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Riverside Canoe Rentals
For your outdoor recreation take a relaxing canoe trip (1 or more days) while paddling the Iowa river with your friends and family. You can stop and fish on our main route while camping overnight along the beautiful Iowa River.
How? Look for Iowa canoe rentals on the Internet or look for us in the business section or yellow pages of your local phone book. Then call and rent a canoe and have it delivered by Riverside Canoe Rentals. Better still you can save some money by picking it up yourself and taking it to other locations in Iowa. You can make it a one or two-day trip or even more. There are no dams all the way to the Mississippi River after the Burlington Street dam in Iowa City. We have 10 canoes for your paddling adventures.
All trips should be figured at approximately 9 miles of river for every three to four hours of paddling time. This approximation will cover most scenarios. Paddling time can be shortened/lengthened by the frequency and length of stops, and high/low water conditions and it also depends on which river you are paddling on.
Hills Access
(3 hour paddle)
There is camping at Hill’s Access. The camping fee at Hill's Access is $5.00 a night for primitive camping sites and $10.00 a night for camping sites with electricity. From Hill’s Access it is approximately 8.7 miles to the River Junction Access and takes approximately 3 hours to paddle depending on water depth, water speed, the number of people paddling and how many stops you make along the way. (must be out by dark) For information about Hills Access click on the link above.
(4 hour paddle)
All camping sites at the River Junction Access are primitive and therefore have no electricity. There are toilets by the parks entrance and a boat ramp. There’s a $5.00 fee for camping at River Junction Access. The trip from River Junction Access to the Farmers Boat Ramp takes approximately 4 hours depending on water depth, water speed, the number of people paddling and how many stops you make along the way. (must be out by dark) For more information about the River Junction Access, click on the link above.
(4 hour paddle)
The Farmers Boat Ramp to the River Fork Boat Ramp on the west edge of Fredonia is approximately 4 miles. When you see two steel bridge piers the Farmers Boat Ramp is located just before these on the right side as you come down river. This ramp is primitive as the farmers located in the surrounding area made it. Delivery and pick up at the Farmers Boat Ramp is free but there a $15.00 charge for pickup at the River Fork Boat Ramp in Fredonia. (must be out by dark)
(Camping Area)
Beginning in 2008 we will start developing a private camping area for our customers and any friends of the owner of the property that may want to use it. This will be located just upstream from the Farmers Boat Ramp. If all our development plans are implemented there will be a sign along the river bank and on the gravel road that leads to the entrance of the Switzers Landing camping area. There will be three fire rings, a trash barrel, a picnic table and a tree stump with rings fastened to it for tying off your canoes. If all goes well steps will be installed leading from the canoe tie offs to the top of the river bank.
This boat ramp is located on the east side of the river. When the Iowa river and the Cedar River merge you will see a bridge. The ramp is just past the bridge on the left hand side. (must be out by dark)
Skunk River Canoe Trip(s)
Skunk River Canoe Trip
This access is on the north end of the bridge on HWY 77 and has primitive camping, a boat ramp, pit toilets, picnicking, river fishing and hunting. It is 4 miles north of Richland and 6 1/2 miles south from Sigourney, IA.
This access is 10 acres and has primitive camping, a boat ramp, pit toilets, picnicking, river fishing, and hunting. It is 9.4 miles from the Skunk River Access and is 6 miles northwest of Brighton, Iowa. The ramp is hard surface.
This access has primitive camping, pit toilets, a boat ramp and is 8 miles from the McKain Access and is 17.4 miles from the Skunk River Access.
This access has camping, a boat ramp and is 7.90 miles from the Brighton Access and 15.9 miles from the McKain Access and is 25.3 miles from the Skunk River Access
This access has camping, and a boat ramp. This access is 10.5 miles from the Coppock Access and 18.4 miles from the Brighton Access and 26.4 miles from the McKain Access and is 35.8 miles from the Skunk River Access.
This access is 4 miles SW of Mt. Pleasant and is located on the north side of the Skunk River above the Oakland Mills Dam and has a boat ramp with camping only a short distance fron Interstate 218.
This park is 4 miles SW of Mt. Pleasant and is located on the south side of the Skunk River, below the Oakland Mills Dam. This access has a boat ramp with camping, and is a short distance from Interstate 218. The Henry County Conservation Board provides camping. The dam is a natural place for the fish to congregate, and the tail waters area provides excellent fishing for carp, catfish and walleye. Often anglers can be seen fishing from boats by the shore, and the dam or wading in the riffles below the dam.
This access is 4 miles SW of Mt. Pleasant and is located on the north side of the Skunk River below the Oakland Mills Dam. It has a boat ramp with camping and is a short distance from Interstate 218.
Cedar River Canoe Trip(s)
Jack Shuger Memorial Park (Road Map)
The Jack Shuger Memorial Park is located in Moscow, Iowa and is 4 acres with a Boat Ramp, Fishing, picnicking, Picnic Shelter, Electricity, Drinking Water, Restrooms, Handicapped Accessible, Play Ground, Basketball Court, and a Pavilion. Turn left off Hwy 6 while heading east from West Liberty onto Hwy X54 then turn left at Cedar St. in the town of Moscow which takes you to the Jack Shuger Memorial Park.
Saulsbury Bridge Recreation Area
The Saulsbury Bridge Recreation Area is Northwest of Muscatine along the Cedar River. This park has picnick areas and a shelter with electricity, it is handicapped accessible with interpretive trails, hiking trails, trail riding, hunting, ice fishing, ice skating and cross country skiing; for more information call 563-264-5922. The county conservation board does not take camping reservations for Saulsbury.
The Hwy 22 Access is very primitive and has limited parking. This put in and take out point is on the northwest corner of the bridge on Hwy 22 where it crosses the Cedar River.
Mckeown Bridge River Access (Topographical Map)
The McKeown Bridge River Access is west of Muscatine along the Cedar River. McKeown Bridge River Access is 7 acres. A boat ramp is available. For more information, call 264-5922.
Canoe Rental Rates and Deposit
Our rates are $30.00 per day on any of our regular routes or if you pick the canoe up yourself your rental costs will be $25.00 per day and you can take the canoe anywhere you want inside the state of Iowa. (Must be out by dark) All rentals must be secured by using a Visa or MasterCard/ATM or Credit Card. This will be necessary in order to cover the cost of any rental equipment that may be lost/stolen or damaged.
Canoe Rental Season
Our regular season runs from April 1 to October 1. All rentals beyond these dates are subject to a no rescheduling policy. No rescheduling will be given for bad weather after the regular season closes.
Cash, Checks, and Credit cards are accepted for Rentals. (Visa, MasterCard only) Checks are to be made out payable to Doug or Julie Grulkey.
Delivery Charges There is no delivery charge on our main route/s but you must be out by dark. (Hills Access to River Junction Access to the Farmers Boat Ramp only!) Pick up and delivery for other destinations by us will have an added charge. They can be figured at $2.00 a mile one way and subject to change at any time.
In the spring of 2007 a possible gas surcharge tax of $5.00 per canoe may be added because of the high cost of gas!
In the spring of 2007 we will be adding a new trip on our main route from River Junction Access to the Farmers Boat Ramp which is approximately a 4 hour trip. Delivery and pickup is free! (must be out by dark)
Also we have made arraignments for a camping area for our customers with the owner of a piece of property just up from the farmers boat ramp! We will be calling this camping area Switzers Landing.
You can now gamble or play golf at the end of your paddling trip at the new Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, which is approximately two miles from the River Junction Access. Coming from River Junction Access and going north you turn left on to highway 22. If you're going south from Iowa City down Sand Road you turn right onto highway 22. It is approximately 1 1/2 miles west off sand Road on the right hand side just before the S curve or if you're coming from Iowa City and going south on highway 218 you get off on the Riverside/Kalona exit. At the bottom of the exit ramp at Highway 22 you turn left and it is approximately two miles east on Highway 22. You can't miss it as it is on the left-hand side of Highway 22 just after the S curve.
Supplied with every rental!
1 - Life jacket per person
1- padded seat per canoe.
2 - paddles per Canoe
Riverside Canoe Rentals Phone # 319-648-2103 or 319-430-3676
If you prefer snail mail send your correspondence to:
Doug or Julie Grulkey
c/o Riverside Canoe Rentals
630 Hickory St.
Riverside, IA 52327
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Send E-Mail to: douggrulkey@iowatelecom.net
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