Renting a Raft in Ohiopyle
Rafting in Ohiopyle is the most popular activitiy in Ohiopyle State Park. Guided Rafting trips on the Lower Yough and Middle Yough and the most popular ways (and safest) to experience white water rafting in Ohiopyle State Park. However, many people prefer to do it on their own, renting a raft from one of the white water rafting companies in Ohiopyle. They will help you determine what type of equipment would be best for you and your group. Many of the rafting companies in Ohiopyle offer raft rentals along with inflatable kayak rentals. They will require you to put a deposit down. This deposit varies by company.
Renting a Raft for the Lower Yough
The first step would be to check with the state park to make sure you are able to get a launch permit for the day you would like to go rafting. During the summer months, Ohiopyle State Park is very busy with thousands of people using the rivers. To lessen the impact on the enviroment, Ohiopyle has a launch permit system that allows only a certain number of boaters on the river per day. During the summer, weekends and holidays require a launch permit. Weekdays, and the other three seasons do not require a launch permit. During the summer months, everyone is required to purchase a shuttle token. This token is for your bus ride from the river up to your vehicle in the Bruner Run parking lot. Notice I did not say back to Ohiopyle. This brings us to step two.
Step Two for renting a raft starts on the day of your trip. You will need to bring two vehicles to run shuttle for yourself and your equipment. At the end of the Lower Yough, a bus will be waiting for you. This bus provides transportation up to the Bruner Run parking lot. This is where you need to park one of your vehicles before hitting the water. This vehicle will be used to bring your rental equipment and your group back to Ohiopyle. Feel free to park more than one vehicle if need be.
Renting a Raft for the Middle Yough
The process for renting a raft to go rafting on the Middle Yough is different. First, no launch permit or shuttle token is needed. Second, instead of starting your trip in Ohiopyle, you end you trip in Ohiopyle.When renting a raft for the Middle Yough, the rafting outfitter you rent your equipment from will take you to the Middle Yough put-in area, about 11 miles away in Confluence Pennsylvania. From there, you and your group will raft back to Ohiopyle.
The Middle Yough is a great river for people who might not feel comfortable rafting on the Lower Yough. The degree of difficulty on the Middle is much less than on the Lower. Its calls I and II rapids are easy enough for even a novice rafter to navigate with very little problem.