Living is simple in the summer, especially if you’re floating down a beautiful river with your toes in the water and the sun warming your face. Take a look at some of our favorite locations for tubing.
Florida’s Ichetucknee River and Ichetucknee Springs State Park
About six miles of the upper, crystal-clear Ichetucknee River flow through Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Florida. Bring your own tubes or rent them from local shops. Just make sure they don’t exceed a diameter of five feet to avoid getting caught in confined spaces. This section of the river is navigable in about 90 minutes. Although the spring-fed Ichetucknee has earned the title of best tubing river in Florida, there are other excellent options; find some here. Keep an eye on the skies to spot woodpeckers, American Kestrels, and other birds because the park is a stop along the Great Florida Birding Trail.
Eastern Washington State’s Yakima River
Between Yakima and Ellensburg in eastern Washington, the chilly Yakima flows through a beautiful canyon. A float can last from 90 minutes up to five hours, depending on where you put in and take out. Popular sites to put in include Umtanum and Bighorn. Brave souls will find places to go cliff jumping between Umtanum and Roza; some of the ledges are 30 to 40 feet above the water. Obviously, look before you leap, to be sure the river isn’t too low to jump safely, and that there aren’t any logs, rocks or anything else—including people— below you. Since the Yakima winds through a canyon, stay in the middle to avoid overhanging trees and treacherous currents or eddies around the cliffs. In the spring, you’ll see wildflowers and sagebrush in bloom when the canyon widens into a stretch of farmland. Look for deer, bighorn sheep, ospreys and other wildlife.
