Sturgeon River Paddlesports

Mike McNamara

2024-03

This past Saturday my hiking buddy and I had the pleasure of rafting the Sturgeon River from the South White road to the North White road with Dakota.Dakota was the consummate professional guide who is very knowledgeable about the river and all the resources surrounding it.We had a great time and I would encourage anybody that wants to get on the river to go with Sturgeon River Paddling.

Hite WB

2023-07

Super fun place to go canoeing or kayaking. The owner and staff are incredible! You don't have to lift a finger, they take care of everything. Just show up, and they do the rest. No appointment needed, but it doesn't hurt to call ahead. You can choose a 5-mile or 11 mi trip. You can also kayak right to the thirsty sturgeon restaurant for a delicious meal. Highly recommend if you're in the area.

Meredith Brandsma

2023-05

My sis in law surprised us with a winter float with Sturgeon River Paddlesports and what a wonderful surprise! We ranged in age from 15 to 78 and everyone had a blast. It is a scenic float under gorgeous snow laced trees. Not a white water experience but the river flows quickly and the guide gives you paddle commands, so there is enough action to keep the kids involved. Owner Jamie makes sure everyone has an idea of what will happen before boarding and our guide, Rick captained us expertly down the river. Try out this unique experience with a great and friendly company!

Dr. Tracy Kreider

2023-08

Absolutely I must do we had looked it up and knew that this was something that we wanted to experience he definitely want to be comfortable in a kayak there's lots of twists and turns that will take your kayak and get you out of control little bit but no doubt this is a beautiful and exciting River to ride

Mandy Skinner

2023-08

We had such a great time going down the Sturgeon River. Jamie was very helpful and nice and held a spot for us since we drove over 2 hours to get here. Will definitely paddle through this company again, no complaints!

Kristin

2020-05

Beautiful trip! We brought our own kayaks and did trip #3. The staff was friendly, the price was great and we exited the river right at our car. The current was fast, the water was cold and the river was secluded. Fun obstacles and turns. I would not recommend tubing this river, or at least take an oar. It's too fast and the shallows are rocky. Wear good water shoes!! Lots of open stretches in the sun, so sun protection is a must.

Matt Marcinski

2024-03

Had a great time winter rafting - the team at Sturgeon River Paddlesports did everything right, was with a large group with lots of kids and they were amazing with the kids and ensuring everyone had a great time. Highly recommend and will be back in the future.

Matt Johnson

2020-05

Hands down the best river tour around! The winter tour was amazing! The owner Jamie is extremely nice and makes the tour that much better! You can tell he takes pride in his business and makes sure everyone is happy and having fun the entire trip! I highly recommend taking the tour here!

Zab Steenwyk

2020-05

My friend and I signed up very last minute for a winter rafting trip with Jamie. We showed up, not knowing what exactly to expect. Immediately, Jamie made us feel comfortable and excited for what was ahead. He had a ton of knowledge about the river from guiding on it for so long, stories about certain trees and the beavers along the water. Mid-trip it began snowing giant fluffy flakes and the whole scene was absolutely magical. We'd do it again in a heartbeat. If you're thinking about doing a winter rafting trip, GO!! Thanks Jamie!!

Andrew Arendoski

2023-11

Looking for a wild time on a river? This was it! Jaime hooked my group up with 2 canoes and all the gear for an 11 mile trip on the river. It was a blast! He gave us great advice. We got wet, but didn't fall in. The river moves quickly and has lots of turns. It is a great challenge, but a must do experience. My advice is to take the longer trip, kayak if not experienced in a canoe, and take friends. The October colors were awesome!

Danielle Etzel

2021-05

Best places for renting tubes and rafts to go down the Sturgeon River. Staff is very friendly and helpful. I came over the winter and did a guided raft trip and came back in the summer for tubing. Great experience both times.

Deb Thompson

2020-05

The winter rafting trip is an epic way to experience northern Michigan from the water in the winter.The team is experienced, knowledgable and makes sure that everyone has a great time.Enjoy the peace and quiet as you float along the Sturgeon River while watching for wildlife and just enjoying the great outdoors.This is a great activity even for those that aren't big fans of winter sports.Dress warm and enjoy being outside for a bit this winter.

nicki spencer

2023-05

So much fun. Great river. Beautiful scenery and water. I thought it was odd they didn’t put the kayaks in the water for Us, other then that very friendly and helpful.

Larry Schaffer

2022-05

Should you have time while in this part of Michigan, plan to make use of Sturgeon River Paddlesports' great service. The owners are very friendly, happy to provide suggestion, and make sure to include instruction. Drop-off service is included with the rentals. Before embarking, you take your vehicle to the end point and are left with a cable lock. When you are done simply lock up the boats, call the company, and go about your day. The owners know all about the river and make efforts to keep the river clean as well remove dangerous branches. We will certainly use their service again when we return to Wolverine!7/18 & 7/19 2021We have used this excellent company for two more years since our first time. If anything has changed it has just gotten better.I hope we can use them for another trip down the Sturgeon!!Thank you!

Kellie Bagne

2020-05

Had the most amazing winter trip! Super nice and knowledgeable guys. It was relaxing, and safe, and beautiful. Highly, highly recommended. The guide takes care of 90% of the paddling and tells you exactly what to do. You get to relax and take photos and drink your hot chocolate. Memorable family experience!!!

Gina Montez

2018-05

We had an awesome time, but this river isn't really for the beginner. Many twists and turns, and it moves fast. It's easy to get caught up under tree branches that cross the river at many turns, or at some of the fastest areas. We did well except once, and my husband lost his hat when we went under some branches. We did the 4 hour paddle, and loved it!

Jean Cross

2023-08

Very friendly! You will have a blast with anything they offer. We had one tube pop while we were on the river. They were very cool about it. They didn't care. They just wanted to make sure we still had fun. I highly recommend them!

Mike Partridge

2019-05

What an amazing trip for the family. Took my 5 kids in a raft. Age 7 to 19 with me plus the wife, grandma, aunt and uncle in another raft. All had a great time. It's a good challenge, but also east and fun enough for those with less experience. The staff is awesome and takes great care of you. These guys are awesome! Equipment was great! I highly recommend taking a trip with these guys.

Jody Immink

2023-09

My spouse ad I are advanced kayakers and were looking to do our first trip on the Sturgeon. We use an ebike to do our own drops and were trying to figure out where to put in/take out. We happened to be standing at the edge of the Sturgeon River when Jamie and his son made a quick stop by our campground. We discovered after a short conversation that he owned SRP! He patiently answered all our questions and offered to give us a map if we stopped by the shop the next day. We did, and he spent more time telling us about the river and making recommendations based on our desired trip length and the bike path. We had a PHENOMENAL day on the river and cannot wait to go back. Jamie helped us even though there was no promise of a sale. We did leave his shop having bought some sweet merch though. Would highly recommend this business.

Peter Jonik

2023-08

Best Canoe trip I've ever had in Michigan and I have been canoeing for 40 years. this is not for inexperienced people, the river is fast and fun so bring your skills and be ready to wipe the smile off your face and tell your story at dinner! Stop at the Thirsty Surgeon Bat & Grill for a cold one.

Joshua Pate

2023-08

This is the 2nd time I’ve been to SRP, but the first time we’ve completed a trip. Jamie and the crew were terrific. From the moment we arrived, got through the checkout process, and were sent out for our adventure - they were all friendly and welcoming. Can’t wait to come back again soon

Amber Morrison

2023-05

Absolutely amazing experience tubing with these guys!!! We had just spent 2 hours trying to check in at Big Bear adventures(we will never go there again) , by the end it was too late to even take our trip through them… Needless to say we had 7 very upset children. I called these guys and spoke to the owner who told me he would do everything he could to get our group on the river as fast as possible! They were extremely friendly and helpful getting my group of 14 on the river as smooth as possible! I 100% recommend booking your next trip at Sturgeon River PaddleSports

McKay Kriser (McKriser)

2023-05

The service was great. Great people. Very helpful. So easy to work with. Great river to paddle on.The sturgeon river is pretty calm, there’s a few fun spots where you’ll go over a small lip of water. There’s spots where it’s deep and my arm and ore couldn’t touch the bottom, and times where it was shallow we had to get out and pick up the raft. It was a great activity for our group to bond together. Take your time on the river.

Sarah Campbell

2022-05

O My goodness! Add a winter rafting float to your bucket list! Dress warm, grab some foot warmers, glove warmers and set out on an adventure. We had the time of our lives. The scenery is stunning. We saw lots of deer and the sound of the quickly moving river is so calming. The owner was so kind and helpful. Our guide was helpful and awesome. Like the owners daughter said "we had a rip roaring good time"!!! We cant wait to book a trip in July. Stay safe and keep doing what you love!

Dan Metcalf

2023-05

Such a very fun trip! I agree with some reviews that this is not a beginners trip. However, if the water is very, very low you will be able to handle it as a beginner. It's lots of twists and turns. The river is narrow and there are a lot of obstacles. But boy oh boy did our group of 16 have a blast! The whole crew was so very helpful and friendly!

jj anderson

2023-05

This was an amazing trip! The beauty of the river was phenomenal. We did the 3 to 4 hour trip probably not for a beginner really because it’s long and curvy but was absolutely beautiful and a wonderfully relaxing and exhilarating experience. 100 star rating!

June Hubbard

2023-05

Jamie did not tell us how dangerous the Sturgeon River is. He stated that it ran fast but did not tell us how meandering the river went with tree limbs at every turn and big boulders on the river bed. Out of the 6 on the raft, two fell in, one got hit in the head.. We lost 2 paddles because people fell in so only had 4 paddles for 1/2 of the trip. . We were beginners and all seniors.We were very fortunate to not have any injuries. This is not a beginners trail for river rafting. Jamie should have ask us our skill and told us that inexperienced person should not raft on the section he designated.

David B

2021-05

Beautiful day trip with the family! Went rafting in January!! Surrounded by snow covered forest, it was a lovely experience. Jamie the owner is so nice and helpful. He is extremely knowledgeable of nature, the area and Sturgeon River. We all really enjoyed ourselves. Would come back again.

Mary Piorunek

2023-05

Such a GREAT trip winter rafting!! Jamie was so nice, helpful and professional! Dakota was an awesome guide making sure we had the best experience ! We can’t wait to go back again. 😊⛄️

Debbie Fortin

2023-05

2/11/23 I had Jamie for a guide and it went way better than I expected. He’s a great guide. If you are hesitant to go because of the cold and wet, just do it! We were completely dry and safe!!