- Please always wear your life jacket! Although the Russian River is known mostly for extreme beauty and generally is not considered to be a "whitewater experience", there is still some current and swiftness at various intervals along the canoeing/kayaking routes, and remember sometimes canoes and kayaks do indeed tip over. We provide each canoeist with a life jacket! For safety reasons, never dive or jump into the river, walk in only if you wish to swim. If you dive or jump in you could hit a rock or some other obstacle you couldn't see and you can even hit the bottom of the river because often you can't tell whether a spot is deep or shallow.
- You must be able to swim! No Non-swimmers please.
- Do not Litter! Please help keep the river and beaches beautiful.
- Do not leave canoes or kayaks unattended at any time! Begin, enjoy, and complete the trip together with your whole canoe/kayak party. Do not isolate or separate with those you're boating with.
- Respect Private Property please!
- Never dive or jump into river. You can find the river shallow or deep and hit a hidden log or rock.
- Please don't wear backpacks while canoeing or kayaking. Backpacks may be strapped to the canoe securely. When wet, backpacks become very heavy and can literally weigh you down making it extremely difficult if not impossible to swim. So don't wear your backpack while boating period. Instead, strap it to the canoe or kayak securely please.

May we suggest the following items for your consideration: bring your bathing suits, ice chest, lunch, soft drinks, beach towels, sunscreen, hats, drinking water, sunglasses, bunji cords to tie your cooler into the canoe, and river shoes to protect feet against sharp rocks. Garbage bags for trash, a recycling center is available at our landing beach. Also bring a change of clothes for the ride back home.

- NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED ON CANOE/KAYAK TRIP FOR SAFETY REASONS. Be Sharp... Be Responsible.
- NO GLASS or styrofoam on the river, please.
- Sorry NO dogs are allowed on the trip!

Yes of course! However, all children must be at least five years of age to go and like adults, children must also have good swimming skills.

We are happy to give you instruction at the front office and you can check out our instructional videos on our website. Remember, since canoes/kayaks can easily tip over, all persons participating must be good swimmers.

Our canoes have two seats, one front and one back. Generally two adults per canoe is the norm, but there's a possibility of adding one-two kids in the middle if they are between the ages 5-11.

Ten miles! Your trip begins at Burkes canoe headquarters which is one mile north of Forestville. You are paddling downstream through the heart of the redwoods winding up at our private beach in the resort town of Guernville. The length of the trip is 10 miles and normally takes between 3-3.5 hours actual on the water canoeing/kayaking time. However, since this is self-guided most people picnic, swim, sunbath, etc. and are usually out close to 4 or 5 hours. You're allowed to take all day as long as you complete the trip by 5 p.m.