Float Tubin' the Apple River
 

Hey all,

I was looking for something to do with the kids this summer, and stumbled on float tubing the Apple river in WI.... Any one ever go up there and go camping and tubing? Think a 7yo and 3yo would enjoy it?

Billy

Went last year with 12 and 15 year old. The river was unseasonably low and pretty shallow, which would probably be better for smaller kids. It might be a bit too long a trip for your little ones. And once you're in, there's really no way to stop until you get to the end. You might want to wait about three years, at 10 and 6 years old. We went during the week. Weekends are mainly floating parties with lots of drinking and debauchery. Definitely NOT a little kid thing on weekends. Lot of fun, though, if you're into that sort of thing (did that 20 years ago PC, Pre-Children). Having said this, I never did it with little kids, so maybe someone else has some better experience with that age range.

I don't have experience with the Apple river but we have done it with my niece and nephew when they were younger probably about 5ish on the Muskegon river. The nice thing about that river is, there are a couple of places you can start the trip but it is still an all day thing. Of course the weekend floats are a lot of people having a floating beer party. Might be another option for you to look into however.

Semper Fi

Haven't done it in a while, but it's good fun. I would however, offer strong caution about checking what events (concerts) are in the area and consider what you want your kids to see. They've cracked down over the years, but drunken public debauchery is pretty much the norm at times.

I think we might just be going to the cousins lake house and camp in the back yard..... Just need to pay for gas or use the canoes

I think the public debauchary might be fun when they are getting ready to get out of HS or in college, but not now.... And not being able to get off the river is NOT a good thing.... The 3yo would FREAK if unable to get out to pee....

Thanks all

Billy

I don't want to scare you off of it entirely, just make an informed decision for your family's needs. Frankly, given the vast sums of beer consumed on the river, everybody pees on-board.

http://www.floatrite.com/

Having lived near the Apple River most of my life, I've never gone down it. Hearing wonderful stories of a riverbed paved with broken glass and glittering yellow due to used beer, we looked elsewhere.

What we found is a great tubing/canoing destination: Welch Mill Canoe & Tubing. It's on the Cannon River, and is right at the midpoint of the 19 mile Cannon Valley Trail, a paved rail trail through the country side.