendly". KWA rents tubes, canoes and kyacks at great prices plus you get a longer ride since its located before the other places. Our canoes even had back rests! I forgot something on the bus that picks you up, the owner let me know and held it for me for several weeks until I could pick it up.