Hot summer months have many Northern Arizona residents and visitors alike kayaking on the Verde River looking to get some exercise and cool off on the water. Don’t expect an entirely placid river though. “There is enough activity that keeps it fun and still enjoyable. If you love the river and love kayaking, river kayaking will take precedence over all of it,” says Brandy Walker, business manager and one of the owners of Outdoor Adventure Centers in Cottonwood. “There’s only a couple of flat spots, the rest of it is actually active with rapids.”
One of the company’s main offerings is a guided kayaking tour that lasts about two hours. Before the tour, customers are given a lesson where they learn forward and backward strokes. Tandem kayakers will learn how to kayak together. The two-hour guided kayaking tour starts at Lower Tapco River Access Point and ends at Tuzigoot National Monument. At around the halfway point, kayakers pause at a dam and can swim here. Customers kayak for just over three miles on the Verde River and can experience class one and two rapids throughout. Class one meaning that the water moves a little faster and the river is deeper and longer, and class two meaning there’s an obstacle, like say a boulder, in the river’s path. Guides will be stationed to help kayakers navigate the class-two rapids.
Kayakers may see and hear wildlife including birds and fish. Unless a monsoon storm has stirred up the river, the water is so clear that kayakers can typically see the fish swimming. The Verde River offers rope swings and swimming holes. In the summer, the water temperatures can be in the high 60s and low 70s. “It’s a little chilly, but it’s refreshing,” says Brandy. Guests also can rent kayaks from Outdoor Adventure Centers and take self-guided tours. The company also offers stand up paddle boarding and tubing rentals. No matter how you choose to experience the river, look forward to the experience. “It gives a thrill. When you get through the rapids you feel like you accomplished something. But at the same time, it’s so tranquil that when you’re on the river, it removes you from everything else that’s going on,” says Brandy. – Teresa K. Traverse
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