Twin River Outfitters
Twin River Outfitters
5
Boat Tours • Water Sports • Boat Rentals • Self-Guided Tours & Rentals • Kayaking & Canoeing
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9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
TWIN RIVER OUTFITTERS is a paddle sports business that rents canoes, kayaks, rafts, and river tubes. We are located just 20 miles from downtown Roanoke VA. We run Upper James river in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. TRO offers its customers fun and safe river trips that range from lazy river to whitewater paddling experiences with true mountain views. We offer a variety of single day and multi-day river based camping trips. We are the oldest and most experienced outfitter operating on the Upper James River and have been safely running paddle trips since 1978. We maintain the largest kayak and canoe rental fleets in this part of the state with lots of types of canoe and kayak models to choose from.
Buchanan, Virginia
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2022
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
162 reviews
Excellent
148
Very good
10
Average
2
Poor
2
Terrible
0
shamvara
Assisi, Italy4 contributions
Oct 2022 • Friends
Very friendly, affordable, helpful services. They are fully equipped, give you a map of the rapids you’ll encounter, have dry bags you can borrow, have sunglasses and glasses neck strings for sale, and know their river. The James was majestic and an easy float. We did a very long stretch through Eagle Rock and saw several eagles, herons, osprey, and turtles.
Written October 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Carrie M
2 contributions
Sep 2022
We had a fantastic time on our 3 day 2 night canoe trip down the James River. The staff was friendly and accommodating. They stopped and showed us our first night camp spot on the way to the final destination. We were able to unload things that we just needed for the night.
We had a total of 4 canoes in our group! We caught a lot of fish, swam, explored and paddled!
These memories will last with the kids for years to come. Look forward to doing this trip again in the future and would highly recommend!!
We had a total of 4 canoes in our group! We caught a lot of fish, swam, explored and paddled!
These memories will last with the kids for years to come. Look forward to doing this trip again in the future and would highly recommend!!
Written September 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
billyac13
1 contribution
Sep 2022
This is a 3 day, 2 night canoe/kayak trip. If you are looking for a multi day trip of this type this is a good trip. The outfitter provides a river and camping combination I have not found elsewhere. But, the level of canoeing and kayaking is not for beginners.
Written September 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mt_ainya
Sacramento, CA1 contribution
Aug 2022 • Friends
Our trip:
First day, sit-on and sit-inside kayaks from Horseshoe Bend to Buchanan
Second day, same vessels, Buchanan to Arcadia
Pros
- present during posted hours
- Kim was enthusiastic, helpful, and invoked excitement
- adjusted the put-in times to better suit our party and the staffing model
- hospitable service when loading/unloading vessels
Cons
- rapid rating softer than quoted
- few boat types from which to choose
Recommendations: If you’ve ever floated, rafted, or paddled anything in the southeast of the country, the Buchanan to Arcadia trip is the only one for you. If you’re looking for something longer, perhaps go for the WCC to Snowden trip with WCC.
I would take the Buchanan to Arcadia trip again.
First day, sit-on and sit-inside kayaks from Horseshoe Bend to Buchanan
Second day, same vessels, Buchanan to Arcadia
Pros
- present during posted hours
- Kim was enthusiastic, helpful, and invoked excitement
- adjusted the put-in times to better suit our party and the staffing model
- hospitable service when loading/unloading vessels
Cons
- rapid rating softer than quoted
- few boat types from which to choose
Recommendations: If you’ve ever floated, rafted, or paddled anything in the southeast of the country, the Buchanan to Arcadia trip is the only one for you. If you’re looking for something longer, perhaps go for the WCC to Snowden trip with WCC.
I would take the Buchanan to Arcadia trip again.
Written August 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Samantha L
3 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
Friendly staff. Relaxing drift down the river with lots of wildlife to see. Great fun with the kids.
Written August 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
jcmf1974
Warrington, PA7 contributions
Aug 2022 • Friends
Fun and easy 1 1/2 hour tubing trip down the James River. Fair cost for the short trip. Also love the town of Buchanan.
Written August 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
HuDatScott
Vesuvius, VA18 contributions
Aug 2022
My family and I had a great time tubing down the James River. The staff was friendly, helpful and safety conscious. We saw a pair of turtles on a fallen tree that didn't mind us in their space.
Written August 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Patti C
Moyock, NC4 contributions
Aug 2022 • Friends
This company hardly offers a “tubing trip”. We we given a 2 minute “briefing” before being taken in an old van to a parking lot where we were told to grab a tube and go. We had questions and were told to just walk along the tree line to the opening. We walked a good distance before coming to an opening in the trees. The opening led down a rocky path to a small opening in the river. The opening was rocky and hard to navigate to make it out to moving water. Once on the river we were good until we tried to get out. We were told to look for a white gazebo and make our way to the right side of the river to get out. When we attempted to exit the river it was incredibly rocky, slippery and unsafe. There was not one of the six of us that did not fall on the rocks while attempting to exit.
Written August 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hello Patti, Sorry your group had a less than favorable experience. We tell all our customers to take out at the cement public boat landing directly behind our shop. We point out the take out as part of our orientation talk. The take out is directly behind our shop, customers see it before they are driven to the tubing put in. Sorry your group took out at the wrong spot. Yes if you take out there I see why you were frustrated. But rest assured we tell out customers to take out at the cement trailer able cement ramp directly behind our shop for an easy as possible take out.
Written August 30, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Eddie W
1 contribution
Aug 2022
Absolutely outstanding customer service!!! From the moment we arrived, with a 30 second check in, followed by the safety briefing and the shuttle.
Had a great trip other than one of my 10 year old twins came down with a fever on night 1 of a 3 day trip. He toughed it out through day 2 but he was whipped. We called the office right at end of business and asked if there was any chance they could come shuttle one of us back to my truck so we could call it a trip and get my son home. The manager's response was instantaneous, "I'll be there in 15 minutes", and he was. Not only did he come shuttle us but offered any assistance he could give and was genuinely concerned for my sons well being.
So, we had to cut the trip short due to an illness but we still had a blast. The boys are anxious to get back to "finish the trip".
I can not say enough about the incredible professionalism and customer service provided by Twin River Outfitters.
Had a great trip other than one of my 10 year old twins came down with a fever on night 1 of a 3 day trip. He toughed it out through day 2 but he was whipped. We called the office right at end of business and asked if there was any chance they could come shuttle one of us back to my truck so we could call it a trip and get my son home. The manager's response was instantaneous, "I'll be there in 15 minutes", and he was. Not only did he come shuttle us but offered any assistance he could give and was genuinely concerned for my sons well being.
So, we had to cut the trip short due to an illness but we still had a blast. The boys are anxious to get back to "finish the trip".
I can not say enough about the incredible professionalism and customer service provided by Twin River Outfitters.
Written August 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Donna S
6 contributions
Aug 2022 • Friends
We had a fun time kayaking the Horseshoe Bend to Buchanan trip. We brought our own kayaks and were extremely happy with the loading and unloading. Very helpful crew. Beautiful outdoor day!
Written August 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Christina L
Woodbridge, VA11 contributions
Do you allow time for fishing from kayaks on multi day overnight trips?
Mike D
5 contributions
Some trips are better for fishing. You should look at the launch times and paddle distances each day. There are some trips where paddle distances are 17 miles in a day, depending on the water levels that would NOT work for fishing. Other trips have a 6 mile paddle distance that would work great for fishing.
Do you allow dogs on (over night) canoeing trips?
Mike D
5 contributions
Yes. Well behaved dogs are welcome. We recommend this to not be the dogs first river experience.
OutsideTheRatRace
Charlottesville, VA
Do their single person kayaks have enough room to hold supplies for a 4 day/3 night camping trip? (tent, old school sleeping bag, sleeping mat, cooler, dry clothing, food, cookware, water jugs, etc)
Mike D
5 contributions
Yes, if you do a multiday trip we have large sit on top kayaks with plenty of room. But you need to pack like you are backpacking, so no large coolers, chairs, or sleeping pads if you are going on a kayak.
Is alcohol allowed while tubing??
Mike D
5 contributions
No, for our customers safety we don't allow alcohol on our river trips.
sailgrl
58 contributions
Do they let you "go again" - take you back to the start to repeat the trip? Some places do.
John M
Buchanan, VA
Hi there, the regular tubing trips starting at 10:15 am to 2:45 pm, all allow a 2nd tubing trip at no costs.
The "last call" tubing run at 3:15 or 4:00 pm includes 1 trip only but at a reduced price.