People ask us this question all the time – possibly our Number One question! As you can imagine, our answer can be quite long, because each person is different in what they like and what they have done in life. Here are some things to consider when you’re trying to choose what trip is right for you.
Running rivers in rafts is a really enjoyable, healthy outdoor activity. We firmly believe in the restorative powers of the Lehigh River experience for all the stressed people living in the Northeast US. It is, however, an outdoor adventure sport with an element of risk. Most people work their way up the ladder of river adventure, starting out with easier trips first and working their way up as they gain experience. Every Lehigh River rafting trip can be done by people who are brand-new to the sport, but trying an easy trip first makes sense – here’s a suggestion.
No matter what we tell them, people are usually apprehensive until they go through their very first rapid. After that first one, they look back upstream with a big smile on their face and have to say something like “WahOOO! Now that wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought…AWESOME!!!” A lot of the crazy whitewater stories you might hear in public did not happen on this river, or many times not even in this country. You could ask the tens of thousands of very happy people who come through here every year without a scratch every year!
Lots of people are fearful for some reason about whitewater rafting. Most people who are afraid have just heard scary stories, or watched wild rafting documentaries on TV, and these are generally not representative of the Lehigh River rafting experience.
Quick Reference Guide to Choosing the Right Trip for You and Your Family!
EasyWater Rafting Trip
- 8 miles from the town of Jim Thorpe to Bowmanstown
- 3-4 hour trip
- Perfect trip for first-timers
- Kids down to age 4, Adults up to 94
- Lots of time to swim around outside of the raft in between rapids
- Wonderful river rafting experience for those of us who’ve had a couple too many milkshakes over the winter
- Ideal outdoor adventure for the apprehensive person, or the worried parent
- This is THE trip for young families – cool for everyone and gives people a real taste of handling a raft.
Intro to Whitewater Trip
- 10 miles from Glen Onoko to Bowmanstown
- 4-5 hour trip
- Adventurous first-timers
- Ages 6 – 86 Young and not-so-young kids can go on this one, too
- Starts with a bang with your first Class 2 Rapid
- Even more spectacular scenery of the Lehigh Gorge State Park start point
- Enjoy the quiet pools and easy swimming opportunities during the trip
BigTime Whitewater Lehigh Gorge Rafting
- 12+ miles
- 5-6 hour trip
- This is our most-exciting trip through the Lehigh Gorge State Park
- Breathtaking Scenery
- 20+ named Rapids for an exhilarating whitewater rafting experience
- Class 2 and Class 3 rapids all day long
- Perfect for experienced rafters or healthy, adventurous first-timers looking for thrills