Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District

Related:	main electric riverside
Category:	Canoe & Kayak Rental Service
Address:	6249 River Rd, Glen Arbor, MI 49636, USA
Phone:	+1 231-334-4420
Site:	crystalriveroutfitters.com
Rating:	4.7
Working:	10AM–5:30PM 10AM–5:30PM 10AM–5:30PM 10AM–5:30PM 10AM–6:30PM 10AM–6:30PM 10AM–5:30PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 17

Philip Champion

My girlfriend and I spent a long weekend in Glen Arbor this past weekend. It was the down season for the area so theres not a lot to do. I did notice that Crystal River Outfitters was open and had good reviews online. We arrived to the shop around 1:15 PM. Outside were only fat tire bikes, but I wanted the "comfortable" bike that I saw online. Ethan was the only staff member working. I asked him if we would be able to get the comfortable bikes for 4 hours. He let us know that they dont have those out yet until the spring weather arrives. I was pretty bummed and I think he could tell. I was willing to pay for the fat tire bikes. Instead Ethan wanted to go out back to the shed and dig out two bikes for us. It was awesome. He didnt have to do it. It didnt seem like a burden for him either. He gave us suggestions on which routes to take and pretty accurate directions. We were out on the trails for about 2.5 hours. A lot of fun. When we arrived back to the shop we told Ethan the trails were all clear of snow. The next day we drove by the shop and he pulled all the "comfortable" bike out of the shed and had the available to rent. Ethan was awesome and gave us a good start to a vacation weekend. I recommend anyone visiting the Glen Arbor area to rent equipment from Crystal River Outfitters.

John S

The outfitters themselves were fine. The staff was helpful and friendly. The river itself was incredibly boring. There are no rapids. It doesnt even speed up at all. There was very little wildlife, and you can hear cars going by for a lot of the trip. The only fun part was when you "shoot the tube" where you basically go through a culvert under the road. The average speed of the river is .5 mph probably. In some places it felt like a swamp or a pond. Because it is so slow, you have to paddle continuously to keep from running into the hundreds of trees that have fallen into the river. If you stop paddling at all, you will be sideways in seconds. This makes for a very tiring and not very relaxing trip if you go for the 2-3 hour one. The average depth is less than a foot. I was basically never able to fully submerge my paddle before it hit the bottom. I only weigh 165lbs and I got stuck in my single person kayak at least 10 times. If you weigh more than 200lbs you might as well walk the river as you will be stuck constantly on the sandy bottom or a tree.

Malanie Beverly

We came here for our first canoeing experience--and it was phenomenal! It took us three hours, and as beginners, we ran into many a tree, etc. However, once we got the hang of it, we enjoyed the smell of wildflowers and forest, the feeling of (literally) crystal clear water, and the excitement of rowing. We jumped overboard several times to swim in the very shallow water, which was so refreshing. Some of the party grew terribly tired (we had toddlers and it was a seven mile journey). But I highly recommend this particular place for a happy experience in beautiful Michigan.

Nathaniel Lewis

For renting bikes unbelievably unhelpful and subpar. Staffers were very unhelpful for anything other than moving the seat post and even on that it was not a gaurentee that it would be properly aligned and straight after adjustments. There is no patch kit or multi tool supplied by the shop so if you intend to bike out on trails make sure you have someone in your group follow by car just in case or bring your own saddle bag with tube and multi tool. Probably only plus was the pricing and the staff was friendly enough.

Bunni V

A much enjoyable alternative to the Platte and Riverside. Staff is actually helpful, and not bothered when you ask questions. I would not recommend this river for someone thats never canoed before, because of the couple portage sites, and it is a bit more winding, so more turning is involved. But Ive seen many kids do just fine in their own kayaks. Wildlife during the middle of the day is scarce. Ive been doing canoe and kayak trips in the area for 15 years, this is my favorite one.

A Private User

Matt, Katy and the staff at Crystal River are so wonderful and know our family every time we come to Glen Arbor! On top of renting equipment, they also have some wonderful clothing and accessories....a great place to stop if youre shopping in-town. We also love that its so close to Riverfront Pizza...we can get some sandwiches from Riverfront for our trip, and order a pizza for dinner after were done. Looking forward to seeing everyone again this summer.

Dale Adrian

These guys are great, explain everything to you prior to booking your trip. The Crystal River is amazing in its clarity and cleanliness. I would highly suggest the river trip, we had our 14 year old and 6 year old and they both enjoyed the entire afternoon on the river. If anyone knows how hard it is the impress a 14 year old , then youll understand. Definitely coming back for a fall ride down the river!!

Bob Ark

We rented 2 double kayaks for the 4 of us. Over 3 hours on a very leisurely pace down a very very shallow and slow 7 mile river. The cost was $84. They drive you up to the launch point, and you come back down river to the store. We did not see any wildlife [the kids were disappointed], but we all got an eyeful of the beauty of the area,

Nick Goessl

The Staff there at Crystal River outfitters were EXCELLENT! Their explanation about what trips to take and how long the trip would be were spot on. My family really enjoyed the trip and we will come back again in the future. Thanks for the great Staff!

Daniel Furseth

The water...WOW! Crystal clear and beautiful. The wilderness and trip were the best! No homes to see until the last few minutes. The staff was great. We took the 3 hour trip and wished it would not have ended. Cannot recommend enough.

Tricia McAllister

Great kayaking experience. The staff was wonderful. The river is beautiful. There are a lot of downed trees to navigate around which made it a bit more difficult than expected but I still really enjoyed it.

Tony Gaisser

We come up to Glen Lake multiple times every summer to visit family. We try to make it to the outfitters a few times a year. Kayaking across Big Glen and up the Crystal River is relaxing and beautiful.

A Private User

Great service and reasonable prices. The river is great for first time kayakers. The water is shallow and the current isnt too fast. Remember to bring bug repellent and sunscreen!

Andria Duncan

Pleasant staff! Took our own kayaks and they dropped us off. Did NOT have to wait for a minimum number of people for them to drop, which was great! Definitely going to come back!

A Private User

Very friendly staff, gave great instructions and was willing to stay open late so that we could do a half day bike rental. Kayak and bike rental all part of same owners.

Michael Toth

Cool place to get a bike rental or a kayak-down-the-river rental. Prices are reasonable for the area and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

Ryan Starks

Great customer service at a fair price. The Crystal River was amazing and the highlight of our trip to Michigan. Dont miss this adventure.