Seminary Canoe Rental

J Schmidt

2023-09

If you are looking for plush accommodations with big screen tvs and wifi, this is not your spot. If you are looking to spend quality wholesome time with your family or loved one in a quaint little cabin, this is you. The best part of the river is the last 15 minutes when you get the river mostly to yourself because most companies get out before that.

Lacy Ambrose

2024-04

If you're interested in renting a cabin or trying to plan ahead at all, don't bother. We've been trying to get ahold of someone for 2 weeks now to reserve a cabin for the weekend. We've left voicemail, emailed, AND filled out the online web form for information. No response at all. Not a great business model. Of someone is willing to pay $200/night to rent a cabin w/ no amenities, you should probably answer the phone or respond to emails. Oh well. There's other places to stay!

Angela Leger

2023-05

We rented a cabin and a kayak for the weekend. You have to bring your own linens and pillows. It was clean. Had an amazing time. Only thing no TV...make sure you bring your laptop

Shannon Wilson

2020-05

The creek was a lot of fun but there was a good bit of trash on the water and the sand banks. This canoe rental business also didn't have any trash cans placed at the end of the route to put your trash after a day of paddling. I realize people who paddle the creek should be responsible to pick up after themselves, unfortunately, a lot do not. I wish both rental companies who utilize this creek for business, would emphasize the importance of not leaving trash behind. I would also like to see them make efforts to pick up the trash that is left behind from their customers.

alex wr

2018-05

The float down from Seminary is Awesome! It was my first time using a canoe, and I really enjoyed it. Beautiful creek, with lots of trees providing shade on much of the route. We really took our time and stopped a lot, so it took 6 hours. We got back after dark, paddled up by moonlight. They forgot about all about us! Luckily someone was still there with or keys, which were left in the office so we wouldn't lose them. Watch out for the last big rapid, it's a big 'un, we flipped on it at sunset. The rapid before that isn't too bad, but we portaged it and left our gear on shore before taking the canoe back up to float it.

Sabyn

2020-05

Everyone here is so nice. We chose this one over the other bc when you finish your trip you're right back at the rental spot and don't need a bus to bring you back! Pull your kayak up and head on out!

AJ

2024-03

I tried to call in and ask questions about their services and got hung up on three times by the lady. Rude service right off the bat.Moving on to kayaking, the course is very unmaintained with trees above your head on multiple occasions which may pose as a hazard for inexperienced kayakers.There were no warning signs or anything of the sorts for the drop offs and it’s very likely for the kayak to flip over, which happened to one of my group members on a separate kayak. Luckily, it didn’t end badly.The showers were utterly atrocious with wasp nests and cobwebs in the corners, and additionally lacked hot water so prepare to be blasted by cold water.

Hannah P

2023-08

Where to begin… we arrived and paid for our kayakas. We were told we would have to wait a bit, maybe 20 minutes.. no big deal.We waited over an HOUR. One person from our group went in to ask for an update, just as 2 young workers arrived there in their trucks. The girl at the office told them to take us down to the drop off spot in their trucks. The young men seemed to not know he had more people to drop off. For some reason there was no one there to drive the bus. So They loaded us up into their personal trucks. The boy we had to ride with was angry and cussing about the girl “talking to him crazy” and drove 60 mph almost all the way there until my husband had to ask him to slow down! The roads were narrow and bumpy and we were getting slung around. When we got dropped off, the kid was still ill and throwing our equipment on the ground. It was only a pleasant experience once we got on the water. There needs to be some organization implemented and adults running the place.

Jacob Caston

2023-06

An absolute amazing river to kayak down, as someone who has been on the staff of the canoe rental team before, I understand the issues with the holes in the kayaks (which are customer inflicted). I would like to note that we set aside the kayaks with holes in them to repair later (duct tape is more likely to be a customer fix than a company patch because we use black rubber sealant to fix the holes) so that we can put good working kayaks on the trailers. Be careful when using a canoe because they are prone to flipping in multiple areas and are hard to get out of the water. the camp sites are very well kept most of the time as are the cabins.

Arianne Gainey

2023-08

Disastrous Kayaking Experience - Constant Waterlogged KayaksI recently went on a kayaking trip that turned out to be a complete disappointment. The kayaks provided were in terrible condition, constantly taking on water and requiring frequent stops to drain them. It was an absolute nightmare!From the moment we set off, it became evident that the kayaks were not properly maintained. Within minutes, water started seeping into the kayaks, leaving us soaked and uncomfortable. We had to halt every 30 minutes just to empty the water from the kayaks, which greatly disrupted our experience and wasted precious time.Not only did this repetitive process become frustrating, but it also prevented us from fully enjoying the beautiful surroundings and exploring the area. Instead of gliding smoothly through the water, we were battling against leaks and struggling to keep our balance.The lack of quality kayaks seriously affected our overall enjoyment and safety. It's clear that proper maintenance and inspection were neglected, causing significant inconvenience and potential hazards during the trip. Additionally, the constant water exposure left us feeling stressed and uncomfortable, making the entire experience far from enjoyable.Considering the high cost of the kayaking trip, I expected much better equipment and a more seamless experience. It is essential for the organizers to ensure that their kayaks are in good working condition before allowing customers to embark on such adventures. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and it greatly impacted our trip.I would strongly advise against choosing this kayaking provider until they address and resolve the kayak maintenance issues. It's crucial to prioritize customer safety, comfort, and overall satisfaction. There are certainly better options available that provide a more enjoyable and hassle-free kayaking experience.

West Hinton

2023-08

Total scam once they have your card number they wont answer the phone , what was supposed to be a weekend trip went south real quick , they didnt have power at thier facility the only people working didnt look old enough to drive except for some crack head named Tiffany And the place looked like a homeless encampment. They assured us they would refund us since they had no power but as expected did not. Be warned there are lots of complaints especially for theft and them scamming people. I will never recommend or visit again

Savannah Redd

2023-08

We reserved kayaks a day before and drove a hour and a half just to be told they didn’t honor ANY reservations. We waited for two hours to get in the river and eventually just had to leave. Worst experience ever. I’m so disappointed and really disgusted with the attitudes and service and entire experience. Horrible. Never again.

BIOB33

2023-09

Prices were amazing the canoe trip was awesome the only thing I wish is that they had some kind of warning along the river letting you know when Rapids were coming up ahead or small waterfalls the map could also be a little bit better really doesn't help any

Caleb Izdepski

2023-05

Has all the potential for a truly magical trip. I've seen this rio well above floodstage and nearly dry in 30 sessions, seen the rapids evolve and erode, spent nights around the campfire with the former owners (Stacey and Michelle) seen it in rain and sun. Times change, landowners prevent access to camp, new faces take over the shop. A closed chapter. A good river for a new set of experiences, a paddle through, but not what it used to be.

David Tadlock

2023-05

the downward spiral started when our group arrived on time and first had to wait 1.5hr to be loaded on the bus for put in. So our 10am float turned into 12:30pm float. 20 min into the 4hr float, I noticed we were beginning to sink. Me and my 8yo son pulled the boat out only to discover there were two quarter sized holes in the bottom of the kayak which filled up with a large volume of water every 15-20min. So do the math. had to pull out at least 10 times to empty the inner hull of water making for a long annoying day not to mention a safety issue. I know they knew about these issues b/c there were several other boats just like ours that had duct-tape over the same spot on them (which is not a safe fix btw and not $65 fee worth either). So it became apparent that they are aware of this issue on this particular kayak but do little to nothing to resolve it safely. Will not use this outfitter again. Lucky for us there were lots of floaters on the river that day who were able to help us drag the 300# plus water laden vessel up the bank to empty it just about each time. Also, when we arrived back at the take out, there was no one there to assist or to file a complaint to. Guess if I had been stranded I would have had to call emergency services or ride in with a passing kayaker. There is another outfitter with much better service, equipment, staff, and facilities that I've used personally in the past and will continue to use in the future. This was a group trip so I didn't get to pick but the group leader agreed, "not again". Also, upon reading other reviews, this seems to be an ongoing issue especially in the safety dept. as I read several that ended with people arriving after dark b/c of the same issue I had. I've floated this river a dozen times so I was familiar with the layout and landmarks on a timeline to get back before dark. I could see someone who is not familiar and hit with a sinking vessel, weather, and ditching in the rapids losing a phone and more getting into real trouble.

Holly Parker

2023-05

Do not use this place! Made a reservation a month in advance. The day of they did not have it on file although I showed them the email. Reserved and paid for canoes. They do not have canoes. The "sea kayaks" they provide are not only inappropriate for the river, most of them were cracked and incredibly unsafe. The staff was so unprofessional. Because the place was overbooked, they didn't take people out until late and as we were coming in after dark, the staff was cursing at people and making fun of them for being scared in the dark. Completely terrible experience.

celeste rose

2023-05

Had a reservation for 5 canoes and 2 kayaks, and after waiting 3 hours to get to the drop off point; we were told that there were no canoes. They then proceeded to give us two seater Ocean Kayaks designed for open water to go on a river that has rapids in some places and a bent paddle that snapped in half as soon as we started. After a mile down the river we realized that two of them were leaking water due to drain plugs being missing. This caused a very unsafe situation and caused the riders of the two kayaks to make it to the pick up point way after dark. The staff was rude and combative and acknowledged that they knew there were issues with the kayaks to begin with. We were very lucky that no one was seriously hurt and that we didn't lose more gear than we did. I wouldn't recommend these guys to my worst enemy, not even for a few gallons of gasoline. Not even once.

Tera Rivero

2023-05

Seminary canoe rental were amazing they were super accommodating to our youth group and made sure we had everything we need. The service was wonderful!! 10/10!! We will for sure be using them for any upcoming trips!! The staff even offered to get pics for our group! Loved the experience!

Shane Sullivan (Shameless)

2021-05

Very blessed to have grown up on such a beautiful stream. Thank you Lord.

Rusty Lacoste

2022-05

We stayed at a cabin in this campground. We had a reservation to float the river. When I tried to call to make sure we could still float after a heavy rain no one ever picked up. No one ever called to say our reservations were cancelled either! Someone broke into our cabin & stole our stuff. We had to call the police. Definitely did not make you feel safe to stay there. We drove home in the middle of the night after this happened. Brittany who either works at or runs the campground stated they would refund our money. That never happened though. I would recommend staying anywhere but this place. The Okatoma Outpost is a great place to go canoe or kayak. My experience there was much better than the one I had here. I would give it zero stars if I could!

Annemarie Fetter

2023-05

Called the day before to reserve 3 kayaks, got told that they had plenty and there was no need to reserve. When we got there the next day (10am) we waited HOURS because they "ran out of kayaks". Definitely had higher expectations for this place. There were people who had been waiting there for even longer than us. It's an understatement to say that we were all very frustrated.

Holly Perrault

2023-07

Go to Okatoma Outpost instead of here! We usually go to that one but decided to try this one out. Waited forever for a bus to bring us then we get to the river and there aren't enough kayaks for everyone. So now we are waiting on kayaks......going on 20 mins now.

Steven Creel

2023-05

Wasn't the greatest experience this year. They forgot one of our kayaks and we were stranded. We eventually had to buy a kayak from Okatoma Outpost.However, I've been using Seminary for 13 years and have always had a great experience.

David Leggett

2022-05

Had a great time nice and quiet even managed to catch a few fish

Rex Racer

2023-05

I've been down the Okatoma many times since I was little, it is a fun family trip with a few small waterfalls and a handful of light rapids. I'd highly advise a kayak over a canoe and you should expect to see some trash on the banks and in the river along the way due to the high weekend traffic. Since the original owner passed away the facilities at Seminary Canoe Rental have gone down hill. The advertised hot showers now consist of a cold water garden hose with a spray nozzle. They are currently charging $35 for a single kayak and $60 for a tandem when the website clearly says $30 and $50 respectively. They also charge an additional 7% tax which was expected, but also a 3.5% service fee per my receipt that was not disclosed, and when asked was told it was a "tax" they had to charge. All told we ended up spending considerably more than advertised and were somewhat dissatisfied with that, and lack of working showers. The fun trip down the river and convenience of ending the trip right by where you park vs waiting for a bus like Okatoma Outpost somewhat make up for the cons though. Just be aware of nondisclosed pricing and make sure to ask upfront.

Keri Davidson

2023-05

My absolute favorite place to kayak! Although I would advise against bringing children and pets when the water is low because the waterfalls can become a bit dangerous to manage and you can flip.

John Monaghan

2023-07

The seminary canoe rental is the best rental for the Okatoma river. Their kayaks perfect for that river and its rapids and the takeout point is right at the campsite on the river. Great people and highly recommended.

Jodi Grayson

2021-05

The company was great. Showers were clean.. plenty of parking. Short bus ride to the drop-off. They need to provide trash bags for your kayak. The river was gross... trash and human waste everywhere. The smell was horrible.

Connie Teague

2023-05

If I could give zero stars I would, but I give it a 1 because the river was ok. They were super over booked. Took us 3 hours to get our turn even with having a reservation. The people were rude and not willing to go look for someone that was left on the river and stuck. Very unprofessional!!! My group of 12 will NEVER go back and I'll make sure everyone know this.

Andreas Fichter

2021-05

We took a nice little Sunday float with Seminary Canoe Rental. Their boats are good, their prices are great and its super convenient that you can just get off the river and are right at your car. Check-in was super fast and the bus was already waiting to take us up stream.Floating this river for the first time I wish they would give us a little bit of a prep talk on what to expect.Some of the waterfalls along the way are bigger drops than first expected and especially with a canoe there is a high chance you might flip the boat over.Be aware of the last waterfall that comes up shortly after the "20 minutes to your car" sign along the river. If you in a canoe, get out and walk around it!Unfortunately there is way to much trash along the route. Its obviously up to everyone floating to take out their garbage, but the companies operating the rentals probably could do a better job as well helping keeping the river clean.Seminary Canoe Rental is offering showers at the end of the float, but don't expect too much.