So I must have been to this place a couple of dozen times over the years and for good reason. Actually, for a variety of good reasons. Sometimes in life you say to yourself, "I should be paddling down a river in a kayak", and then you realize the logistical issues of actually doing that. You can't predict the Cahaba which runs through Birmingham. Is it moving too fast today? Is the water so low that my boat will just scrape the rocks at the bottom? Unless you're a seasoned kayaker it's best not to risk being out in unpredictable waters and so you need a place to go where you can know what to expect. Coosa River Adventures is that place. Good, clean family run business. Wide variety of sit-on-top kayaks that won't sink. Rent everything you need for 29 bucks, take a bus ride down to Jordan dam and paddle your way back to your car. The section of river that you're on starts at the bottom of Jordan dam, and so since they know on a daily basis what the flow rate of the dam is, they know the conditions of the river as well. Predictable water is critical for someone who wants to enjoy the day without having anxiety about whether they might encounter dangerous conditions. You can give them a call and they'll have information about the flow rate which can help you plan your trip. 2000cfm is slow, low and easy. 4000cfm is still nothing to worry about. 6000cfm is a little more adventurous. 8000 is about the higgest flow rate you'll see and it can get a little choppy in places. Once a year or so they run 10000cfm for a whitewater festival which can be a blast, but expect to fall out of your boat at least once. Over the 7 to 8 mile stretch there are a variety of small islands, rock formations etc where you can stop for a break, have a picnic, take a nap in the blistering sun or open up your dry box and take a few pics. The main rapid, known as "moccasin gap" can be categorized as class 3 depending on the flow of the river. The other small rapids are generally just little bits of choppy water that liven up the trip. An important thing to note is that the river is very wide, and so if you have no interest in paddling through any rapids, you can easily bypass them and just float peacefully along. Fun for everyone. A few tips....don't litter, don't take off your life jacket and then fall out of your boat. Don't lose your boat or paddle. Don't get so intoxicated that you fall down on a slippery rock and crack your skull. Do bring a dry box, pelican case or whatever to keep your stuff dry. Do tie that to your boat. Do pack some bottles of water and some snacks for the trip. Do call ahead and make a reservation to help them plan for how many boats they're going to need to ferry down to the starting point. The shuttles run at 9am, 11am and 1pm and it takes between 3 to 6 hours to finish the trip depending on the flow rate of the river and how fast you decide to paddle. Get there early. There's a brief sign in/safety meeting and then you're on the bus and on your way. So all in all this place is pretty amazing. Really friendly and down to Earth people, a safe, predictable section of river which has rapids for those who want them and byways for those who don't. They'll rent you everything you need and they have a small shop for picking up extras that you might want. The facilities are a bit rustic, but more than adequate and the prices are good especially if you consider that they may be the only people around really offering what they're offering. Definitely worth the trip if you decide that paddling down a river is something you want to do. read more

See all

This place is a trip! ...A trip down the Coosa River to be exact. They are very good a what they do and try to keep you safe and having a good time. The Coosa River offers greats views, some light rapids, and an enjoyable experience. They have all of the equipment you need onsite for singles or groups. read more

Friendly staff. Calm and relaxing float trip, with some rapids, but nothing to crazy. Fun family trip. read more

Coosa River Adventures - Coosa River. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Wetumpka, Alabama

Homad was awesome to fish with! We had a blast, caught a good batch of Crappie, and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Homad is a great host, very easy to talk with. I know his name is unusual, but he's just a good old Southern gentleman from Georgia, trust me, you will have no trouble communicating. I never mentioned that I was a pastor but I never heard a cuss word out of him. My husband doesn't always get along with everybody but he really did like Homad. If you want to go fishing with someone who really knows about fishing and this area, you'll soon see that he's been here all his life and knows these waters and where and how to catch whatever fish you are after. It's clear he really loves what he does! Strongly recommend him for an enjoyable fishing trip, and we will be repeat customers!!! read more

Fantastic experience and the best safety brief. Enough knowledge passed on but hands off approach to have a wonderful time on the Coosa. Will be back soon! read more

Coosa River Adventures - Friends kayaking! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Wetumpka, Alabama

Went for a river trip with a few buddies and we had a blast! $29 for a single kayak deal which isn't bad at all. Short safety brief wasn't bad then we were on a short bus ride to the dam where they help you get into the river. Staff was very nice. They sell small waterproof cases for your valuables and lots of other river necessities but not water shoes. Definitely get water shoes! I'm not from Alabama and failed to realize they don't sell beer on Sunday so we had to ration beer. Plan ahead! Overall great experience, inexpensive fun, bring the kids and don't plan on a long drive after your river ride, you're gonna be tired! read more

Coosa River Adventures - You're here! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Wetumpka, Alabama

See all

Went there today for our middle son's birthday trip. It was our first time to go down the Coosa river but it definitely will not be the last time we go do it. It's definitely a different type of trip than going white water rafting down one of the rivers in Tennessee or North Carolina but it's a great trip for the money. The price on the trip for 5 people is definitely a great price. read more

I'm a proud new owner of a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120. I met Chris and his knowledgeable, experienced staff that let me test ride a few... and that made my buying decision feel sure. Highly recommended. read more

Overall great experience! 4 stars only because we started much later than planned and the younger staff members seemed a bit unsure of what was going on and weren't very directive. We TOTALLY enjoyed the rapids (even falling out of the boat, our own fault!) and the beauty of the river. Expect to get wet!! read more

You can spend an afternoon kayaking down the beautiful Coosa River without owning your own boat or arranging pickup. The Coosa River Adventure folks do all that for you. Really they are spectacular. They are open more of the year than the nearby outfitters (like COC, nearby). In the spring and summer, make sure to call ahead to reserve in advance (a week or more at busy times). The river is beautiful and it's wide -- beginners can skip the rapids if they want, by dragging their canoe to the side. But there are enough fun rapids to have an exciting time. The couple that runs the place are kind and sweet and funny. You'll love getting to interact with them on the way to the dropoff. They also have a small store on the premises in case you forgot sunscreen or a strap to keep your glasses on your head. You can also buy a kayak if you want! Seriously, go experience Alabama rivers while you still can. read more

Took the 1pm kayaking trip. We rented single kayaks. It was so much fun! Charlie was so welcoming and funny! We will definitely be back to do it again with friends! This was our first time kayaking and we LOVED it!! read more

Asked a simple question via facebook about inner tubing. My daughter wanted to find a different area to float this summer. I was informed that they not only do they not support tubers but that most of them are rude, don't respect the river and make poor safety choices... along with a picture of things other people have done. The response was rude and unprofessional. Basically labling anyone that wants to lazily float and watch turtles in the water as redneck trashy beer drinkers who litter. We definitely will be crossing any summer adventures with this place off our list. Word of advice- sounds like you guys might want to look within yourselves on making poor choices and being rude. read more

First time in town and first time kayaking. What a blast. The owner was very respectable and very clear on safety but had a great sense of humor. Will definitely be returning with more people. Would highly recommend for a nice afternoon read more

Took the 1pm kayak trip and had a blast!!! We got in late and they were still open and sooo welcoming! Great price and people! They even let us stop at the gas station on the ride up to the damn for beverage pick ups read more

*Long but worth the read :) My two best friends and I visited Coosa River Adventures in order to kayak this past weekend. 10/10 recommend: We can be an indecisive crew so one of my friends called a couple times earlier in the week with multiple first-timer questions and then the morning of we decided we couldn't make our time at 9am and they were accommodating enough to let us change it to 11am. Well 11am came around and we were running late, once again my friend called and told them we would be running late for the safety course and they said they would wait for us. Once we arrived, the check-in process was easy and the male owner (can't remember his name) talked two of us into buying a $20 waterproof phone case because the ones we had wouldn't sustain. I'm so thankful that he recommended for us to buy the cases because sure enough about two hours into our trip, I went over a rapid and flipped, but did not have my case around my neck, unfortunately, it disappeared into the river. After an unsuccessful search and some fellow nice kayakers helping me look around, I figured my phone along with some cash and my license was gone :( My friends and I were one of the first groups to make it back because the rain picked up and losing my phone put a damper on our voyage. I made all the staff aware that I had lost my phone and if they found it to give us a call. Almost three hours later, a fellow kayaker (Ian Ware, if you're reading this God Bless You!) found my phone at the inlet and returned it to the front desk with EVERYTHING in it! Thank you so much to the friendly staff at Coosa River Adventures and kayaker, Ian Ware for an amazing first-time experience kayaking! We will definitely be back! read more

This was a great start for me and my family to try something new. My kids are in their early teens and I've never kayaked before and we had a blast. The staff was very helpful and knowledgeable. They do just about everything except paddle for you. One extra bonus is that they carry a wide variety of kayaks, canoes, etc. I wanted to try some fishing and was unsure if I would be stable enough but on top of sharing advice they were able to put me in a top of the line kayak so I could get the full effect. Definitely a must try for families wanting something new. read more

Upon arrival for check in the staff was friendly and helpful and the orientation before we border the bus to go to the drop off point was informative and funny. We began our trip by being married to a kayak based on our size/weight (if they put you in a small one, ask for a longer one. They are much easier to manage). For 2 beginners the half day trip was ideal which allowed us to enjoy our trip without being completely exhausted at the end. The coosa river veterans were very helpful finding the take out point. The scenery was breath taking and we went on a low flow day so the rapids were moderate and fun rather than intimidating. We got hit by a severe thunderstorm which in my opinion made things that much more enjoyable. It was so beautiful and refreshing. Be sure to take a cooler with some beer and sandwiches and stop on one or a few of the many islands and kick back and relax. Make a full day of it. For $29 a person the half day trip was worth every penny. The fact that we got to go at our own pace and didn't have to stay with a large group was very nice. We are already talking about when we can make our next trip. read more

Awesome place to rent kayaks for a fun day on the coosa. Staff is friendly. Equipment is not so great. Boats are fairly decent, but the paddles are cheap junk. Still a great place to have some fun. read more