FAQ

On weekends in July and August, reservations are required to ensure availability of equipment rental. This includes any weekdays around the 4th of July. At other times, any weekend that you reeeeally want to be certain… you should make a reservation.

To make a reservation on:
Weekdays: (not 4th of July week) Name, phone number, email address (confirmation and waiver) which trip, departure time, approximate number of which equipment.
Weekends: Same as weekdays but you will also need a credit card to hold the reservation. It will be charged at 48 Hours before the trip unless you specify that you are bringing one lump sum cash or one card payment. The card will still be responsible for paying for anyone that did not show up – we have been turning away people to hold that spot for you. so please understand that it is necessary. What you have reserved at the 48 hour mark is what you are expect to pay for, so if you are not confident in getting the payment form you group, have them make their own reservation

– we can always put ‘Jones Group’ after the names to depict you are together.

For a peaceful, quiet-time with the family, we suggest taking family river trips on weekdays or early mornings if on a weekend. Weekend afternoons and holidays tend to be our busiest time and it may not be so peaceful due to a higher volume of customers and excited, river-bound people.

We offer discount rates to groups of 15 or more that rent our equipment. To qualify, there must be a group leader that collects ALL of the cash (or pays by cc) and signed waivers and pays for the group in one single transaction. Upon doing so, each rental person will receive a $1 discount. Groups of 25 are $2 off per person, 35 or more are $3 off. Non-profit groups may receive additional savings based on the size of the group. Please contact us with questions.

Yes, but please be aware that you pay the same price as customers that use our equipment due to the fact that we pay the State of Michigan per person that we put on the river. You do, however get to use our air to inflate your stuff, use our life jackets and rent a cooler tube if you need one.

Weekends, they are scheduled on the half hour or when full, whichever comes first. Weekdays, on the hour.

6 years old & under are required to WEAR a life-jacket per state law. We have life-jackets for all size people – please ask if you need one, we are HAPPY to help!

We only have Sit On Top Kayaks. They are super comfortable and people really like the ease of getting ‘in/out’.

2, unless you have an odd number of people or one to two SMALL children.

We have 2, 3 and 4 person rafts. These are based on adult sizes, so if you have two adults and two small children, you would still fit in a 3 person raft and be comfortable!

Check out our pricing page to determine how much you will need. You should always bring enough money in case of any emergency or unexpected purchase. Cash is accepted and preferred since credit merchants charge us a substantial sized fee for processing. Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover Credit cards as well as, Venmo, Cashapp, Apple pay, Tap to pay are accepted with a minimum of an $8 purchase. We do NOT accept personal checks unless you represent a non-profit organization.

Yes, you are allowed to bring coolers and alcohol. However, you are not allowed to bring glass bottles, Styrofoam coolers or Jello shot containers. Also, if you have someone that turns into a River Jerk when they drink, leave them at home. We have the right to deny rental privileges to any intoxicated person and to refuse transportation in our vehicles as well. You should expect the river to be patrolled. It is possible to receive a warning, a fine, or even be arrested if you become unruly and do not mind your manners.

Yes, generally to an unruly person that is not “minding their manners”. Unruliness towards other customers or land owners may cause the issuing of disorderly conduct tickets or arrest by the Newaygo County or City Police. These customers will also be banned from WRC for the remainder of the season. Tickets for littering and/or trespassing have also been written by law enforcement officers. There are river patrols all summer long. It is illegal to have opened, alcoholic beverages in the Newaygo City Park which is the ending of the long and short canoe / kayak trip and the long tube / raft trip and the beginning or the short tube / raft trip.

Check out our Helpful Tips to find out what is necessary and suggested. Just remember to bring a bathing suit, water shoes, a change of clothes, sunscreen and some extra money for snacks and souvenirs!

This varies, but rest assured, we will not be opened for rentals if the water temperature is too cool for your safety. In the summer it tends to trend in the 70s.

We are open 7 days a week starting sometimes as early as April, but generally in May. We operate thru late September or early October, depending upon the weather. Follow us on Facebook for daily reports.

Most definitely!! Arriving in the mornings will increase your chances for enjoying a peaceful, quiet day on the river. Keep in mind that weekends and holidays may be less peaceful due to the higher volume of customers and other river users. Expect to possibly see American Bald Eagles, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Osprey, Hawks, Kingfisher, Cliff Swallows, and Beaver, maybe an otter or muskrat among much more.

The short trip covers a distance of 5 miles. On a tube or raft, it usually takes about 3 hours to complete. If you rent a kayak or canoe, the trip will take approximately 1.5 hours to complete. The longer 7 mile trip takes canoes or kayaks an average of 3 hours of leisure paddling and tubes and rafts 5 hours of floating. Trip times will vary and change on a daily basis based on wind/water conditions and each customer’s amount of paddling versus floating preferences. There are also numerous beaches for resting & socializing. There are mile markers on the river so you can gauge your time. On any trip, take as long as you would like, as long as you are off the river by 6:00 pm on the 5 mile trip and all others by 7:00 pm.

Sorry, we do not have lockers. Please lock your valuables in a concealed spot in your car or leave your precious personal items at home for extra safety. We advise not taking anything on the river that you can’t afford to lose or get wet. We do have a spot where you can leave your keys in the office on our ‘Key Board’ – this is at your own risk and by honor system. Also, for your convenience, we have a variety of dry boxes and dry bags available for sale at an affordable price. (WRC is not responsible for lost, stolen, or misplaced items).

You should be in good physical condition to participate. Those with serious health concerns or other issues should consult with their physician prior to coming. For safety reasons, those with heart conditions, those who are in their final weeks of pregnancy, and those who have other serious conditions should not participate. This is for your safety! Please call us with your questions if you have any concerns. If you are not an EXCELLENT swimmer, you need to WEAR a life-jacket (ours fit from 20 lbs to 3X at least. We also have some larger sizes – PLEASE ASK. We will help you find one as we want you to be safe!

The depth varies. It can range from knee deep in some areas to over your head in others. There is ALWAYS a current. If you are not an excellent swimmer, you should WEAR a life-jacket, which is provided at no extra charge with every rental.

The Muskegon River does not have any white water, but it does have a few rapids. There is ALWAYS a current, so if you are not an excellent swimmer, you should WEAR a life-jacket, which is provided at no extra charge with every rental.

Foot protection is very important. “Flip-flops” can easily fall off. The best footwear are any water shoes, sandals with a heel strap, Croc-style shoes, or old sneakers. If you don’t have foot protection, we sell aqua shoes at our store. The river bed is covered in rocks that can be sharp or jagged. There may also be broken glass or pieces of old metal. Foot protection will save your feet and make your trip more enjoyable!

Yes, we have changing rooms available. We also have a customer clean-up area, but no showers.

No, this is an unguided river trip and you are choosing to participate at your own risk. We suggest that you wear your life jacket at all times and have someone in your group that knows how to swim.

Yes and no. It depends on their ages, river conditions and other possible factors. Our policy is that if a minor has a vehicle operator’s licenses, then they are old enough to take a river trip without an adult. We will need to speak with a parent/guardian if non-teenage minors are present in a group of teenagers. All minors (less than 18 years old) must arrive with a signed release of liability form, which can be downloaded from our website. If they do not bring it with them, we will call their guardian and get their permission via telephone. Groups of minors are required to take a cell phone with them so that parents can easily get a hold of them. (We sell water proof dry boxes).

You must be off the river no later than 7:00 pm, unless it was stated to you otherwise by Wisner Rents Canoes. If you are off later than 7:00 pm you may be subject to fine.

We have ice available and sell a limited amount of snacks for the river. We do not sell alcohol of any kind.

Yes, we have nearly anything imaginable in our retail store! Such as: water shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, towels, t-shirts, eyeglass straps, can koozies, dry bags, dry boxes, hats, new this year, air tags, holders for all the sizes of vapes and much more!

No

The City park has charcoal grills available after your trip. They are free to use or you can reserve the shelter and park area for a fee by calling 231.652.1657.

The boat launches at Croton, Pine, HighRollway, Henning, City of Newaygo / Train Bridge, New Bridge and Anderson Flats all have port-o-lets; otherwise you “Go” to the woods. Take care to keep off private property and as always, please be discreet and DO NOT relieve yourself within sight of others, especially children! There are no places to purchase food or drink while on the river so take it with you. Never take a river trip without plenty of cold drinks for everyone.

As long as water levels are ‘normal’, a child of any capable age can go in a kayak with parent’s permission. Parents should keep in mind that our shortest trip is 5 miles. Any trip can be quite tiring for children of a young age. Be prepared to have to stop and rest and possibly switch boats with young children kayaking on their own. Children should be kept within eyesight. Remember, kayaks tend to go faster than canoes, but are also MUCH easier to handle.

Children 6 and under and non-swimmers MUST wear their life jackets by Michigan Law. We recommend that everyone wear a lifejacket. Everyone must have a life preserver in a canoe, kayak or raft (not tubes, yet) to be legal. In cases of high water, everyone may be required to wear life jackets at all times throughout the trip. Again, we recommend everyone wear a life jacket.

It is quite clean, but we all need your help to catch the litterbugs and keep it so. Please use the free orange onion bags to take all of your trash off the river. If you see trash while floating, it would be awesome if you grabbed that too!

Pull off the river and wait it out. We do not put people on the river with bad weather coming, unless we do not know of it (such as a pop up storm which generally do not last long). We cannot easily come and get you if you become frightened. Going on the river is always at your own risk, but we will make sure to give you our best recommendations the day of your trip.

If it is a serious medical emergency, call 911. If it is non-life threatening, please call us and we will help you. Otherwise, we will have numerous news stations arriving to greet you! It happens.

We do not have any ‘thrilling’ rapids, but the river does have a faster current than many other local rivers. It is classified as a Class 1 river. However, during periods of high water, our river can get dangerous due to swifter currents. That is why we monitor the river and have restrictions in place or we may close during high water. Check our Facebook page for updates.

You should avoid trees or branches that may be sticking out of or into the waterway. It is also advised to proceed with caution around bridge piers.

Our sit-on-top kayaks are actually difficult to tip and are nearly impossible to become trapped in. This is why we recommend (sit on top) kayaks for all ages and most especially for beginners. If you should tip your boat, you may, in most cases, simply be able to climb back on. However, if you are in deeper water and having a hard time reboarding, swim/float WITH the current at an angle downriver to shore. Then, climb back on after dumping out any water. If you tip a canoe or sit inside kayak, you will swim/float WITH the current at an angle downriver to shore then tip the canoe AWAY from the current and lift up to let the water out.

Wisner Rents Canoes closes for high water, thunderstorms or temperatures that we deem too cold for floating . We may limit the types of boats or the ages of participants if water levels are higher than normal without closing. To check on water levels and to see if we have restrictions in place, please visit us on Facebook for our daily updates.

Yes, on our canoes or kayaks, but please refer to our Pet Rules prior to coming. Dogs cannot go on a raft due to the possible damage from their nails or teeth.

We do not have camping onsite, however, there is a County Campground very near us that is awesome! Henning County Park 231.652.1202

If we have any for sale, it will be after Labor Day. Check our Facebook page for updates.