frequently asked questions
What type of shoes should I wear?
TENNIS SHOES, AQUA-SHOES, RIVER SANDALS with Straps or other “secure footwear” are needed to protect your feet against sharp objects, cuts, scrapes, bruises and the rocky and often slippery river bottom while walking to and from the entry/exit points for tubing on the Guadalupe River.
NOTE: Flip Flops are not recommended for river tubing as they slip and slide easily when wet or muddy and offer very little protection for your feet. They also slip off your feet easily and float away before you can retrieve them, leaving you with bare and unprotected feet!
Sun protection?
SUN BLOCK or SUN SCREEN should be applied both BEFORE and DURING each float trip or any time you are in the sun for extended periods. It’s a good idea to bring a white short sleeve T-shirt and put it on if you begin to sunburn (see 3a below). We also sell sun block if you forget yours.A CAP, HAT or VISOR and SUNGLASSES will help shield your face, eyes and head from the rays of the hot Texas sun.
What about small children?
CHILDREN MUST be at least five (5) years old and MUST be accompanied by an adult for tubing on the river. Life jackets/vests are recommended for all children and all non swimmers and are provided “on request” at no charge with your tube rental. There are NO LIFE GUARDS ON DUTY, you will be on your own, use caution, think safety first!
Parents & Guardians: You are responsible for your children, so please watch your children at ALL times. Whitewater Sports reserves the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason. When river levels are above “Recreational Flows,” the River becomes more challenging and dangerous for children, seniors and non-swimmers, in which case we may not rent tubes to anyone who is at a higher risk by our estimations.
IMPORTANT: Guadalupe river tubing, swimming and river activities have both inherent and unknown risks and dangers. These include but are not limited to injury or loss of life. The Guadalupe river has no life guards and you will be on your own, use caution, think safety first! You will be asked to sign a waiver and release of liability for yourself and anyone else in your group before tubing on the Guadalupe River with Whitewater Sports.
Life jackets/vests are available for customers who request one (at no charge), please ask for a life jacket when you get your tube(s). It is highly recommended that you always go tubing with 2 or more people to keep an eye on each other and act as a “buddy system” in case help is needed.
How to check to make sure the river is open?
CHECK OUR WEBSITE right before you get in the car to head our way to make sure the River is Open. Sometimes a significant amount of rainfall up river (in the Upper Guadalupe River Valley) will cause the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to increase river levels at Canyon Lake Dam which are no longer safe for Tubing. Generally, they give the Public at least a 12 hour advance notice before increasing river levels in large increments.
Any changes in river conditions that would affect the safety of Guadalupe River Tubing will be posted immediately on our Website. This is very rare when it happens, but it does happen and thus the reason why we suggest checking our Website right before you head our way. Also while you’re on our Website, it would be a good idea to quickly check our Local Forecast for any drastic changes in weather conditions.
Containers and coolers?
GLASS CONTAINERS or STYROFOAM COOLERS are NOT ALLOWED on the Guadalupe River BY LAW and will be confiscated, with possible arrest(s) and fines up to $500. Coolers and ice chests may be checked for glass and or Styrofoam at any random time or point on the river by Law Enforcement Officials.
Do not take any valuables on the river!
DO NOT TAKE ANY VALUABLES ON THE RIVER as most items sink and are never found! Again, always leave your keys with a Whitewater Sports attendant and place your cell phones, jewelry and other valuables in a safe place!
Phones don’t float and do not work very well, if at all, after they have been submerged under water. Many people have lost wedding rings and other types of rings because fingers tend to shrink after being in the water for awhile, allowing ring(s) to slip off fingers into the river, never to be found again. We urge you to side with caution and do not wear any jewelry while tubing!