Fine river provisioners since 1976
Canoes, Kayaks & Tubes
Explore the historic and scenic New River on an exciting and fun river adventure with Zaloo’s Canoes.
Jefferson, N.C.
Trips starting at $20
7 days // 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Only the finest river adventures
Zaloo’s Offers the Best Canoe, Kayak & Tube Trips in N.C.
Situated on the New River in Jefferson, NC, Zaloo’s offers the finest canoe, kayak, and tube trips in the area. The New River is a great canoeing, kayaking, and tubing river for a child’s or beginner’s first river experience — pets love it too! With its gentle flow and beautiful surroundings, the New River is sure to wow and stun the whole family and provide a priceless set of unforgettable memories. We are open seven days a week for your canoeing, kayaking, and New River tubing adventure needs from early April through late fall.
Starting at $55
Canoeing
From 5 miles to 3 three days, we offer the best canoe trips in the North Carolina mountains. Explore the New River in a canoe from Zaloo’s.
Starting at $35
Kayaking
Go it alone in one of our top-of-the-line sit-on-top kayaks or team up with an adventure buddy in a tandem kayak for two.
Starting at $20
Tubing
Sit back and relax as you tube down one of the most scenic and gentle stretches of the New River that North Carolina has to offer.
Customers love us
Our Reviews
Amazing staff and an Amazing experience. The staff checked on us multiple times and were very helpful. We damaged a boat but they were very kind about it. They also took special care of the kids who fell in the water. I would definitely recommend this and I will be going back!read more
Virginia Overbay
23:03 17 May 19
Friendly people and quality equipment and gear. They had an employee quit which made our shuttle pickup take longer than expected. ... but they tried to make it right at the end.read more
David Burgess
17:12 26 Aug 18
It was so much fun! The water was 73 degrees and crystal clear. It was nice to take a nice lazy tube trip down the river. The staff were very friendly. I...read more
Tracey G.
13:52 15 Jul 18
Really enjoyed my time on the new river. Zaloo's made the trip easy to plan and easy to enjoy. Time spent with the family was priceless. One moment in time made a lifetime memory. Thanks Zaloo's for making it easy.read more
mike reitzel
01:32 20 Aug 18
Our family went tubing yesterday and had a Blast! It maybe our new yearly thing to do! Thanks so much for a great experience!
Elaine Kiser
17:22 13 Aug 18
Such a great time. When you check in, they have you sign a waiver for the van, and explain what the process is, and fit any young kids for life jackets....read more
Alexandra W.
07:09 09 Jul 18
Always fun with the family the ten Mile canoe trip is where it's at take plenty of sunscreen and try to go when the water is up for minimal dragging on the rocks. Also I'm clear on this now but it wasn't made clear to me that I had the option to hang out and play longer because they pick up every hour so I was pretty upset we paddled down river and stopped for a quick lunch but had to paddle fast to get to our 2:30 pickup on our 10am trip I would have stayed a little longer till 330 or 430 had I know so the kids could enjoy the water. Just something that should be made clearer when you about to head out onto the water 👍read more
David Benge
12:18 06 Jul 18
Great time!! Fast, friendly service. We were super spontaneous and didn’t make a reservation (I wouldn’t recommend doing that though) and they worked us right in.read more
Whitney Eidson Simpson
23:08 30 Jul 18
Great staff and great time! The whole experience was top notch. I did the 2.5 hour tube float w my wife.. relaxing and well worth it.
Anthony R.
11:09 02 Jul 18
We have been here twice and it was a fun experience both times. It is a self guided river tubing after being dropped off. It is a leisure float down the river. If you do a straight through it is about 2 hours. If bring lunch and stop @ one of the spots on the side of the river it may take 2.5-3 hours. This is on the South Fork of the New River in Ashe County, NC. Well worth the visit. We plan to do a canoe or kayak this summer.read more
Brian Wray
04:34 05 Apr 19
My wife and I did the tubing while our adult kids did the five mile canoe trip. Everyone had a great time. The staff is very helpful and friendly. We will definitely do it again!read more
Billy Boston
18:20 29 Jul 18
I trekked up here with a huge group of coworkers and their families in order to do the 5-mile float down the river. They all rented canoes and kayaks from...read more
Jonathan U.
03:00 30 Jun 12
Wonderful experience! We had a great time and the employees were awesome! We did the 5 mile run...but because the water was a little faster than usual, we were done in an hour and a half. (suppose to take 2-3 hrs) The river had some fun little rapids and swift water in spots, which made it fun! We will definitely be back! (We'll just make sure we sign up for the 10 mile run)read more
Lori Biggers
23:09 29 Sep 18
Second time tubing with Zaloo’s. Beautiful view, peaceful ride. We bring a cooler with lunch and beverages and plenty of sunscreen. Always lots of shallow spots to get out and enjoy the water. Never a problem putting tube in or getting out. Best to wear water shoes.read more
Kelly Hilliard Royer
23:13 06 Jul 18
The water was clear and clean. Plenty of places to stop and play on rocks or on the banks of the river. They did a great job being ready when we were there to pick up our kayaks as well as picking us up. I wish there we're better landmarks to let us know how far up the river we had gone and how much more time until our final destination. We did the 10 miles tour which took us just over 5 hours with plenty of stops.read more
Peter Henderson
14:19 16 Jul 18
We had so much fun tubing the New River. Zaloo's is great. Everyone was friendly and very helpful!!! Can't wait for our next trip!
Melissa Sullivan Lira
18:30 21 Aug 17
This was our first time tubing and it was a great experience! My 2 kids (ages 4&5) loved it. staff was super friendly and answered all our questions. This was such a fun activity, we will definitely be back again!!read more
Erin Burns
12:13 06 Aug 18
We had a blast tubing today! It was all very laid back and user friendly. Our driver was extremely nice, took our picture before we launched (his idea too!) and told us facts about the river on the drive over. We absolutely recommend this company and this relaxing float! Our trip in the tubes was a little over 2.5 hours. Someone grabbed our tubes upon return and everyone was very helpful!read more
Brittany Johnson Koontz
01:24 24 Jul 17
We had a party of 10 (ages ranged from 10-65) spend an afternoon floating on the river ...it was wonderful!!! I highly recommend going to Zaloo's for a day filled with fun and relaxation. They are a great bunch of friendly folks from beginning to end of you day...Thank youread more
Beth Black
11:21 20 Jul 17
We had fun! Just make sure to get a paddle because you'll need it! But I don't have any complaints. Easy booking process and all around great trip ! We stopped and let the kids play and ate lunch took us around 3 hours from start to finish.read more
Aly Lindsey
15:49 17 Jul 17
We had a blast! This is our second time and we loved it! We had a group of 13, ranging in age from 15 to 50+, and had NO TROUBLES getting in and out at our stops. It's not rocket science...just common sense. If you plan on getting in a tube and never stepping foot in the beautiful, crystal clear water, then you're wasting your time! The trip can be 1 1/2 hours or 5 1/2 hours, depending on what YOU make of it. Stop every once in a while, get out of the tube and enjoy it! We literally stopped at the rocks in the middle and skipped rocks for 1/2 am hour. � Oh and honestly, you didn't have fun unless you come out with a skinned knee or two! Good times!The people that run the show....superb, friendly people! Hey Sam...someone in my group may want them digits! Hahahaharead more
Angie Silver
15:01 16 Jul 17
We enjoyed tubing with Zaloo's Canoes. Perfect weather and friendly staff. The trip down took us about 2 and 1/2 hours. We will be back before school starts!read more
Sheri Elledge Chapman
15:03 08 Jul 17
Had a great time, what was supposed to be a 3hr 5mile kayaking adventure turned into 1hr because of all the rain that just fell which made the river full and running pretty fast down stream.read more
Taylor White
13:02 06 Jul 17
We had a lovely time on the river in tubes. The only drawback was the trip wasn't as long as we thought it would be. The ride down the river was actually more like 1.5 hours, rather than 2-3. We'll know next time to stop and play around a bit more in the water. We went at the end of the day, so we wanted to make sure we got back before they closed. But we had lots of fun and lots of laughter.read more
Tracey Deitz Harris
22:50 29 Jun 17
We love this place. We've been going since 2001 and love the service and friendlyness we get. Just an awesome place!! ❤️
Amy Dowell McGuire
11:55 22 Jun 17
This was our first time canoeing, and we had a fantastic experience. Me, my 12yo son, and our crazy dog set off in a very sturdy canoe after being given clear and precise instructions for where we were going, and shown pictures of landmarks to watch for that were well before the take-out point. Jamie was very thorough in making sure that we knew where we were going.The river itself was lovely; running a little low and we got stuck on rocks in a few places, but whose fault is that...? It was a very calm and peaceful route, perfect for us beginners who may or may not have been just a tad nervous. I wasn't sure how long it would take us just floating, so we did do some rowing to keep moving along -- we got to the take out about an hour ahead of time, so we probably didn't really need to row. We didn't mind waiting, as the river was pretty shallow there. We pulled the canoe up the steps and then let the dog swim and play some to pass the time. We had a really great time, and will DEFINITELY go back to Zaloo's again, maybe for the longer trip...? We had barely gotten a hundred yards down the river, and my son was already asking to come back this weekend to do it again!TWO THUMBS UP, ZALOO's!read more
Jillian Angell Huie
18:49 20 Jun 17
We have a blast every year!! Haven't had a bad experience yet!! Props to Matt for putting up with us on the ride back Saturday!!
Amanda Sharpe Moose
00:51 12 Jun 17
Everyone is very nice and eager to answer questions. Have used this service 7 times so far and have never had a problem. Keep up the great work!!
Martha Grissom
16:23 25 May 17
Great, relaxing ride until it came time to exit. Climbing a steep bank while fighting a strong current was rough on this old man.
Jerry Rodgers
18:38 21 May 17
Great customer service. We had a rain check (stamped, good for one year) that was three years old. Zaloo's honored the rain check!Always outstanding service.read more
Dean Phillips
19:59 14 Apr 17
We booked our third 10 mile canoe trip with yall yesterday. This was our best trip so far!!!!!.....water level was awesome. ..employees awesome. ..looking forward to our next adventure. .maybe the 2 day trip??!!!...thanks Nina and Mike Milam and Eric Milam and Joy Spielberg. ... (soon to be Joy Milam)read more
Nina Milam
15:15 10 Jul 16
We had such a great time today! The staff was very friendly, the facilities were well taken care of. The tubes were great quality. Amazing experience.read more
Lara Lee Raper
01:51 03 Jul 16
Canoed with Zaloos at least 5 times and tubed twice. We tried some other canoe and tube companies and Zaloos is the best! The section of the new river they use is much better than other places as well. Just enough rapids to be fun without being risky.read more
Eric Kissel
01:24 23 Jun 14
Family oriented. Beautiful and clean scenery. Please folks keep it that way. Courteous staff. Very affordable. Kudos to you guys. You are the best. Please tip the driver's they are amazingread more
Andrea Campbell
00:11 07 Jul 18
My husband and I went for our first tubing adventure on the New River this past Saturday. We had a blast. A few bumps and bruises, but other than that, it was alot of fun. The folks at Zaloo's Canoes were helpful and so friendly. We will go back!read more
Dawn Ward Myers
16:16 22 Aug 17
Had Mother Nature cooperated, it would have been perfect ! She's one that can't be tamed. Everything else was fabulous. Water temp was tolerable and the trip down the river was gorgeous and relaxing . My favorite was the cooler float and spending time with my cousin. Will totally tell everyone about this place and recommend it highly. Staff was wonderful as well and very helpful. I'll be back!read more
Karen Batson Ray
23:45 01 Aug 17
Took the 5 mile kayak trip. Was great!! Beautiful scenery, peaceful, great weather and water level perfect! Took two hours. Would love to go back! Got me a Zaloo’s t-shirt just like I had when I was a teenager (canoe/ moon goddess)!read more
Phaedra Reed
13:45 29 Jul 18
What you Get
Amenities, Services & Travel Guide
Free WiFi
Ample Parking
Knowledgeable Staff
Fishing Licenses
Gear for Sale
Food & Drink Available
Ice Available
Group Rates Available
Fresh Coffee Daily
Restaurants
Lodging
Need More Guidance?
We’re Here to Help
Have questions about our trips or services or need more help planning your trip to our area? Ask our knowledgeable staff any and all of our questions — we’re always happy to help!
Start your adventure today
Book Online
Save some time in line at check-in by booking your next Zaloo’s river adventure online!