Burke's Canoe Trips

Great place to rent canoes and kayaks to travel down the Russian river. They have bathrooms at the starting point - highly recommend using them before embarking on your voyage. They also have life vests (required for renting their boats). Took us about five hours to meander the 10 miles by canoe - including an hour stop for lunch. We took our time, had a total blast, navigated some easy waters as well as some more challenging runs. Pick up at the end was pretty easy, including the shuttle back (20 minutes).

We had a really good time with Burke‘s Canoes! The people working there were so friendly and helpful. The nature is beautiful and the canoes quite robust - so perfect for first timers :)

What a great family experience!. Kind and helpful staff. Beautiful River!. Next time I'll take a break from canoeing every hour to hang out on the shore, swim and enjoy the scenery.

What a fabulous place! We visited with the scouts for a weekend of camping and canoeing. This place is well run, clean and very hospitable. We had a great day canoeing down the Russian River - about 3 hours of easygoing paddling all together with a couple of hours of stops for snacks, lunch and swimming along the way. The crew met us at the end to bring us back to the campsite. Can’t wait to go back next year!

Had a wonderful tour throughout the day. Three canoes were about 160$ - Tour took about 3 hours with only a few stops.

First time kayaking and it was such a wonderful experience. From the sights to the wildlife and calm waters. We spent about 4 hours and stopped on the nice private beaches along the river. Little ducklings came right up to the kayak I thought they were going to jump on in! There were a few hilarious moments such as getting caught in the current that took us towards some branches! And getting stuck in the shallow parts of the water in front of bystanders! LOL 😂 Will definitely be coming back and bringing the in laws. Strongly recommend!

Burke's was very fun. Very helpful and kind people. We got a canoe for 95 and spent 3 hours and 44 minutes on the river..the end had no signs, I was worried we were going to miss it. But we didn't, and the driver was nice too I wish I could have tipped him.

Third time visiting Burke's and had just as much fun as the first two! Went with my lady, we had to navigate a bunch of locals on floaties and it was a hot but beautiful day. Always a lovely time on the river with Burke's.

I grew up going to the Russian River every summer and have always wanted to rent one of Burke's canoes to do the day-long trip. We finally checked that box this past Labor Day weekend, and while we had a great time, I don't think I would do it again with Burke's. First, we arrived at 10:45 on the morning of our trip and had it to wait in line for 45 minutes just to check in, receive our oars and life-vests, and pay- frustrating and unexpected. At one point, the owner (I'm assuming it was Mr. Burke, himself) yelled at everyone from his blow horn claiming that if we listened now it would save us all time checking in, but the info he was sharing could easily have been printed on a little half-sheet with a map of the river (would have been so helpful). There are so many simple things they could/should change to make the process more efficient. We were finally on the water over an hour later at 12pm. The trip itself was lovely, but be prepared to actually paddle relatively hard, the whole time. We also weren't expecting having to navigate the tube parties that like to tie themselves into one big group, and the handful of private beaches that weren't allowed to stop at. Since we knew we only had until 5pm to get to the designated beach and take the shuttle back, we were definitely feeling the pressure to continue on, taking only a couple of short breaks to eat and rest. It took us exactly 4.5 hours with a few short stops and constant paddling; definitely not a relaxing float down the river, but such a beautiful way to see a nice chunk of the river. When we finally got to the docking beach, there were about 140 other Burke's canoers waiting to get on the shuttle and a couple of employees who helped get us out of our canoe. We oriented ourselves, and realized there was no clear line or any sort of directions, and wondered how/where we would get on the shuttle. There weren't any signs or any employees giving directions, other than one who said, "there is no line; it's a free-for-all!" This turned into total chaos once the shuttle arrived, with people pushing and yelling to try to claim their spot. We were with our two kids (ages 6 and 9) and quickly stepped out of the way. The employees were of zero help. After the bus left, leaving many unhappy guests behind, we decided to f it and pay the $20 to order a Lyft- annoying to have to do given the shuttle ride was included in the $97 we already paid for the whole trip, but well worth the money to just get the hell out of there. Overall, it was a fun day with our family, but I'm not sure I would recommend Burke's. They've been doing this for way too long to not have a few simple measures in place to make for a more pleasant experience for their guests.

My husband and I rented a 2 person kayak for our anniversary in August and had a great time! The water wasn't moving very fast in August so we had to work a little more but it was beautiful and fun. We made sure to get there when they opened so we wouldn't get stuck battling the wind towards the afternoon as we headed west. We also went midweek so there would not be a crowd. We were just about the only people on the river the whole day stopping for 15 minutes or so for lunch and a swim. It took 3 1/2-4 hours and the bus was waiting for us when we arrived to shuttle us back to the car. Very great way to spend the day!

Take this review with a grain of salt as we did not end up going through with our trip after arriving. When we arrived we were immediately met with a rather hostile man who was pretty rude and blunt. We were told we would have to surrender our drivers licenses and upon us questioning a piece of their legal document, we were pretty much yelled at that by crossing out a section, we were invalidating the document and would not be able to go on the trip. (The section was the use of any photos they took of us or our names for monetary purposes without explicit permission.) We ended up leaving and going to a competitor and having a lovely time :) I can't vouch for their product but the service was enough to drive us away.

Reasonable prices, good service, friendly people, and a hella fun day on the river. I'm looking forward to my next trip there.

Went on a few canoe trips with my family at Burkes when I was a kid and now that I'm older I wanted to take my girlfriend on a trip. I made a reservation for a canoe trip the day before for a Sunday, but we got there early enough the next day so there was no need for the reservation. Getting the canoe was easy. The trip was fun, not rushed, and a good workout. A bit expensive but worth it for a 6+ hour day. Overall fun trip and I want to make it a yearly thing!

I have been going on Burke's canoe trips for fifteen years now. It is one of my favorite things to do in the summer, especially during high tide years and when it is really hot in Sonoma county. There are so many nice spots to stop at along the way, that it has always been an all day excursion. The Russian River is a glorious swimming hole, and there is no better way to experience it then the Burke's canoe trip. Also, I highly recommend booking the overnight stay at the campsite, which is one of the nicest camp sites I have ever been to. The camp sites are right next to the river, but clustered into alcoves, so that all the campers for the entire site aren't thrown in together. Great spot for group camping. This past year, my camping and canoe trip took a turn for the worse, when my eleven year old started to have a panic attack while on the canoe trip. While I was calming my son, off the canoe, we accidentally got separated from the canoe and my ex husband. Ted, Lynn, and Nicky handled the situation with the utmost skill, dedication and professionalism. Ted came to the nearest check point to pick me and my son up, and spent the rest of the day searching for the missing canoe and missing adult. Nicky held down the fort at the campsite and was in regular communication with all parties at all times. And Lynne was on site as well, to ensure that everyone got back safely, and stayed even afterwards to ensure that all parties were well. We ended up having to leave a day early, and Lynne was so sweet to ensure we were refunded for the canceled night. What could have been a very stressful and dangerous situation, instead turned out with the best possible outcome due to the Burke's canoes professionalism and expertise. It meant so much to me, knowing I had the support of Burke's canoes staff, while I was dealing with the situation at hand. Thank you Ted, Lynn, and Nicky!

By far the best memories of my life. We started off by tipping over in ankle high water! We were experts wink wink. So much fun it is a workout so arrive early and take your time. We now make this an annual trip. Bring your friends and family and make memories!

Visited from FL. Good service from this company. Great instructions, equipment and felt safe. They also have employees set up at an "S" curve to help if you have any troubles. The river was easy to navigate but the people were not. Many swimmers, loungers, kids in water at walk in spots along the river. I was surprised at their indifference to move for kayaks or canoes. But this has nothing to do with Burkes. The company was great to rent from. Very easy process and recommend.

Burke's staff is solid - they provide helpful guidance and the gear works. You get a life jacket, a metal canoe, and some oars. All of which are in fine repair. Whats brutal if you come on a summer weekend is the crowds and the alternating impossibility slow/technical river. This would be a perfectly pleasant 5-6 ride if you just had the second half of the 10 mile journey. But at 10 miles this was pretty intense and frustrating. Particularly when you have maybe 8 feet of river width at some points, jammed up with 16 person tube flotillas. Think currents turning you around, impassable crowds which lead you to getting stuck in the brush on the side of the river, and almost every spot along the river labeled "private beach"---with "guards" (busybodies mostly) screaming "you can't stop here!!!". My partner and I have canoed about a dozen times before across the country and by far this was the most frustrating, physically demanding ride. I don't know how people did it with kids. Love canoeing, love the Russian River, not sure if I'll return to this location.

Friendly service, very professional, well maintained fleet, reliable and quick transportation back to the parking area!!

TL;DR: Fun trip, recommended for camping - best to come with 2-able bodied rowers or else prepare for an exhausting trip! We did a YMCA camping trip staying on site. It was a lot of fun! The campsite had an option to provide tents (so one less thing to pack), there's a running water bathroom with soap on site, ok showers with warm water, and surprisingly no big issues with mosquitoes! YMCA also provided some camp games for the kids and cooked all meals (simple but tasty). Michael the tour guide was friendly and did a fantastic job! The canoe ride was fun, scenic, hot, and exhausting. It's a 10 mile journey with limited rapids and lots of long stretches with no current (so lots of paddling). Highly recommend 2-3 strong paddlers in the boat because if only 1 strong one, 1 weak one, and 1 8-year old, we basically struggled for 4 hours (and by the end of the day, my arms were in searing pain and couldn't move for the rest of the night from paddling hard almost nonstop for 4 hours). Those boats with 3+ strong paddlers didn't have any issue. Overall really fun camping and canoeing experience!

Very nice family owned business. People complain that they are often spoken to as children or in a patronizing way. That being said. If you did a quick survey of the people that pay to use the canoes/kayaks, you'll see a lot of mouth breathers, smooth brains and city dwellers (who have no clue how to accomplish the most modest of tasks). That being said, easiest and most enjoyable way to navigate the lower fork of the river. Don't have to worry about rides back to the launch point is the most redeeming factor for the $ paid.

Easy and fun way to explore and enjoy the Russian River! Burke's provides a canoe, life jackets and a ride back to your car - the rest is choose your own adventure. We brought a big cooler of beverages and yummy picnic snacks, sunscreens, bathing suits and towels. Definitely consider bringing a pair of secure River shoes since the bottom is rocky and with the drought you might need to hop out to guide the canoe over shallows. Having done the floaty thing on the River growing up, I thought I knew what to expect but this trip is longer and goes all the way to Guerneville with amazing deep pools for swimming, a secret sandy beach, incredible wildlife (turtles, a wild bobcat, Muscovy ducks, bass fishing etc) and an odyssey of interesting people to meet along the way.

First and foremost, zero complaints about Burke's . We (a couple) arrived around 11 and the check-in process took around 30 min because of the large crowd. We had to listen to a safety talk (standard) and a description of the trip that was helpful (landmarks, tricky spots, etc). The folks running the place can seem a little strict on the rules, but as long as you listen and treat them respectfully, they're fine. CASH ONLY so don't forget to bring your dough. The canoes are large and stable with good paddles. The staff also offered to provide a quick lesson to folks who hadn't canoed before. The bus ride back at the end was easy and we waited less than 10 min for a bus. Now, about the trip and the Russian River. It's the ONLY reason for my one star deduction. The trip is looonngg (maybe too long at 10 miles), tricky in several spots, and crowded, particularly at the beginning. The scenery is beautiful and there are many swimming holes and little beaches for stopping. There are some sections where you can float and chill, but this isn't a trip where you can just sit back and let the river do the work for 10 miles - you'll never make it. It took us about 5 hours with a couple short stops. You have to pay attention and be prepared to paddle. The first 1/3 of the trip was packed with drunk tubers tied together in large flotillas, and other canoes. This makes navigation tricky especially since this is the narrowest section of the river with the most little turns and side currents. It's easy to find yourself being turned sideways or pushed into the heavy brush on the river banks as you try to thread the needle between tube flotillas, shallows, and tricky eddies. A little after the first 1/3 (maybe close to halfway), most of the large tube groups disappear, and in many spots the river widens. This is good and bad. Good because you can float and chill a bit - less stressful navigation. Bad because the current is so slow that you're barely moving - slower than a normal walking pace. You need to get your paddle in the water if you want to make any time. We also started getting hammered by wind for the last 1/3 of the trip. Wind strong enough to blow my hat off and require near constant paddling and course correction to prevent being turned sideways or run into shore. That happened a couple times nonetheless, to us and several other canoes around us. The last 1.5 miles were a slog of fighting head and cross winds with very little help from the sloooowww river to keep us moving downstream. Just paddling and course correcting. By the end, we were exhausted and very happy to see the sign to pull out of the river. If we do this trip again, we'll definitely start an hour or two earlier to beat the tubing flotillas out and hopefully finish before the wind really picks up in the afternoon. That last stretch is really tough in wind. Overall, it's a great full-day value for $75/ canoe, but be prepared for a workout. Bring lots of water, sunscreen, and a hat. Bring watertight bags ( a dry bag or large ziplocks) to keep your valuables dry if your canoe tips - it can happen. And watch a couple youtube videos about canoe paddling beforehand, if you haven't done it before. Knowing the basic paddle strokes and how to work in tandem can save you a lot of frustration and possibly prevent something worse like a capsize.

If you want to get out of your home and be close to nature without hiking... this is a great way to do it. The people running this business are very nice and super friendly. I like the "on your own" way, they just give you the canoe and you go for it... the only thing you need to be sure is that you know how to swim. The current of the river is very weak but enough to take you, even if it takes you time on how to maneuver the canoe, it is pretty easy and your instinct will help you. The ride is nice and you can stop at any place to just lay down or do your picnic. I enjoyed a lot this trip with my high school friend that came to visit me from my homeland, a lot of shutting the s&#* and update about ourselves... ha ha ha :) At the end, you leave the canoe and they take you in their bus to the parking lot of your car. I will do it again next summer.

Came here with a group of 12 for my bday outing! Burke's was super friendly when my BF called in ahead of time to plan the surprise. We ended up getting 5 canoes ($75) and 2 kayaks ($45). They have a huge parking lot for free parking so you know your car is safe when you're out on the river. You just need to leave one driver's license here when you check in and a plus is that they even give you bags so you can leave your keys here and don't lose them on the rive. Burke's doesn't let you check in though until your entire group is there and doesn't let you do the orientation portion unless everyone is there too. We only really had interactions with the staff when we check in/picked up our keys so not too much to say. They were great and even took our group photo before we went on the river so that's a plus! You also have to kind of lug your canoe and kayak out from where they're all chained together and that's kinda the tough part about it, but luckily we had a big enough group to help everyone out. I do wish that they did more on the orientation end to teach people how to steer since we had to learn our lesson after running into a few trees. The life vests also looked a bit old too which was a little off putting but they kept us safe enough. It's a 10 mile stretch down the river and took us about 5 hours since we did spend time chilling on some of the beaches and people watching. When you get to the end they help you wrap up and have a bus that takes you back to the site. Crazy to think it only takes about 10 mins to drive back to the beginning and took us around 5 hours to get to the end.

Thanks for accommodating my son and his wife for there special day. Friends and family that never been there were surprised to how nice it looked. Here some pics I grabbed from above on a day of nice California sunshine

It's a DIY trip after the company notifies you of all the do's and dont's. Make sure you bring a pro-canoer with you (my eagle-scout friend was a lifesaver on this trip) Fun yet tiring 10 mile trip. Also, make sure to bring snacks and water since there are no Taco Bells or Starbucks along the route. Takes about 4-5 hours for the trip, and they have a bus waiting to bring you back to the starting point. Customer service: 4 stars

If you're looking for an epic day out on the Russian River, then look no further! Renting a canoe and making your way down a party infested body of water is the perfect way to enjoy a nice summer day in Northern California. :) Burkes is kind of an institution up in those parts and it's no surprise why. It feels like summer camp as a kid all over again. You begin the day with a safety seminar from the employees and you're quickly given a life jacket for good reason. Post safety talk you're welcome to grab any canoe you can get your hands on (there are hundreds of people trying to get on the river). The canoes are clunky, aluminum and for good reason. I won't go into the details of the actual 10 mile canoe trip down the river but, know this. It's a Sh*t show of people watching and it's amazing. Btw, prepare to spend 4 hrs min because it's a long ride to the bus stop at the end. Now, the bus ride home. Welcome to "wet hot American summer"! Seriously, so funny. Last thing, you need to make a reservation otherwise you won't be able to join in on this experience. Do it!!!

I've been to Burke's a couple times over the years and we still love it! We went this past weekend again! The staff are very friendly, and registration was pretty quick. The shuttle was comfortable and quick. There was no wait which I love. I would definitely recommend renting from Burke's. FYI though, there were a lot of people tubing, floating, and swimming along the path. Most were very polite, friendly, and gave the canoes the right of way. However, this has nothing to do with Burke's as it is out of their control since it is the Russian River.

This was a lot of fun. It took us close to 5 hours to do the full run. This includes time for lunch and swimming We came on a weekday so I will say we had no issues of being crowded. All staff were friendly My only complaint is that we waited almost 45 minutes for the pick up afterwards. If not for that this would have been a perfect day

Never change ! We love you guys! Our annual canoe trip down the Russian River is a huge highlight of our summer. The staff is always happy to answer questions, but you must also rely on your own common sense. This is a good thing in a world where most information that should be discovered through our own trial and error is instead shoved down our throats with YouTube "how to" videos. That being said, it takes a minute to figure out how to steer a canoe, but you get the hang of it really fast once you start rowing ! So nice to disconnect (very little reception on the river) and just watch wildlife and eat a sandwich on the river bank. Burke's feels like the best summer camp all over again. Already looking forward to another paddle soon. Thanks guys !

Just stop with my wife and kids at Burke's Canoe trips to grab some water while we were biking by the Russian river on that hot day. Not even stop 2 m a guy screaming at us not even trying to find out what's going on. Screaming this a private property and we need to leave now ! At first didn't understand, I go closer and he was still screaming like we were doing something really bad! You could just come closer and talk like a normal person! WoW and we were thinking renting Canoe in the near futur, if this guy talk like that to everyone, wow what a customer service. I'm sure we find somewhere else. And on the way out we didn't see any sign saying private property ? So before screaming like a D.A maybe you should put your sign up so people know what's going on.

A fun filled day for everyone! My friends and I just returned from our third annual trip down the Russian River with Burke's canoes and we are already looking forward to the next. Why Burke's? Top reasons for booking your reservation: *If you find yourself feeling nostalgic and wanting to relive memories of your childhood spent at summer camp, this may be the activity for you. *This may also be for you if you're a fan of the sun and want to enjoy a day out in nature *You're in the mood for a little upper body work out. *You just want an excuse to have a great time with friends. Burke's is a simple but well run establishment. After checking in for your rental reservation (cash only) and signing the safety waivers, you'll be treated to a quick safety lesson before heading down to the beach to hop in your canoe or kayak. Once you're in the water, you're in charge of creating your own adventure. This stretch of the river is relatively calm which has its pros and cons. The pro is that the route makes it easy for your maiden voyage aka friendly for first timers and for families with children. The con is that it means you will not be cruising; you can expect to paddle the whole way down the river as the current is calm. There are plenty of beaches for you to take a break for lunch or a swim. One of my favorite features is that just yards near the end of the route, you will find Stumptown brewery. It's a great pit stop before heading to the beach for the shuttle ride back to Burke's head quarters. Other pluses that make Burke's a great option are: *Free parking *Free shuttle rides back to the starting location *Car key storage so you don't have to worry about them floating down the river *Great for groups of all sizes or singles as they have single kayaks

This is my second time on this trip we all had a blast. The lady helping us was nice and useful the prices where fair. We will definitely be coming back with the family.

The staff was very nice, but novice beware! It is much more challenging than stated in the company's materials. Plan on tipping completely over at least once. Also running aground on sandbars and whacking into trees along the shore and in the middle of the river. If you've only done still water canoeing in lakes and reservoirs, better think twice.

So much fun! We went last August with 3 other couples and can't wait to go back next year! It took us 5 hours including our stop for our picnic, but it wasn't as long as it sounds. Time flys when you're having fun! Awesome adventure day! If you're thinking about going to Burke's, DO IT!!

Adding to my earlier review that we had stayed just 5 mins from Burkes and every time we drove by on River Road, it looked open. There was no big visible sign saying "closed". The entrance was open. So again, misleading info. Or else, they lied and said they were closed on our phone call. All in all, a super confusing would-be customer experience.

This was one of the funniest things I have done in a while. A group of 5 of us went. the other 3 have gone before, this was my wife and I's first time. We were told just do not bring any glass, we brought alcohol and had no issues. We rented two Canoes. We had a coupon since they had done it last time. This is a great way to test any relationship...stirring a canoe, especially in the tight sections! It is fairly easy, there are about 4 spots where it can get dicey! Will you get wet....depends, if you're good at canoeing NO, but you can jump in! Water is excellent. If you are new, be prepared to take a little spill at some point. All the bad reviews: We were not searched or ever asked about what we were bringing and we had two bags full of stuff. We did bring music, it was nice. DONT FORGET SUNSCREEN The ride back is very short. I loved the adventure and would love to do it again. Above all it is a pretty decent workout!

I'm one of those people that is very, very busy during the week and have everything planned out for a few months in advance, trip to Burke's canoe was no exception and was carefully planned out, I've been curving out hours from my week for months to get away on Sunday, I was really looking forward to this vacation and a day on the water enjoying the views of beautiful outdoors hours away from home! We did have a big group with canoes reserved in advance, as it usually happens in a big group - someone didn't get the message about no alcohol on canoe policy, so as we are going through the registration process, Ted has seen someone with a beer and instantly went psycho on the entire group. Screaming, calling us names and making us feel like we were criminals, saying that he doesn't trust a single one of us and banned the entire group from canoeing on the river even after we told him that we are not bringing anything consisting alcohol to the trip. He made us listen to a lecture for an hour and then said that we are banned as a group and should seek another canoe company for service. Very, very rood, unreasonable, scandalous. My day was ruined, we couldn't find another canoe company and all because of Ted. Look Ted, if you hate your job, it's not our fault, DO NOT go there and take your business elsewhere - businesses like this Gould be banned from US!

Granted that we didn't have a reservation, this was such a disorganized experience. It was one massive crowd standing in line as if they were at a bar trying to get the bartender's attention. We were waiting with another group that didn't have a reservation. Not only did they get TWO canoes before others got the canoes from their reservations, there was one family that was borderlined getting the LAST canoe even though they were staying there to camp and had paid before.

During the early 1990's, as a Boy Scout I apparently earned a "Canoeing" Merit Badge. However, Boy Scouts failed and did not teach me 3 vital things about good fun canoeing: 1. BEER: Bring it! I recommend light beer to keep you feeling refreshed and cool. This canoe trip can take all day, so when you're deciding between a 12 pack or 24 pack of PBR or Bud Light, opt for the 24 pack. Safety First: get cans, not bottles! 2. GIRLS: Bring them! No one likes a sausage party. For an organization that discrimates against homosexuality, the Boy Scouts sure likes "boys only" activities. 3. WATERGUNS: Throughout the river there will be mercenary child soldiers carrying Super soakers...the best defense is a good offense. Bring your own high powered water guns to shoot back at those dumb little fucks. Unfortunately, I did not get the Rifle merit badge. Rental Fee: $60, best price we found online compared to other companies and includes a free shuttle ride back, nice! Canoes are meant for 2 people, but it can fit 3 people: the middle person won't be doing any rowing...on that note, put the weakest and whiniest person there so that he/she won't spoil the fun for everyone else. Get there early to attempt to avoid the insanely slow line. Reservations are probably a good idea. The 9-10 mile trip is absolutely beautiful and about three scoops of awesome. Bring food, water, sunscreen, a hat, and good company. Tired? Put the paddle down, grab a beer, relax and just let the river do the work for you. WARNING: If your significant other is a known backseat driver, this may not be the romantic date you had envisioned. Just imagine a car with two steering wheels.

We went to camping in Sonoma and we want to canoeing also then we decided to camping at Burke. Perfect for our planned

The canoe trip itself was pretty fun. We went on 4Th of July weekend and it was BUSY! We got an early start on Saturday morning because we anticipated the busy-ness. The river was pretty but LLLOOONNGGEEERRR than I expected... my canoe partner was not particularly happy that I only wanted to paddle for about 1/2 of this long trip. We brought a lot of beer to make the long journey more fun but still ran out of beer! There were about 25 in our group and I would definitely recommend a large group! There is also a bus at the end that takes you back to the starting point... We camped for two nights at the base of Burke's Canoe Trips. I was NOT a fan of this camping site. It was SO dusty! I literally ended up covered in dust at all times. There was also no privacy and everyone's tents were super close together. Happily though, we had a super fun group and were close enough to the river to go for dips whenever we wanted to. Bring your floaties for a fun time on the river! They have bathrooms and showers which were acceptable for a camp site... Next time, I will take my camping elsewhere but MIGHT think about canoeing here again...

CASH ONLY (first of all). Make sure you bring cash with you. We had a wonderful experience canoeing down the russian river. I think its about a 10 miles stretch, there's beaches along the river and alot of people on the floaters. Just make sure that you keep a distance away from the floaters since these people seems to not care when you're rowing down the river and sometime loses control and end up crashing them haha! Anyways, Make sure to get there very early since parking will get pack! We got there around 10-11, and the there was a 1 hour wait to pay for the canoe) But when we went on 7/8, there was alot of people, but enough canoes for all of us. Second pick up your life jacket and stand in line to pay. again CASH ONLY. Once you paid, pick up your stuff and walk down to the river to pick up your canoe (SELF SERVE), and start rowing down the river. Most part of the rivers is very shallow, but some part they are very deep, but don't have anxiety over it since that can make things worse. Just enjoy! Once you hit the end of the route, there's a school bus waiting to bring people back to the parking lot. There's showers and bathroom only at the place you park and pay for the canoe! Anyways, we would come again and do it again! Great experience!

Went to Burke's for the first time a few months ago and it was a great experience. They're extremely accommodating, though I wish they allowed dogs. Went back a two weeks later! Otherwise, they're very friendly and always happy to help in whatever way they can. Bring cash!

This was a great weekend! We made camping reservations a week in advance. They called a few days before our reservation to confirm and answer any questions we had. Over the phone they clearly explained the rules and that you must pay in cash, so we were prepared. Upon arrival, we were able to check in with no problem. We were allowed to choose from any available campsite. This was really nice, and we chose a good place by the river where we could look at the stars at night. The amenities were surprisingly helpful. They had hot showers, a dish washing station and clean bathrooms. One of the guys drove around to each campsite and made sure we had firewood, ice & everything we needed. It really was too bad that other reviews were negative. However we noticed that those were written over 2 years ago, so there really isn't any need to take those reviews seriously. Some people mentioned they had bad service. We did not find any problem with the service. [C'mon people, you are going camping and taking a self guide canoe trip! What kind of service are you looking for?! Hah] The canoe trip was fun. Take your time, pack a lunch and enjoy the river. You'll see a lot of wildlife. The trip is 3-4 hours so bring sunscreen and take a few breaks. The river is sloooooow. Be prepared to paddle most of the time. We will be back to Burkes for more canoe trips and camping.

Great experience if you never been kayaking befor loads of with friends and family. Be weary of other people floating right in the middle of river above all all else pretty great experience will come back!

Canoeing on this leg of the Russian River is a complete bore. The nature is beautiful but the river is clogged with people you hope to avoid in your spare time. This is really a must-miss unless you don't mind watching the worst of America chugging beers. It took 1 hour from the moment we stood in line to the moment we entered the water. We had to wait in a long line. When we finally got to the front, we had to endure a long speech from the woman at the front. The inefficiency of that experience was frustrating. Clearly, they could use someone with half-a-brain to figure out a better way to process their customers. I gave Burke's 2 stars instead of 1 simply because the canoe worked and the bus did pick us up and deliver us back to our car safe and sound.

Extremely unfriendly to kids. I would not recommend bringing anyone under the age of 15 or 16 to this location. We arrived with an 11 year old & were met by an stern gentleman who talked about the treacherous Russian River saying when the boat flips over one adult gets thrown one way and the other gets thrown the other and all parties should be able to self rescue & swim a hundred yards against strong currents in order to participate. His attitude essentially scared the poor kid out of wanting anything to do with the Russian River. After this interaction they didn't want to honor our reservation & we didn't want to deal with them either. Fortunately I've been swimming, paddling & inner-tubing the area for years & new he was full of it. These boats are the biggest, widest, most stable boats for rent on the Russian which is one of the slowest moving and mellow rivers I've ever been on. You'd have to go out of your way to tip em over. At the very least anyone with the any boat knowledge can paddle em down stream and keep all in their party safe. We ended up going down river to Johnsons who had the same boats, were friendlier, more accommodating, & much cheaper. We ended up spending 3 hours paddling around on the river traveling a large chunk of it as I've done a dozen times. Didn't flip over, didn't encounter any rapids, had a great time. Apparently they are also very hostile toward people wanting to enjoy a couple beers while they paddle down the river so I'm not quite sure what their clientele is supposed to be.

Great fun on the river for couples or groups. Be prepared for looooong lines to get a canoe and you better have a reservation. The trip takes about 4-5 hours depending on how much you stop. You can bring your own cooler or borrow one from Burke's. We went on Fathers Day and it was packed. Staff was swamped and did their best to stay positive. At the end of the trip a group of guys helped us get the canoe out and we hung out waiting for the 15 minute bus back to our car. All in all it was a great Fathers Day experience.

My first time canoeing down the Russian river was for my friends birthday this past saturday. We had a group of about 18 people and we got 9 canoes. 2 people per canoe. I mean I guess we could have gotten more people in each canoe but there are only 2 spots to sit in the canoe otherwise you will sit on a small bar. There is a lot of paddling involved as the current is super slow in places and you won't get far if you don't paddle. If you are a novice at paddling it will be a lot harder for you. Make sure you have the more experienced person sit in the back of the canoe as that person will be the one doing the steering and maneuvering mostly. Oh and the canoes are not the most sturdy things so if one person leans one way it it can possibly tip the canoe. Just an fyi. Overall the scenery was absolutly beautiful on the river and there were a couple of rope swings off a bridge and off the side of the river. The one off the bridge is super fun! There is also a random swing set up on the side of the river which is also pretty cool. We brought ice chests with booze and food and the Burkes didn't even check our coolers since we thought they would we hid our booze under water and gatorade. They aren't as strict as their website seems they would be. The bus ride back was fairly quick maybe like 15 or 20 min. The awesome part is that they do hold your keys for you which is awesome. The river is pretty shallow in most places to where you can just push the canoe and some places you can get stuck. I'd highly recommend Burkes canoe as I want to go again!!

Mirabel isn't a remote campground as there are about a bazillion people packed very close in together, BUT A beggar can't be a chooser when you are looking for a camp spot at 10 p.m. We arrived late, it was dark , and the office supervisor was kind enough to let us just give him 20 bucks- no dealing with registration, etc. And told us to camp wherever in the camping section. The spots are uncomfortably close, but if I grew up never camping, I would have never known the difference. They allowed our Aussie border collie mix to stay there, but no pitbulls allowed. They also have a very strong leash law or you will be fined. They have real bathrooms and hot showers and that is always a plus after a long night and a kinked neck.

We went 3 canoes deep with 8 peeps! They give you a good crash course for steering and also provided us with a cooler since ours was too big(let us keep our forbidden cocktails too which was enough for the 5th star), trust me you need water AND sammiches... It's like ten miles of river and an all day thing. Boats were clean also but the life vests looked like they've been around since the 80's LOL. Oh well they were free and still float. Helpful hint: There are a lot of people floating on the river this time of year(7/9/2017) I saw flamingos, unicorns, peacocks, and a few life-size gummy bears. Navigating thru them can get difficult especially after the first couple hours but, if you hit them it's no big deal cause usually you're still moving and chances are they can't catch you. Also you can bring your pet if they aren't too big which was not on their site however i did see a lot of other canoodelers with their fur babies in life vests. Next time Lola!

Beautifully sitting on the edge of the Russian river, Burke's Canoe Trips and Campground has everything you need for a great camping weekend. The husband/wife team that greeted us were super helpful and accommodating all weekend, offering us extra chairs and delivering our firewood right to our site. The sites are big and spacious and we barely had anyone around us which made it very private and quiet, but still a short stroll away to the restrooms (with hot showers and running toilets), dish sink and garbage. They organize canoe/kayak trips down the river with a pick up at the end included making it very easy and fun. We had a great time cruising down the river on our boats, meeting other weekenders and stopping for a swim and a picnic. All in all a great spot to spend a sunny weekend!

Burke's Canoes is amazing! We were evacuated from our home during the Tubbs Forest Fires and had nowhere to go. Driving up from Santa Rosa to Guerneville, we took a right turn in an empty parking lot around 3 am and figured that we would sleep it out until morning. I also wanted to note, we had no idea at the time if our house burned down or not, so you can imagine how scared and lost we were. When we woke up a few hours later, Ted (one of the owners) graciously came over to check on us and ask if everything was okay, then came back with a few boxes of pastries and drinks that he purchased with his own money. I wish I could thank Linda and Ted, the owners, personally, for taking care of us (and others who stopped by after evacuating). I plan to come back in the summer and canoe with them :)

We tried this canoe company and the Russian river for first time in our life. We had the best experience in our life. Who said is long and boring?! It's so beautiful and mesmerizing that we all were so disappointed when it was over. We start at 9.15 and never rolled over or anything. ((FYI It was our first time canoeing.))) The whole 10 miles is a great nature view to go along . We had our lunch , couple of breaks and lots of swimming. We can't wait to get back there again in 2 weeks. By the way the costumer service was so great and we got our canoe and instructions right a way when we got there. On our way back there was a bus waiting for us. We will go back in 2 weeks.

I am really reluctant to give negative reviews, but the owner (Ted?) was repeatedly, needlessly micromanaging and hostile to our group of canoers and campers. I should note that every other member of the staff we saw was kind, competent, and helpful--but Ted really undermines his own staff when he verbally attacks customers, whether they're looking for the rest of their group, following other staffers' directions in looking for a parking spot, or simply standing in the wrong place in the canoe lineup--his bitterness and hatred of his job and customers really shows, and man, I hope he finds peace one way or another, and eases up on everyone around him. Kayaks and canoes are in solid useable shape, pickup at the end is convenient; just be aware that it's a 10-mile paddle, and when water is low it is a real endeavor. But after Ted's verbal attacks and accusations, one of our campers ended up in tears and another couple were steaming mad--really messed up the evening experience. I'll go elsewhere in the future.

The owner and her partner are extremely rude, absolutely zero people skills. No help with canoes/kayaks, no explanation on time required to reach end of the trip and overall extremely unpleasant dealing with any of the staff besides the young helpers that would pick up the kayaks at the end. That being said the sights were beautiful. I recommend using any other company. The service we experienced and checkout process was hostile. The owner of the company passed on and left it to his daughter and she clearly does not have any passion for the industry. At. All.