- Estimated Cost: $60
- Max Trip Size: 12 people
A classic Rover Trip returns! Come paddle on a beautiful 13 mile stretch of the Mississippi River! We’ll rent canoes or kayaks (or they’ll shuttle yours, for $40 or $32 for a group of 8 or more) from Clearwater Outfitters in Clearwater, MN at their 10:00 departure time. Their business is right on the river; we leave our cars there. They show everyone a 15 minute mandatory safety film. Renters will choose gear, they’ll load our boats & gear then shuttle us to a put in spot in St. Cloud. We’ll meander down the river for about 4-5 hours stopping to eat our packed lunch & swim on the lovely sand bars. We float down the river returning to our cars at the Outfitters; they’ll help us carry our boats up the riverbank. The forecast is currently mid-eighties, mostly sunny, & low wind (IDEAL) so come out to enjoy it while we can! As of today the river is low, but Clearwater said folks are not complaining they’re scraping a lot. They’re also hoping for rain on Thursday. It would be super helpful to register online on Thursday to ensure your kayak or canoe spot & speed up the waiver process on Sat. They’re a small business & the forms would take about 10 minutes a person to complete. Please be aware that road work may also slow down the travel time as well as possible heavy traffic for folks heading to their cabin for the weekend. Please RSVP so I can contact you should we need to cancel, due to unexpected poor weather/smoke. I’ll also try to set up a spreadsheet for carpooling; please partner up yourselves for canoes or tandem kayaks. I highly recommend the option of stopping at Nelson Brother’s restaurant (& bakery!) for supper on the way home. Recommended to bring: water, sunscreen, packed lunch, sunglasses, hat, swimsuit/clothes, dry clothes/shoes for the ride home, & shoes that can get wet & have a good grip (not flip flops)

