Drifty’s Canoe Rental

Drifty’s canoes was THE BOMB! We LOVED it and would totally go back. We have been telling everyone we know how great it is. 3 of us rented one singe and one tandem kayak and experienced a fabulous day with Drifty’s. They were informative, helpful, right on time in picking us up and gave good time estimates on how long it would take to travel the glorious Kickapoo River and where to picnic along the way. After we returned they gave us the 411 on local Amish businesses and directed us reliably on where to replace the groceries the raccoons got from us at the campground. ;) LOVE LOVE LOVE the Driftless. The breakfast place in Ontario was awesome too. Book your trip now!

I’ve been canoeing on the Kickapoo for years and have been a loyal customer of Drifty’s. Prices are extremely reasonable and the staff is very friendly and helpful. We’ve had nothing but positive experiences with them. You launch into the river right there, and they pick you up wherever you choose to take out (pre-​arranged location). They’re prompt with pickup and even offer to give you extra time if you want to go slower on the river. The last time we went they were out of seat backs, and one of the staff members let me use his personal one! Now *that* is great service!
Most of the traffic on the river seems to be between Drifty’s and Wildcat Mountain. The river gets pretty busy on the weekends. Beyond Bridge 5 the traffic seems to really die down and you can experience some peace and quiet.

This review is about 2 months late, but my experience there was so fun that I had to do this review anyways. My boyfriend and I rented a canoe there in late August as a side activity during our camping trip to Wildcat Mountain State Park (less than a 10 minute drive away, if you’re looking to combine activities). The entire staff was extremely friendly and got us in the water in about 5 minutes.
We were wondering how they would know when and where to pick us up for the drive back, but they know the river so well that they are able to tell you exactly how long it takes to go a variety of distances along the river. Sure enough, our friendly driver was waiting for us exactly when we were told to meet her! The service alone warrants the 5 star review, but the experience itself was worthwhile as well.
The river was beautiful and the paddling was very easy. The canoes and kayaks are pretty rugged, so you don’t have to feel bad about running aground on some rocks. The river is really shallow… it’ll happen. You can bring snacks and drinks, and yes even booze, for your trip. The day we went had some questionable weather, so we had the river pretty much to ourselves. But I can see how it can get really busy during peak hours in the summer, so be warned if you’re looking for a quiet, serene experience.

We rented a 2-​person kayak this weekend and were very happy with everything. The equipment was in excellent shape, the staff was super helpful and friendly in explaining everything and they picked us up on time at the pre-​arranged location. Bus driver was also very friendly. Overall a good experience and we will use them again.
Update: We went back again this year (Sept 2014) for another kayak trip and the service was just as good as last year, if not better, these guys really know what they’re doing!