I’m writing this from sunny Costa Rica, where we’ve taken a quick trip to see how other outfitters run their trips—and, honestly, to escape the cold for a bit!

Two thoughts are top of mind:

Practice What You Preach:

• I always encourage folks to slow down, relax, and step away from daily stress. Spending time at Downriver and out on the river is about just that—taking a break, reflecting, and recharging, surrounded by friends and nature.
• It took nearly five vacation days for me to stop worrying about next year, our staff, our customers, and all the responsibilities of running a business. But once I did, I felt truly refreshed and ready for what’s next. I hope you’ll find your own moments to unplug and reset in 2026.

Appreciate Home:

• Costa Rica has been incredible—hiking, paddling, rappelling, and exploring this natural paradise. Spotting new animals and plants is a daily adventure. But it’s also made me realize how lucky we are to live and work in the Shenandoah Valley.
• Back home, I can look out and see deer, wild turkeys, woodpeckers, cardinals, great blue herons, and bald eagles. While I traveled 2,000 miles to experience some place special, I’m reminded that our own backyard has a magic all its own.

As local guides here share their country with pride, I can’t wait to welcome you back to our special corner of Virginia in the year ahead.

Looking forward to seeing you on the river in 2026!

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Downriver Canoe Company is gearing up for another exciting season on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. As we enter 2026, discover what’s new, what’s improved, and why your next river trip should start with us.

2026 Facility Upgrades for a Better Experience

We’re investing in major facility improvements this year:

• Improved outdoor reception and client waiting areas for smoother check-ins
• Expanded retail space featuring river essentials and local merchandise

These upgrades are designed to make your visit easier and more enjoyable from start to finish.

New Corporate Team-Building Programs Launching in 2026

Looking for unique corporate retreats near Washington D.C.? Our new team-building packages offer:

• 1- and 2-day guided canoe and kayak trips
• Team challenges and group activities
• Relaxation and reflection in the scenic Shenandoah Valley
• If you are interested in being involved with this new program, send us an email to somebody@downriver.com

These programs are perfect for businesses seeking creative, memorable team experiences.

Events for the adventurer

We already have some fun events lines up for the spring including a canoe race, adventure race, a mountain bike races, and a fly-fishing tournament. Click on over to Adventure Enablers for more details.

Plan Your Shenandoah River Trip for Spring and Summer 2026

Our season runs April through October. Start planning your Shenandoah River adventure early:

• Most popular trip: 7.5-mile float from Burner’s Bottom (canoe, kayak, raft, or tube)
• Dog-friendly trips welcome
• Unique 2-day trips with car-side camping at Golden Rock
• All logistics handled with our comprehensive shuttle service
• Online reservations are open one our website at https://www.downriver.com/reserve-now/

Stay Connected for Updates and River News

Follow Downriver Canoe Company on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for:

• River condition updates
• Trip planning tips
• Announcements about new amenities and programs

Book your 2026 river adventure today and experience the best of the Shenandoah with Downriver Canoe Company.

The post Downriver Canoe Company: 2026 Season Preview & What’s New This Year appeared first on Downriver Canoe Company.

The Beginning

It was May 2024 when John Gibson approached me with a question that would change everything: “Would you be interested in taking over Downriver?” John’s one important condition was that this remains a family business. That resonated with me. With my wife Margo, our kids, my niece, and their partners, we already had our own family. We believed we could honor what John built and keep that family spirit alive.

Discovering What Family Really Means

But as the season unfolded, something beautiful happened—I discovered that this family was bigger than I had imagined.

When our staff arrived—many returning from previous years, some joining us for the first time—I realized this group had become our extended Downriver family. We experienced the highs and lows together—supporting each other through busy weekends, quiet weekdays, celebrating successes, and tackling challenges side by side.

That’s when I truly understood what John meant.

The Heart of Our Family: You

And then I met all of you.

Some of you have been coming here for 50 years—since John first opened these doors in the 1970s. Others discovered this special place just this summer. Many fall somewhere in between, returning year after year for five, ten, or twenty years.

You all know what makes Downriver special.

Whether you’re seeking a getaway from daily life or an adventure with loved ones, this little corner of the world offers something truly unique. And that’s when it hit me: Downriver isn’t just a family business. Downriver IS a huge, vibrant family—and you are all part of it.

Thank You

As we reflect on this past season, I want to express our deepest gratitude. You’ve experienced something crafted with care and passion, something John dedicated decades to building. You trusted us to carry that legacy forward—and we take that responsibility seriously.

Every paddle stroke, every burst of laughter on the water, and every quiet moment drifting downstream has made this season unforgettable.

Looking Ahead

We can’t wait to see you again next year. Spread the word—bring your friends and family. Let’s continue to grow our Downriver family and share what makes this place so special.

Here’s how you can stay connected:

• Follow us on social media
• Leave us a review—your feedback means the world to us
• Share your Downriver stories with others

This winter, we’ll be behind the scenes, working to make your next experience even better while staying true to our roots. Our goal is to keep the heart of Downriver beating strong.

Until April

Thank you for making this summer incredible. We genuinely appreciate each and every one of you.

We’re not going anywhere—we’ll be here, planning and preparing. Enjoy your off-season, stay warm, and we look forward to welcoming you back on the river starting April 1st.

Until then, remember—you are part of the Downriver family. And family is forever.

— Mark and the entire Downriver Canoe Company team

Downriver Canoe Company has been family-owned and operated since 1974, offering memorable float trips on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River in Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley.

The post A Season of Family: Reflecting on Our First Year at Downriver Canoe Company appeared first on Downriver Canoe Company.

As years, work, and family life went by, we slowly migrated out further and further west from the hustle and bustle of DC and Northern Virginia to a quiet spot nestled right on the Shenandoah River in Front Royal. Remote work and running events gave us the luxury of being a little more off the grid, having more adventures, and becoming fully engrossed in the amazing outdoor recreation opportunities the area has to offer. Hikes in the national park, mountain biking in the national forest and state park, and daily paddles on the river have become part of our schedule.

As our kids Syd and Sam started to embrace the outdoors, they were lucky enough to get summer jobs with John and his crew at Downriver. Whether it was running the front desk and greeting guests with a smile or hucking boats and driving vans up the river to Trip 3, they both loved the environment, hard work, coworkers, and community of working on the river. Margo and I really appreciated the opportunity John gave our kids, and it helped build a bond with him and the business.

This brings us to May 2024. After an event we had been hosting out of Downriver, John approached me asking if I would be interested in taking over the business. My immediate thought was yes and how amazing that would be. But filling John’s shoes and taking on such a legacy was a daunting prospect. I know others had approached John about the business, and having him come to me with the offer…I knew it was a great honor. I know that John having started and run Downriver for 53 years and now looking to move on was not an easy decision for him. This was his baby, his daily life, and a business he had traversed from a tiny spring back in 1974 to the beautiful flowing river it is today. I let him know I would think about it and talk it over with Margo. As a family, we went through the pros and cons of the opportunity, and I think it was a foregone conclusion that the pros would be the longer list. I let John know I would be honored to take over the business, keeping it family-run and holding tight to the same vibe that drew me to it 15 years prior.

So for the 2025 season, I, along with family, friends, and much of the fantastic existing Downriver crew, will be opening our doors on April 1 for what I hope will be a great season. Am I worried about the weather, river levels, safety, getting guests through the doors, marketing, carrying on a legacy, staffing, repairs, maintenance, afternoon thundershowers, too much rain, too little rain, and a whole host of other things that keep me up at night? Yes, I am. Would I let that stop me from embarking on a new adventure with people who I know and love and that I know will be challenging but have rewards and fulfillment that you just cannot get working behind a desk or for someone else? No, it will not.

All of us here at Downriver Canoe Company hope to see you all out on the river with us this summer. We promise whether you are floating in a tube, casting a line to get a bite, bonding with your kids, or out for a fun day with your family, friends, or coworkers, we will make it as much of an adventure as we have had getting to where we are today.

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Example #1:  In 1977 an expansion was being done on the established DuPont plant in Waynesboro, Virginia located on the South River, a tributary of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River.  During excavation workers noticed a silvery liquid pooling in the soil as they dug.  Testing revealed it was mercury, a liquid metal highly toxic to humans.  We are all familiar with the Mad Hatter character from Alice in Wonderland.  Back when it was written, people who worked in the hat industry did tend to go “ mad” as a result of the use of mercury to cure beaver pelts used in fashionable hats of the day.  Mercury poisoning affects the nervous system in humans.

To DuPont’s credit the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality was notified and further investigation ensued.  It was discovered Mercury had been used in the plant and the waste discharged into the river on a regular basis from 1927 until 1950.  Why hadn’t the river carried it away?  Well, it’s simple, mercury is heavier than water and it just settled into and mixed with the sediment on the bottom of the river.  In testing, the fish were found to contain significant levels of mercury in their flesh, all the way from the DuPont plant down the river for thirty miles to the river’s confluence with the North River and Middle River which forms the South Fork of the Shenandoah River.

After two massive flood events in 1985 and 1996 further testing was done on the fish population in 1999.  Not only had the mercury levels increased, but the contamination to the fish had extended downstream for another 30 miles.  It seems the mercury was working it’s way down the river and up through the food chain concentrating in the fish.  Today, there is an advisory against eating fish out of the river which extends the whole length of the South River and the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, a distance of 130 miles.  DuPont eventually paid a $50 million penalty to be used for river improvement projects, but there was no way to mitigate the damage already done.  Prognosis; this is a legacy issue that will continue to haunt us for hundreds of years, perhaps a millennium or more.  Dilution is NOT the solution to pollution.

Example #2:  In the late 1980’s random testing of fish in the Shenandoah River revealed high levels of PCBs in their flesh from Front Royal down.  Further testing of the sediment in the river pointed directly to the wastewater outfall of Avtex Fibers, the one time largest rayon plant in the world employing up to 3,000 workers.  The owners of the plant were full of denial, so the Virginia Attorney General shut them down for environmental reasons.  There was a lot of finger pointing, but the fact is, the PCB problems in the river persist to this day.  FMC Corporation, a previous owner of the plant, eventually paid a significant share of the $140 million to rehabilitate the site along with help from the government’s environmental Super Fund.

Now here’s the back story from my local sources:  The plant was in very poor condition and was being run into the ground, eking out production with virtually no maintenance.  A number of old electrical transformers were being loaded on to rail cars, but were too heavy for the crane to lift them, so to make them lighter the foreman instructed the workers to drain the PCB oils into buckets and pour them on to the railroad tracks.  And thus, a new environmental legacy was born.

In 1971 the Environmental Protection Agency was established, and in 1972 congress passed the Clean Water Act, but today these measures are under threat, and one wonders what other environmental legacies await.  

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The Shenandoah Valley is one of the richest and most concentrated farming areas in the East. One major source of these excess nutrients comes from over fertilized farm fields. Soil can only take up so much nitrogen and phosphorus. A good portion of the excess ends up washing off the land and into the river. Fertilizer is expensive though, and farmers are not going to intentionally apply more than what’s needed, but if you get a hard rain right after application, or seasonal timing is off, everyone loses. Application timing is important as is how much to put where. Many farmers today are testing the soil in grid patterns, then programing that information into the GPS systems on their tractors to vary the amount of fertilizer application for different areas thus saving money and reducing nutrient run off. Another effective technique for capturing excess nutrients is to maintain a vegetative buffer of 35 to 50 feet along the edge of rivers and streams which helps absorb excess nutrients washing off the land.

A second major source of excess nutrients is run off from confined livestock feeding operations (such as cattle feed lots or commercial chicken houses which concentrates nutrient rich animal waste). Chicken litter waste from commercial chicken houses is the biggest problem. Most of this litter is spread on the land as a nitrogen rich fertilizer, but more litter is produced in the Shenandoah Valley than there is available farm land on which to spread it. With government cost share assistance most chicken farmers have built chicken litter storage buildings to help manage the waste and keep it from leaching into the river, and a fledgling system of shipping nutrient rich chicken litter out of the Valley has been established, but chicken litter is still consistently over applied to farmland in many areas out of convenience.

Using government cost share plans, most dairy farmers have constructed large storage tanks to store and manage the animal waste from their herds. And cattle farmers with feed lot operations need to locate those feed lots away from streams and in areas with vegetative buffers.

A third major source of excess nutrients comes from people themselves every time they flush the toilet. Older sewage treatment plants remove harmful sediment and bacteria from waste water, but most of the nutrients in the water pass through the system and end up in the river. And as the population increases, the nutrients increase. Fortunately, most sewage treatment plants in the Valley are being upgraded (with government help) to remove most of these nutrients from the waste water which is a big step in the right direction, but comes with a hefty price tag and will take time to complete. Many rural residents depend on individual septic systems, but these systems require periodic maintenance and eventually may fail resulting in untreated sewage leaching to the surface and running into creeks and streams which feed the river. Unfortunately, most home owners in rural areas have a poor understanding of maintenance requirements for septic systems. Out of site, out of mind.

As modern farms become ever more specialized and concentrated, it is important to factor in the environmental impact. Farmers receive a lot of criticism simply because they physically control a disproportionately large chunk of God’s green earth as compared to the rest of us. And generally speaking I think it would be safe to say most farmers are conservative and suspicious of government, but most farmers I know love the land and want to do the right thing for the environment. It’s a process, but in the end I think everyone realizes, “If you poison the environment, the environment will poison you”.

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After a significant rain event we can follow the surge in flow by monitoring the river gauges up stream of our location and predict when and how high the river will get.  Typically a rain event in our upper watershed (which can be 100 miles or more up river) will take a several days to reach us, but a big, local rain event can be upon us in hours, so it can get tricky.  For us, the river gauge system is a vital tool in river safety and we use it constantly.  Back in the day, before the internet, we used to call a toll free number in Maryland and listen to a long recording giving the gauge readings for the region (and the line was often busy).

So for today, the flow of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River at Luray is 523 cfs.   There are 8 gallons of water in 1 cubic foot, so the flow is currently 4,184 gallons per second and by extension 361,497,000 gallons per day.  That seems like a lot of water, but we place the river level in our “Low” range for today.  The highest recorded river level was about 27 feet at Luray during the flood of 1870 when the Valley was pretty much denuded of trees from the civil war and the then flourishing local iron industry’s insatiable thirst for charcoal.  The lowest was during the great drought of 1930 when the river was a sea of rocks with little pools of water in-between (I’ve seen photos).  

What did the fish say when it swam into the wall?  Dam!  Yes, there are a number of surviving low production power dams along the South Fork of the Shenandoah River at 3 locations, in the town of Shenandoah, near the village of Newport, and near Luray.  Built in the early 20th century these dams are 18 to 20 feet in height and are constant generation dams that are required to maintain a veil of water flowing over the top so the natural flow of the river is maintained.  Both the Shenandoah and Newport dams have portage paths around them, but the Luray dam does not (due to property rights restraints).  Fortunately, none of these dams are located in our operational area.

These dams do not generate a whole lot of electricity, but there they are, and as long as they are productive and are maintained by the power companies that license them, there is no reason to alter the status quo.  Some day their usefulness will end, and a decision will have to be made.  Dam removal, returning the natural flow to the river would be the obvious choice, but would cost at least several million dollars for each dam.  In fact, the diversion dam at Lynnwood was destroyed by the flood of 1942, and the shattered concrete with imbedded rebar was a life threatening hazard to paddlers until removal of the remains of the dam was undertaken in the early years of the 21st century.  

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So, one weekend to go, and we had received just one raft reservation via telephone (the caller had a strong accent and was a little hard to understand) for one large raft, 6 to 7 people.    We set two untreated large rafts aside (always plan for success I say) and spent most of that week cleaning, treating, deflating, and cramming the rest of the rafts into our storage bus being careful to place all the large rafts on the bottom of the pile.  Saturday morning dawned overcast and kind of cool, so we didn’t expect a busy day (a smattering of canoes and kayaks, on one raft).  In fact, I was kind of kicking myself for being overstaffed (that “plan for success” thing sometimes bites you in the ass).  Things were slow until 10:30 am, exactly the time slot for the one large raft reservation.  Suddenly a string of cars came down the hill and began turning into our business.  We counted: one, two, three, four, five, six, …… twenty-two, twenty-three cars pulling in to our parking area, every car disgorging happy Koreans dressed for the elements.  The leader of the Korean Hiking Club strode into the office to pay for the rafts, and when he saw his name beside the one raft reservation he said, “No, not six or seven, I say sixty-seven”, and that’s exactly what he had, sixty-seven people exactly.  Okay, don’t panic, there might be a solution, improvise.

We have cancelled the insurance and stored our busses, so we only have two vans saved out as shuttle vehicles.  And it’s going to take some time to dig out and inflate 8 additional large rafts.  I set every available staff member to start dragging all the rafts out of the bus and blowing them up while my lovely wife and I greeted everyone, directed them to the bathrooms, and let them stretch their legs.  We then gave them a lengthly and most thorough orientation using the two available untreated rafts allowing them to practice their new paddling skills in the parking lot while the rest of our crew was scrambling.  After about half and hour of orientation we directed them back into their vehicles and sent them up river to our riverside campground to eat their packed lunches and we would bring the rafts, paddles, and PFDs to them and let them float back to our base.

In the end we had them all on the water two hours and fifteen minutes from the time they drove onto our lot, quite an accomplishment from our prospective, but less than efficient from their prospective I am sure.  When they finished we still had to transport the drivers back to pick up their vehicles.  Over the years we have many groups that return year after year, but this group has never been back (though they were lovely and understanding).

To this day, whenever we are faced with a logistical challenge, we look at each other and wink, and say,”remember sixty-seven”.  Plan for success!

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THE GRIP

There are two basic types of grip, the palm grip and the T grip. The palm grip is the more traditional grip that fits into the palm of your “off hand” (left hand on a right handed person). The palm grip is more comfortable to use (especially on longer trips), is easier to manufacture, and more durable than the T grip. Palm grips are seen on cheaper paddles generally because most serious paddlers prefer the T grip which gives a better feel for blade position. However, for expedition paddling a palm grip may be preferable for some.

THE SHAFT

It’s something most people don’t think about, but how stiff do you want your shaft (get your mind out of the gutter). A shaft with a little flex will be more comfortable to paddle and less tiring, while a stiff shaft will be more responsive and have more power (and may be a little heavier unless we start talking carbon fiber $$$). Some paddles exhibit a bent shaft (usually 11 degrees) just above the blade. These bent shaft paddles are a lot more efficient by maintaining a true vertical blade angle of 90 degrees with the surface of the water. These paddles are properly used with the tip of the blade angled forward so that during the power part of the stroke when the hand passes your waist the blade is vertical in the water.

DA BLADE, DA BLADE

A bigger and stiffer blade has more power, but can be very tiring to use all day. So every paddler must make compromises as to power verses comfort and usability. More experienced paddlers will usually go for power while most of the rest of us should go for comfort and ease of use.

MATERIALS

A durable rental paddle will have a plastic T grip with vinyl coated aluminum shaft and UV resistant plastic blade. A bit heavy, but it gets the job done, and is almost indestructible. Most wooden paddles have a great feel and flex, but are not as durable. High end paddles using Kevlar and carbon fiber exhibit great stiffness and strength, and are very light, but can be very expensive ($300 or more). A friend if mine once said to me, “Here, try using my eleven ounce carbon fiber bent shaft paddle for half a day, and see if you can live without it” (I could not).

PROPER LENGTH

For us, the rule of thumb for paddle length is determined by standing with the blade on the ground, the grip should top out at your necktie knot. Of course the best way to determine the proper length for your peculiar self is to paddle several different lengths and decide what works best for you. Bent shaft paddles are generally paddled a little shorter, and expedition paddles a little longer.

A MOMENT IN TIME

And hold on to you paddles if you overturn. We had a family from “up north” and when the parents overturned the teenagers continued on down the river. After waiting hours for the parents to show up the teens admitted they had retrieved both of their parent’s paddles from the river. Finally, we went looking for the parents at dusk. Paddling down the river we spotted a campfire just below where the parents had capsized. Upon approaching the campfire we observed two naked forms wrestling in the grass beside the fire. The parents were evidently taking advantage of the teens absence. Believe me, it was most embarrassing for all concerned, and a moment none of us will ever forget (but for very different reasons).

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Legend has it bass were introduced to the river by a railway worker who was an avid fisherman and hailed from up state New York where bass are native.  He loved fishing for the feisty bronze backs that put up such a fight.  They say in the 1880’s he loaded a passel of bass into the water tender of his steam locomotive, transported them to Virginia, and dumped them into Overall Creek as the engine passed over the trestle (I know, sounds like a fish story to me too).  Be that as it may, the bass somehow found their way to the Shenandoah River in the late 19th century and there they thrived, ….to a fault.  Today, the small mouth bass is unquestionably the king of the river, to the point of total dominance.  As a result the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources maintains a long standing slot limit for bass.  All bass between 11 and 14 inches (ideal breeding size) must be returned to the river, but you may keep up to five fish smaller than 11 inches or greater than 14 inches.  The population is not particularly stable either with alternating population surges and crashes, even after a century of adaptation.

Even though the Shenandoah river appears healthy and clean, significant fish kills have occurred over the years.  In the 1940’s a kill was caused by industrial pollution from the new Rayon plant in Front Royal (now defunct).  In 1977 up to 80% of the fish in the river succumbed, cause never determined.  In 2003 there was a major fish kill starting on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River spreading to the South Fork and Main Stem the next year and then on to the James River in 2007.  The die off lasted about two years and primarily affected mature bass and red breasted sun fish with losses of about 70%.  In 2014 there was a similar event with losses in the 30% range, and smaller annual die offs occur fairly regularly.  Is this something new or something we have just not noticed before?  No one knows.

The state of Virginia has spent a lot of time and effort (and money) trying to solve the riddle of these fish kills, but no obvious chemical or environmental smoking gun has been found.  Scientists have determined a combination of factors have combined to stress the immune systems of the fish making them vulnerable to attack by Aeromonas Salmonicida, a cold water bacteria which is toxic to fish (and helps explain why die offs occur in early Spring when the water is still cold).  The bacteria causes lesions and general tissue deterioration.  Some fish will recover as the water warms in summer suppressing the S A bacteria.

Fish immune systems can be degraded by a number of factors.  Some chemical compounds and heavy metals have been shown to suppress the immune system and influence development of certain aquatic organisms.  These contaminants are referred to as “endocrine disruptors”.  Natural and synthetic forms of the hormone estrogen fit into this category, and elevated levels have been detected in the Shenandoah River.  At this point the effect on fish health is speculative, but alarmingly, a significant number of male bass in the river have actually developed female eggs in their testes.

  Currently, the fishery remains fairly stable with usually good, and sometimes spectacular fishing, but pressure on river water quality remains with increasing human population in the Valley and enhanced agricultural production.  In fact, Rockingham County (located just up river) is the most productive agricultural county east of the Mississippi River. Some progress has been made by upgrading sewage treatment plants and adopting best management practices in agriculture.  Can science save us?  Do we have the will to do what needs to be done?  I guess time will tell, but for now the river remains an incredible resource.  Small mouth bass still rule.

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