Very friendly group of people! There were 4 of us who rented kayaks and paddled the Nelson Trevino Route 4th of July weekend. My husband and I had been kayaking a half dozen times but our friends had not been kayaking before. Peaceful and slow moving route until you get to the river. Carefully cross the Mississippi river and head to the back waters for the last leg of your trip. We counted 15 bald eagles and saw a couple of eagle nests. I am sure there were more that we did not see. Our trip was about 3 1/2 hours with a couple stops for snacks and picture. There was one other group of kayakers and paddle boarders that caught up with us and we passed one guy in a fishing boat who was catching bass and walleyes. read more

Sometimes the Carnivore likes to putter around in nature and try new things. Mrs. Carnivore found Broken Paddle, and convinced your favorite Carnivore to try sitting in a piece of plastic that genuinely looks like it is more likely to be at home upside-down than above water. Fortunately, she was right, and they are a lot less tippy than The Carnivore believed them to be. We were met by several of the staff, including our guides for the day and the "best shuttle driver ever." Everyone was super friendly and optimistic, assuring the newer folks to this mode of transportation of its fun and safety. I will at this point apologize to both the entire staff at Broken Paddle, and to you the reader for not doing a better job remembering names. My unfortunately foggy memory for names in no way takes away from the highly positive experience we had. We learned a bit about the area we would be kayaking in on the drive to the launch point, and once at said point, were given enough instruction to allow us to really get into serious trouble if we chose, but how to avoid most minor things that can get in the way of an enjoyable outing. We stopped for a swim a few times, and enjoyed a mostly peaceful and sunny journey, with plenty of wildlife and signs of even more wildlife. In this part of MN/WI, the main attraction would be bald eagles, several of which presented themselves, though The Carnivore is a little bummed that not one of them elected to land on his shoulder. Carnivore X believes that if he is to be on the water--pirate-style--he should have a proper bird perched on his shoulder, and what bird is more proper than a Bald Eagle? Mrs. Carnivore believes this to be a bad idea. At the end of the several-hour journey, we found the main channel of the mighty Missississississississississippi river. We waited until the river traffic was clear, than paddled like hell to get across. Unfortunately, a pontoon boat, two fishing boats, a cabin cruiser, and a string of barges with their tugboat were capsized in our mighty wake. Though the rescue and recovery efforts took a bit of time, everything was salvaged and thankfully no one was hurt. We then had a hands-on lesson on the evils of zebra mussles. It turns out that zebra mussels are no match for Carnivore muscles, as your favorite Carnivore peeled a bunch of them off of native mussels with his bare hands, and then executed them on the beach after finding them guilty of seditious aquatic activities. All in all, this was a very enjoyable time on the water, and The Carnivore strongly recommends it to anyone interested in finding out what a kayak is and how it works. Or to experienced kayak drivers looking for an enjoyable few hours. Or to wildlife enthusiasts willing to work a bit to get to an area they would otherwise not likely be able to partake of. Seriously, just take a day off and go! read more

This past weekend I had the pleasure and thrill of kayaking in the Upper Mississippi River with my wife and two young kids. The scenery and opportunity to immerse yourself in the local nature is second to none from the view of your kayak. On a weeklong vacation the kayak voyage was a highlight and something we will remember fondly forever. The owner of Broken Paddle is great, he easily explained our options for different kayak tours and suggested an appropriate one for our family. The cost is minimal and the ride was of maximum enjoyment. We saw Bald Eagles over head, blue herrings on the water, and views you cannot see unless your on the water. If your ever in Wabasha, or if your ever looking for a great way to explore the Midwest get to Broken Paddle. You'll be glad you did!! read more

Broken Paddle Guiding Company - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Wabasha, Minnesota

This is a must try experience! I have and will continue to recommend this to anyone visiting Minnesota! The guides were exceptional and very knowledgeable. read more

Can't say enough good things about the entire staff at BPGC! They provide professional, interesting, and educational paddling trips with a personal touch. We learn and experience something new every time we go out on a trip with them. read more

Broken Paddle Guiding Company - Broken Paddle Guiding Co. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Wabasha, Minnesota

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This was our second Flooded Forest tour with Broken Paddle Guiding Company (the first time was about 6 years ago) and we had a fantastic experience both times. Michael, our guide yesterday, was top notch: he was both personable and knowledgeable. We spent about 10 minutes at the launch point going over technique and safety and then into the water we went. Because there had been so much recent rain, there were some great little niches we could explore. The water was so calm, it was almost eerie. This made the paddling VERY easy; the only time it was at all challenging was when we were in the main channel headed toward the finish - as we paddled downstream, a huge barge passed us going upstream. Michael let us set the pace (we were fortunate to be the only two on the tour); if we wanted to stop and take photos, it was fine. He even took photos of us and sent them to us. It is great to know that in six years, the quality of this company has remained stellar. read more

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The two Michaels are terrific! My husband and I were visiting from CA in October and really had hoped to take a paddle on the Mississippi. We spoke over the phone and set up our paddle adventure. Broken Paddle made it all so easy! We followed their van out to the put in, the fellas made sure we had all we needed in terms of gear and directions, plus made a few welcomed suggestions. Most of the time we had the water to ourselves, which was perfect. Eagles flew over head, landed nearby, then posed for a close up; that was amazing! We loved every minute of it. Wished we lived closer...I would be out there everyday! read more

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A group of 7 women with levels of experience ranging from none to being a frequent kayaker enjoyed a lovely sunset paddle with Michael and Isabelle. Safety is a priority and they were very quick to make everyone very comfortable in their kayaks. We saw countless eagles, pelicans and other wildlife. Highly recommend the sunset and brewery combo. Highly recommend Broken Paddle Outfitters! read more

We had a great time on our sunset paddle thanks to our guide Finnegan and fortunately weather was good ! Highly recommend it and the beer food at Reads Landing Brewery is fantastic ! Beautiful way to see the river ! Recommend using a SUP if you are comfortable doing so read more

Wow. My wife and I had an incredible experience with Broken Paddle. We wanted a fun romantic adventure to celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary and the sunset + brewery tour delivered 100%. We started down the Chippewa river and within a few minutes our guide Michael was pointing out eagles nests as they flew over head! Soon we cut into the forest and spent the evening gliding through the tree tops, it was definitely a one of a kind experience. We finished up at the Mississippi and saw one of the most beautiful sunsets, it was like something from a postcard! Both Mike and our driver were awesome guys, we recommend to anyone! read more

The best guides anyone can ask for! Not only do they love having fun on the river, they practice their ethics and ideas about the water and land with everything they do. Fun, safe, and an atmosphere that makes everyone feel like friends that turn into family. Can't recommend their tours enough. read more

We rented two kayaks for a day trip. They were ready for us when we arrived and recommended a route that was just right for us. The boats were great. Booking and logistics were very easy. Thank you Broken Paddle crew. read more

Our family found Broken Paddle when looking for a fun day trip that might take us a bit out of our comfort zone. All four of us, including two 11 year old girls, had an amazing time! Alex and Jake met us at the beach, arriving a few minutes early. They were very friendly and welcoming, making the girls feel comfortable right away. They clearly explained what would happen over the next few minutes while we loaded up to ride to the launch spot. Then made the ride fun by being witty, funny, and engaging. We were provided with high quality gear - life jackets, binocs, paddles, and kayaks. And they brought along everything we might have forgotten - water, bug spray, snacks, dry sacks. Alex gave a quick overview on paddling techniques while Jake set up the Kayaks. Before we knew it we were on the water starting our adventure. Alex, as our guide, was encouraging, informative, and, most importantly, funny. Our time was relaxing and very enjoyable. This was my first time in a kayak but, with Alex there, I was confident everything would be fine. He removed the stress of not knowing where we were going, how to properly navigate the massive waters of the Mississippi, worrying about the girls keeping up, and we knew he would pull us back if we were tired. At the end of the trip we were welcomed back by Jake and Mike who helped us land and return all of our equipment. I highly recommend these guys!! read more