Two Local Rivers Named Among Best In Country For Tubing
Two relatively local rivers have been named among the best in the nation for tubing. USA Today named its top ten in a recent web post.
Checking in at number five on the top-ten list is the Apple River in Somerset, Wisconsin. Although not technically in Minnesota, the river is frequented by Minnesotans young and old.
The Apple River in northwest Wisconsin has a serene, meandering current for a relaxing two- to three-hour tubing experience, as well as some rapids in the last half of the 77-mile river for thrill seekers. Tubing is insanely popular along the river with a wealth of camping resorts and outfitters, especially in Somerset, serving as the main put-in/take-out point for Apple River tubing.
I have been on the Apple River twice, once as a teen and once as an adult. As a teen I had a great time and really, really wanted to go back to try it again.
As an adult... ok, I have to be honest it was nasty. The water smelled kind of swampy, there was that nasty foam all over the place and drunk people everywhere.
The Root River in Lanesboro, Minnesota (located between Rochester and Decorah, Iowa) is ranked third on the USA Today's list.
With oak and hickory tree-topped bluffs gradually giving way to rolling pastures, Minnesota's Root River offers floaters a wealth of scenery. The slow-flowing South Branch of the river is a popular stretch for floating, particularly on a hot summer day.
The number one river for taking a tube ride is the Shenandoah River in Virginia.