We just love this company! We utilized their shuttle services to take us and our kayaks North on the Mississippi so we could do a sweet 5 mile paddle back down yesterday. Super friendly and helpful staff! Lots of great kayaks and canoes for sale and rent in their shop, as well as cool gear (and more!) in their fun gift shop. We will definitely be back! read more

Wonderful outfitting company. Bought a six-mile Groupon for two people and it was a lovely way to spend a gorgeous Friday afternoon. The staff was helpful and friendly. Sandra checked us in and made us feel welcome and ready to start our trip. Cody is engaging and friendly as he drove us from the end point back to the drop off. They explained the river and gave us a map. There's a few sand bars and tiny islands along the route to stop and have a rest, lunch and lounge. The Mississippi River is wide and calm. As adventurous kayakers, we enjoy a few rapids here and there, which this journey didn't have any. But for those who like a relaxing time on the water, this is the way to go! read more

Clear Waters Outfitting Co. - View from kayak - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Clearwater, Minnesota

Really good experience with them. Our tandem kayak was in perfect condition. The pickup location was easy to spot, and the shuttle was right on time. A really fun and easy way to spend the afternoon. There wasn't too much direction but once I explained that I was nervous, they really helped out by giving good information and explaining what to look out for. read more

Clear Waters Outfitting Co. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Clearwater, Minnesota

We have been on the river 5 times now and each one different than the last! Heat, wind, rain and mostly perfect days. Have French students come and it's now a tradition to "do the river"! It can be relaxing or competitive, serene and exciting too. I've recommended this to numerous friends and all have had fabulous experiences. Great staff, communication is excellent, and best MN experience for out of town guests! read more

Clear Waters Outfitting Co. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Clearwater, Minnesota

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We did a four person, four kayak trip from Clearwater down the river for 8 miles on July 3rd. When we arrived the CW Outfitters were ready for us. They showed us the kayaks and explained the differences. We chose our kayaks and their staff carried them down to the water along with the life jackets and paddles. They explained the map in detail. The river was shallow but we had a wonderful summer trip down the Mississippi. We called CW Outfitters from the designated spot and when we landed the staff was there to pull the kayaks out of the water and shuttled us back to our car. It could not have been easier! They were wonderful and right on it when we needed it. Will be doing this trip again. Reasonable price, great times to launch, great options to do the river. read more

My wife and I went on the 8 mile River Trip and it was fantastic! So easy to book a time that worked for us, they thoroughly explained the trip along with landmarks to look for to know where we were at along the river. Kayaks were high quality and the staff was very knowledgeable. Highly recommend! read more

Clear Waters Outfitting Co. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Clearwater, Minnesota

These guys were really awesome. They went above and beyond to help us out on our trip down the river. We were so happy to have the insight and help that they gave us, and they were even knowledgeable about the nearby rivers and trips. The gear we rented from them was top of the line and in good condition too. Good folks and a great business. read more

I recently took an excursion down the Mississippi using their rental services. It was with a bachelor party of 15+ dudes, which understandably cannot be the easiest to deal with . The process was pretty smooth and the staff all friendly and helpful. Their equipment is in nice shape and one should not worry about getting stuck with a junky canoe or kayak. They prep you well for what to expect and how to handle any situations that may be encountered on the trip down the river. It was a great overall experience and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a fun time on the water. read more

Four of us took an 8 mile canoe trip on a hot August day. We had a great time. Equipment was in great shape and personnel very friendly and helpful. Going back in the fall and going to try kayaks. read more

Wilderness Outfitters is run by great people. I rented a Space trailer from them for a week to move my son to Portland, Oregon. It was just perfect and provided us the opportunity to take his bike and snowboard equipment along with all his belongings, while still getting great gas mileage and have a comfortable, enjoyable trip in a car. The staff could not have been more accommodating. And, it was cheap! It was fun to see all the canoers going up and down the river-I even met people from Great Britain. It is important we partronize good local businesses like this outfitting company. read more

Experience was very poor. Staff unprepared and disengaged, seemed like they would rather be doing anything else. From start to finish, poor experience with the staff. Young man staff who got us started seemed bored and rude--like it was upsetting that we arrived and getting us on our way interrupted whatever he does when customers not present. Shuttle drivers were equivalent to carnival workers and left part of our group back because too many of them came to accommodate the actual paying customers. If you can go someplace else, do, and avoid the tedious moments spent with this unprofessional "business". read more

This place... This place. I like this place. I took my parents here one weekend when I had decided that we had not yet done anything 'as a family' in a while. What do I mean? Well I come from a family that doesn't go camping or does many outdoorsy things besides walking or biking. So I decided, why not take everyone kayaking to see how it goes. The price for a the kayaking rental was affordable, but also they fit you and take care of you very well here. You're not really timed on the rental, its more of, "Hey let us know when you get to the pick up point and we will go pick you up." They are super friendly, and even launched my family and myself from the dock themselves. Of course, there is a safety video, life jackets, a map and kayaking accessories. But besides that, it was a great experience on the Mississippi. We brought food on the trip as well, so eating fried chicken on the Mississippi was great. I would go with Clear Waters Outfitting Co. again. The pick up was great, the driver was very sociable, and accommodating to our needs. Bottom line: Great place to rent from, and a great staff behind them. read more

First day of Fall 2014 and it couldn't have been better with CW Outfitter. Was a perfect day to go fishing in a kayak down the Mississippi. Bill and his helper that day set us up with all we needed for a great experience. Although don't depend on catching many fish. Of course this coming from an amateur fisherman. However all the gear was in good condition, and it's up to you to make the fun. I'd recommend pre ordering one of their delicious sandwiches for lunch too. Not only are they happy to rent their equipment. They have a great selection of gear and kayaks, paddle boards, and canoes to purchase. This is a great way to enjoy and relax the beauty of the Mississippi River and it's surroundings. Definitely recommend. Will be back for more next season. read more

Very nice adventure with my family (grandparents thru younger kids) on a beautiful Father's Day. Thanks read more

The canoes and kayaks that we rented were pretty neat and clean. The gear was in good shape. Would recommend this place to others.

We took a 13 mile paddle on the Mississippi for an early birthday adventure while the fall leaves were still changing color and the temperature was nice. We had a great time paddling and enjoyed the picnic lunch they provided to us. They were well organized and professional and the equipment was up to date and in great shape. Definitely a good company to do business with! read more

This place is pretty decent with good prices. The workers were nice and personable except for one who was very gruff and demanding about where we were to park. Yes, I realize you have a lot of people to fit in the parking lot, but when you have no markings on your parking lot, it's hard to tell where to park. I wouldn't have minded the direction from him, but he was very scowl-y and not nice to either I or the person who parked next to me. About the actual guidance, it could have been better. We got a map for our 8-mile canoe trip, but we didn't get much direction regarding all of the sand bars and where to watch out for rocks on the rapids. The water level was at least 5-10 feet lower than normal, so I think we should have been warned about the possible difficulties. Maybe they thought the map was clear enough? Maybe we're just dumb. We marked that we're newbies on the form they had us fill out.... The other people who left with us said that his directions "sucked" as well (their words, not mine). Anyhow, the beginning of our trip started with getting stuck in maybe a foot of water for 5 minutes or so. I think he probably told the people in the other canoe to paddle way out to the middle of the river and head out from there, but we didn't get that direction. So, we ended up struggling for a while until we were able to free ourselves. It was kind of iffy over the rapids (there are three sets on that stretch of river), but we survived. All in all, things could have been better, but they could have been worse, also. read more

Excellent prices and personable staff! I have been here every summer when I come up to Minnesota to see family and have yet to be disappointed. My only suggestion to prospective customers is to bring padding for the seat backs. My back is bad, so it don't take kindly to the skimpy padding on my kayak. read more

We decided to try some canoeing on the "mighty Mississippi" this past Monday. We called and left messages for their two numbers and were called back by both numbers. They weren't very busy and were able to accommodate our requests for where we wanted to be dropped off. Their equipment is fine (Bring a cushion if you want, I could have used one but everyone else in our party was fine) We got dropped off a little bit south of St. Cloud. We really took our time and did quite a bit of fishing. A little current, and no rapids. Very easy canoeing. I was surprised at how clear and shallow the river is there. We caught a couple of nice bass, saw eagles, deer, and turtles along the way. After about 4 hours we pulled up to the take out spot. The employees helped us get out and unload. Very happy with our experience and highly recommended. read more

I can't recommend this service highly enough. I've taken two separate trips using Clear Waters Outfitting and they were both really great experiences. The staff are friendly and informative and the equipment is very nice. Even if you're a beginner, they'll walk you through everything you need to know to have an awesome day on the river. The Mississippi is really beautiful, it's amazing how untouched it is, even in the city. On our last trip from St. Cloud to Clearwater, we saw eight bald eagles and at least a half dozen blue herons. Fish were jumping everywhere. read more

I wish customer service will be nicer and more professional. We rent two kayaking and it's $88 dollars. The river and the weather is nice overall. read more

Super friendly and welcoming staff! I purchased a Groupon and from the time I made the reservation until they picked us up after our float, they just did a really great job of making sure we were well taken care of and prepared. My only negative is that equipment in that the life jackets were fairly worn and definitely needed to be cleaned, and the kayak itself was also fairly old and just not as well maintained as I would have thought after seeing all of the facilities and other equipment. Other than that though I thought they did a really great job and I'd definitely recommend them to anyone looking to go down the river! read more

This was a great adventure for our family ! We did the 8 mile trip and it was perfect. The staff was great and very informative about kayaking the Mississippi River. read more

My friend and I wanted to make sure we got some kayaking in before the end of summer. She mentioned and called this place and it was so simple. The people were very friendly and helpful. We got in our kayaks and set out for adventure. For the price we paid I would say it was the perfectly spent Saturday. The river was perfect and the 8 mile trek was just the right amount of time. I had a great time and look forward to doing it again soon! read more

We went canoed on a brisk fall day. The scenery was awesome and the staff was very friendly. I would highly recommend for a fun thing to do on a clear day. I will definitely be back:-) read more

The staff was very friendly and took the time to prepare us for our canoe ride, covering safety precautions and going over landmarks we'd encounter so we could pace ourselves. The canoe ride itself was idyllic. The stretch of the Mississippi River they put us on had calm waters, and we didn't see a single other person or boat for the entire 3 hours we were on it (it was a weekday). The shuttle was quick to pick us up when we finished, and the driver was friendly. Very good experience. read more

The owners and employees of the business are so nice and professional! We got great information about what to expect and be safe, we were put out in the water promptly, and they appeared immediately to shuttle us back from our take-out point to where we'd left our car. The prices and the equipment are good. We saw 2 bald eagles, lots of other birds and fish and insects, and a lovely, mostly very quiet landscape. At this time of the year (early September) the river is pretty low, but you should still have no trouble navigating. read more

Prices are better than other rental places around and just great people working their. Very nice people. Great river run for kayaks.