We are open weekends from mid-April through mid-October. We are opens seven days a week from mid-May through mid-September. Zaloo's opens at 9:00 a.m. on weekdays and 8:30a.m. on weekends. Trip departures vary with the seasons so reservations are required. The business office takes calls from 9:00a.m. until 5:00p.m in the summer and 9:00am until 2:00pm spring and fall. Please arrive fifteen to thirty minutes ahead of your trip time. Our trip times depends completely on river levels and your skill.
GREAT DISCOUNTS FOR SCOUTS EVERYDAY!
Group Discounts: Rent five to ten canoes or kayaks and get $2.00 off per boat Rent eleven or more boats and get $3.00 off per boat Prepayment required for scout and group discounts
The rentals include transportation, paddles, life jackets, river map, and short instruction upon request. Please add three percent tax on canoeing, kayaking, and tubing. Please call for pricing and discounts.
5 Mile Trips We offer two fine five-mile trips. One begins upstream and ends at Zaloo's and the other begins at Zaloo's and ends at the Wagoner Access of the New River State Park. Feel free to picnic at Zaloo's or at the park. There is a beautiful picnic shelter that can be rented at the park. The maximum time for either five-mile trip is three hours unless special arrangments are made. We put this trip out at 9:30 and again at 1:30 weekends in the summer and no later than noon April, May, September, and October.
10 Mile Trip The ten-mile trip is our most popular. You'll start at Zaloo's and canoe five miles to the New River State Park for lunch and then continue on another five miles to Nathans Creek. The ten-mile trip lasts about five hours. Camp at the park and this makes a good overnight trip for youngsters. We put the ten mile trip out at 9:30am and again at 11:00am on weekends during the summer and until 10am April, May, September, and October.
16 Mile Trip(dependent on water level) Our sixteen-mile trip covers a lot of river and is too much for most people unless the water level is exceptional, It's always more enjoyable and relaxing to take a shorter trip and spend longer doing it. Lunch at the New River State Park on the downstream trip. This trip takes five to seven hours. Lunch at Elk Shoals Methodist Camp on the trip that starts upstream. Upstream trip is very dependent on water levels. We reserve the right to shorten this trip to ten miles during lower water levels. We put this trip out no later than 10am.
Overnight Trips We cover more miles of river and have been at it longer than anyone. Overnight trips can be as short as five miles with a sleepover at the park or a full-fledged five-day adventure. The New River State Park has three camping areas, each a day's canoe ride apart, along twenty-six miles or river and there are several private campgrounds as well as our own. You can drive into most of the campgrounds and set up so you can get a better spot and not have to canoe with your gear. This is highly recommended at lower river levels.
Tubing Pure relaxation-no-skill required. Just lay back, go with the flow and watch the class AA scenery go by. Zaloo's tubes are custom-made and have an extra built in air chamber for safety. The tubing season runs from mid-May through mid-September. We have a two-three hour and a four to five hour trip that is too much for most people. We put tubes out at 9:30 and 1:30 during summer weekends. And until noon April, May, September, and October.Please arrive thrity minutes ahead of time.
Zaloo's Big River Campground Our campground is totally private and secluded and beautifully located just below the confluence of the North and South Forks on the New River. We usually cater to just one group at a time but never more than two groups at once. Big River Camp is perfect to plan a two-day trip around. Reservations rates are based on a minimum of twelve people and a minimum of two nights. Other arrangements for smaller groups can be made.
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED Please call 1-800-535-4027 for reservations and be prepared to give us a firm date and the number in your party as well as the number of canoes or tubes needed. TIP: group leaders should set a cut off date and collect rental fees from the group. Prepayment must be made with credit card or by ONE CHECK sent in by group leader. Weekends are busy and we often book up three to four weeks in advance. Full payment in advance is required in order to make firm reservations and recieve any discounts. Reservations will be automatically canceled after the due date has passed unless we hear from you. Due to cancellations we generally have a few canoes available even on the busiest days, so walk-ins are welcome. Walk-ins may pay with cash, North Carolina checks or credit cards with ID. Cancellations/Refunds A full refund will be made if cancellations are received at least one week before your trip. Thereafter a ten-dollar credit will be issued towards your next trip. We are sorry but no refunds can be given within a week of your trip for injury, illness, or personal problems. Please be on time. If you are late and miss your trip no refunds will be given. Rain Policy Weather changes rapidly in the mountains and can be very different than the Piedmont. For out local weather please call Zaloo's during business hours or log on to the web at www.raysweather.com or www.weatherunderground.com and it must be raining or flooding at Zaloo's at the time of your trip and you must cancel in person or by phone before the time of your trip. No rainchecks or refunds will be given once the trip has started. Cancellations due to weather and adverse conditions are solely the descretion of Zaloo's. Canoe Capacity For the sake of safety and the best ride possible we suggest no more than four hundred and fifty pounds per canoe. This means only two adults (teenagers are counted as adults) and a small child or two. An extra person can take a kayak and the group can take turns at kayaking. Medical Warning Canoeing involves mild to rigorous physical activity and any medical risks should be discussed with your doctor. What to Bring? Shoes that you don't mind getting wet are mandatory as people have severly cut their feet. Sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, seat cushions, windbreaker and sweater, extra clothes and shoes for after the trip, and extra clothes and shoes in a water-proof container to take down the river in cooler weather(spring and fall), and don't forget lunch, snacks, a small cooler, and any water toys.