Photo courtesy of Catherine Sheffo
As the middle of July ushered in a record heat wave for the northeast I couldn’t help but wish that I could spend all day floating in a lazy river, instead of nearly dying of heat stroke as I went about my daily business. Even as a kid, this water park staple was one of my favorites. Luckily, this week, I’ll be taking a trip north to the Clarion River and spending the day keeping cool and floating through the beauty of summer with a couple of my close friends.
This might be one of the easiest day trips I’ve ever organized. All you really need to bring is yourself, a swimsuit, a towel and snacks if you wish. My friends and I will be tubing at the Cook Forest State Park in Western Pennsylvania, which features a four-mile and 10-mile float. Without putting in any effort the four-mile takes about two hours, preferable in my opinion to the full day you’ll spend on the water otherwise.
Unlike canoe or kayak rentals, inner tube rentals are usually dirt-cheap. A single person tube rents for $3 per hour and a two-person tube for a little over $6 dollars per hour. You can also chose to bring your own tubes and float down unattended. However, free transportation is for renters only.
After tubing we’ll probably stop at one of the roadside outposts on the way in and out of the park. From ice cream stands, to mini golf and bumper cars, each one has a random collection of games or activities. I might even do another post on guided horseback tours, which two of outposts offer, if I have time later in the summer.
I also plan to stop by one of the Native American Trading Posts. While the shops themselves are far from authentic, they’re filled with arrowheads, jewelry and decorative stones that are cool to look at.
Needless to say, I’m really looking forward to my lazy river time later this week. It’s fun, cheap and relatively easy to find — although, I’m not sure about tubing options on the Potomac. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a new way to relax this summer, grab a tube and get going.
