We spent a full day at River Riders, splitting our time between the Harpers Ferry Waterpark in the…read moremorning and the Aerial Adventure Park in the afternoon. It was a great combination for both the kids and adults. The inflatable waterpark kept the kids busy for the entire session. El Jefe, the large slide, and Thor, the climbing tower and slide, were our favorites. I strongly recommend booking one of the first sessions during the summer. We went early when it was less crowded, and it became noticeably busier later. In the afternoon, we completed the green and blue aerial trails. Both were a lot of fun, and the progression from one to the next worked well. Overall, River Riders is an excellent choice for families or groups looking for an active full day near Harpers Ferry.

I am posting this review to urge prospective guests to exercise extreme caution and to call on…read moremanagement to address severe safety oversights. Despite having prior rafting experience and maintaining strong physical fitness, this individual tubing trip presented hazardous conditions with virtually no on-water safety support. ​Key Issues Observed: ​No Helmets Suggested or Required: Helmets were not recommended, suggested, or provided for navigating rocky rapids. I capsized and hit my head on submerged rocks--a dangerous hazard that warrants clear guidance and mandatory head protection. ​Zero Rescue Personnel: No river guides or safety kayakers were stationed along technical sections. When participants were pinned against rocks or stranded in strong currents, there was no staff to assist. ​Inadequate Instruction & Extreme Strain: Relying solely on arm paddling through boulder gardens offers minimal control and quickly causes physical exhaustion, even for fit individuals. ​Equipment Failures: Some tubes were punctured by sharp rocks, leaving guests stranded in turbulent water with no emergency extraction protocol. Commercial river outfitters have a basic duty of care to provide essential protective gear, clear instruction, and active supervision. I strongly advise making sure these safety practices are in place before booking unless you have experience and are comfortable without the precautions.

This was so much fun! Hands down all the gold stars will go back!! My 11 year old son loved it too!read more

Overall, we had a great experience. Scott checked us in quickly and was pleasant to talk with. We…read morewere lucky enough to have the mountaintop camping site to ourselves since no one else booked for this week( likely due to the extreme heat and 4th of July holiday). The bathhouse was clean and had hot water. Most campsites only have lukewarm or cold water. There were also an abundance of toilet facilities and they were well maintained/cleaned. The view of the Potomac was breathtaking and the only downfall was that the camping sites are relatively close to each other both on the mountain and at the river's edge. I do recommend this center, however, and we will likely return when back in the area!

This review is for "Tubing" down the Gunpowder River with Monkton Bike rentals…read more The only real nit to pick is parking... The lot for Monkton Bike rental only holds about 7 or 8 cars and the public parking area at NCR Station Trail next door only has about 20 spots and fills up early even on weekdays. So arrive early (before noon) to avoid any parking hassles. Also, to reviewer Cindy M who lost her mind because hauling her "beer cooler" 30 minutes to the river entry point was such as hassle... If she had taken 2 seconds to review Monkton Bike's website or the Tubing instructions clearly posted on the wall inside the Monkton Bike rental office. She would have known that alcoholic beverages on the river are prohibited not only by Monkton Bike Rental but also by Maryland Department of Natural Resources since this area is designated as state park. Moral of the story: Leave you coolers at home. If you have to be drunk to have a good time, this location isn't for you. So, the walk (even on a hot day) is pretty simple since the path stays relatively cool because it's completely shaded by the forest canopy. It's 15 minutes up the trail to the 1st entry point if you want a 1-1/2 hour float. And 30 minutes to the 2nd entry point if you want a 2-1/2 hour float. Also NOTE - The easiest way to carry your tube is to put it on your head and let it hang over your back. You may ask, "How does a 30 minute walk turn into a 2-1/2 hour tubing ride and how do I get back to my car?", (because so did we the first time). From the entry points the river winds around a lot and carries you along at a lazy pace with the exception of a few small ripple rapids that offer a little acceleration. Your final exit point at the first bridge you see is only about 100 yards from Monkton Bike Rental where you started. This is not one of those locations where you really have to worry about water levels or how long it's been since the last rain. The water in Gunpowder river stays at a pretty constant level since it's fed from the dam upstream, which guarantees a steady flow of water to keep the trout alive in the river. The other affect of water being fed from a deep water reservoir is that the water is crystal clear most days and stays at a cool 60 degrees. But on a hot day the cool water is a blessing and actually feels good since you'll be in the sunshine for quite a bit of your journey down stream. There are some shallow spots in the stream, but there are always places you can push off to with your feet that are deep enough to keep even adults from dragging. (We never had to stand up and walk with our tubes once). Average depth is 1.5 feet, but there are several spots that are 4-5 feet deep too if you want to toss the tubes on shore and take a refreshing dip. Which also reminds me, WEAR WATER SHOES, or something you don't mind getting wet. There are a few sandy spots and grassy spots, but most of the river bed is gravel. So if you do decide to get out and wade around, the bottom isn't going to be comfortable on bare feet. My final tip is that if you want to tie your tubes together you'll need to bring your own string, rope, or whatever. But the river doesn't move that fast and you really shouldn't haven't any problems keeping your group within sight of each other. When adults are tethered together they usually end up just hanging each other up on trees and rocks in the river, so it's not worth the hassle. The only exception to this might be if you have a small child that you would feel safer with if they're tethered to your tube. Bottom line, it's a great way to spend a lazy few hours drifting down a tree lined scenic river without driving all the way to Harper's Ferry WVA, Gunpowder River and Monkton Bike Rentals is a GREAT local tubing spot that is family friendly and great even for small kids.

Drove up from Bethesda with a group of friends and family to rent tubes here like we've done every…read moreyear for 5 years. I called ahead to see if they were open and the guy who picked up the phone said yes, until 2p. We jump in the car for the 1.5 hr drive, pull up at 1:55p, and walk up to see a sign on the door that says CLOSED. Called the # I had and same guy picks up saying he is already halfway home and that credit card machine was turned off, now it's only cash, and then asks me what it be worth to him if he came back. I told him I could pay via Cash App or check, or hit an ATM. He said no ATM nearby and that they don't do cash apps or check...and then told me he was "old school". I told him that if he was "old school" he would have stayed until 2p like he had told me on the phone, and I hung up to tell my group we needed to find something else to do. No more than 5 minutes later this guy appears out of nowhere running up to me aggressively while screaming obscenities in front of families with young children coming out of the bike shop, "are you the m-fer I just talked to on the phone!?!! Are you the one who said I broke my word!?!" Yeah, I told him, that was me. He then stuck out his chest and walked around me like he wanted to fight me right there in the parking lot. I tried to cool the situation down by asking if we could do business, and he screams in my face "I'm charging you 4x the cost, it's now $120 per tube!!!" I reached into my ice chest to grab a beer to think about it, and the guy pulls out his phone and starts recording my car, license plate, then calls the cops saying I was drinking in a public park (even though I didn't open the beer). He finally walked off, my guess is that he realized I wasn't going to fight him. If it wasn't for my cool temperament this easily could have got physical. Anyway, we drove 10 minutes away to Dicks Sporting and bought great river tubes and saved $80. I've never experienced anything like this, and will never give this business another dime. I suggest everyone avoid them. The river on the other hand is fantastic, so we will be back to tube again....and with our own tubes!

Superior trip. Our guide was amazing - he was knowledgeable; pleasant; a proverbial tour guide and…read morelocal historian; safety expert; and great with kids. Honestly, his name escapes me but he was leading our excursion. I'll always remember him, as his verbal prompts of "one more, perfect " echoed in the afternoon air. Great trip!

Highly recommend! The features they boast about on their website are spot-on. It's easy to get to…read moreand park and it's a very well-run outfit. They are very organized which helps everything run smoothly. It's a quick bus trip from the start to get to your tubes and the river. Then, you can take as many trips as you want! But the bonus is that when you exit the river, you're at your car. Plus they have little changing stations which makes for a comfortable ride home. Can't wait for our next tubing adventure!

Adventure Links does a fantastic job running day-long team building events. You start out having…read moreno clue what to expect and really spend the time getting to know everyone and bonding. We took our students out and were amazed at who emerged as leaders, problem solvers, and procrastinators. The guides were knowledgeable, funny, and made everyone feel safe. Safety was never an issue, given the extensive equipment checks, guided excursions, and well-kept trails. I don't want to give too much away, but if you're considering AL for a school or corporate event, go for it!

My daughter had an amazing time at one of Adventure Links' summer day camp weeks. She would get…read morepicked up at a spot in Vienna early in the morning then get outdoors-ed all day long. Sometimes they'd go to the park in Clifton (for a lot of the same team building exercises my wife's company had done there); on another day, the kids went caving; and on another day, they went canoeing and swimming. Every evening, she would come back exhausted and happy. What more can you ask for?

More like 3.5 stars. Tubing on the river was fun and our family of 5 enjoyed it. Our kids are 5-9…read moreyears old so we had to keep an extra eye on them and help them a little. We used the strap that came with the cooler tube to strap my youngest child's tube to another one. One employee told us we could purchase another strap to tether them together but then the employee in the shop kind of scoffed and said it wouldn't necessary. It was definitely necessary! We had to paddle after all the kids cause their arms and legs are too short to even reach the water and paddle themselves. The employees really didn't do a whole lot of customer service so I'm not really sure the tip (which was paid in advance) was worth it. We even had to carry all our tubes all the way back up the hill after we finished. The river itself is mostly calm and it is a beautiful area. But there was quite a bit of algae/scum in the slower moving water which grossed out the kids lol. And the island where we stopped to each lunch had some trash on it. Overall tubing was a good experience but the $200+ price felt like a lot for what it was.

Our float was nice despite the river being low and getting stuck a few times. However, the guy…read moreworking the front desk (the owner? I don't know, I see what I assume to be the same guy mentioned in several other reviews) was *incredibly* rude. I can't understand this; I own a business and if I ever spoke to a client like that, they would never hire me again. So I guess he doesn't count on repeat business? The guy driving the shuttle was nice enough but I also don't understand this whole tip jar thing for boating companies. All the guys do is drive us a few minutes down the road and unload gear. Is that not their literal job? Why isn't the company paying them a living wage? I'd definitely scope out other places given the customer service at this place

We had an amazing time in Deer Creek! Check the water levels before you go. There were some fun…read morelittle rapids but mainly a relaxing ride. Lots of wild life. Be strategic about where you park, and if you can bring two cars to make tubing more convenient!

Great fun! Just don't show up without making a reservation. They hold tubing events and their…read morelocation along Deer Creek can change based on event.

Ventured to this beautiful park since it was a nice, cool day. The park is gorgeous to drive…read morethrough with a lot of ample parking in different areas. We parked near the suspension bridge so we could cross and walk over part of that area and then circled back to the falls trail. Saw bathrooms and pavilions nearby. It's a beautiful area and I'm excited to go back to explore more trails and enjoy the scenery!

Being with my family. The park is always clean. We hiked the trails. Walked over the swinging…read morebridge. Had a picnic with good food. Great Day!!

Excellent outfitter. Flexible times, easy to book, and prompt pickup. I would highly recommend…read moreSkyline and I will be using them again for future trips. Our first time using SCC was midweek on the Karo boat landing to Front Royal boat landing. We pretty much had the river to ourselves.

6 of us came out to tube with Brian on Saturday. Couldn't be happier with the experience and the…read moreservice. Brian communicated with us perfectly, was okay with us showing up late (we left late), was waiting for us. His equipment was perfect, he knew the river, gave us great instructions ... Will definitely be back. Oh yeah, and the river is awesome.