Rent & Ride - Huguenot Flatwater to Pony Pasture

When the James River is running below 5′ (on Westham Gauge) this is a great route that will take you about 2-3 hours to float. Tubing is not really for folks who want to show up and have us provide instruction throughout the trip… if that’s what you’re looking for one of our guided trips is a better option for you! However, if you’re up for an on-your-own adventure where you take care of yourself out there, tubing could be your ticket! Tubing this stretch of the James is great for anyone ages 8+.

**Important** Park your car at “Pony Pasture Parking Area“– (searchable on Google Maps) — and our shuttle will meet you there with your tubes.  This trip meets at Pony Pasture Parking, not at our business location!

We’ll give you a ride up to the Huguenot Flatwater parking area, where we’ll review your route and furnish you with a river map. Then it’s off you go on your tubing adventure!  There is only one Class II whitewater section at the end…the rest is flatwater with varying current speeds at different water levels. About half way through the route is the William’s Island Dam (Z-Dam), a low bulkhead dam that you will need to portage around. There is a marked trail on Williams Island that we will point out to you during the shuttle ride where you exit the river and use a trail to easily walk around the dam. Trying to run the dam is a terrible idea and has led to people not making it off the river. It’s easy enough to get around, so do yourself a favor and don’t ruin your day… Portage and have a blast!

As the name suggests, for this service we are renting  you a tube and providing a shuttle from the take-out to the put-in.  After your trip we will meet you at the take-out where you parked so you can hand-in your tubes. 

Again,  park your car at the “Pony Pasture Parking Area” and our shuttle will meet you there with your tube. We strongly suggest arriving at least 30 mins early on weekends and holidays as parking is very limited and it might take awhile to find a space in the lot or on the road.

The tubes are 44″ highly durable PVC river tubes developed by Rocky Mountain Rafts who also make whitewater rafts. The thicker-gauge and abrasion resistance makes encounters with any rocks much better than lightweight floats you would find at a big-box store. Want a tube for your cooler? When booking, increase your headcount by one to account for the extra tube for your cooler. Bring cordage to secure your cooler in the tube and to attach the cooler tube to your tube. At the end of your trip, we’ll meet you back in the Pony Pasture parking lot so you can hand-in your tubes…easy!!

* Must be 8 years old or older

* Park policy is that alcohol is prohibited on the river. All drinks should be in cans or plastic containers…No glass please!

* People’s biggest regret is getting dehydrated and sunburned. So, do yourself a favor and pack ample water and sunscreen.

* Likewise, leave all towels, change of clothes, etc. in your car and have a plan for car keys and phones- we have NO storage for them…. there’s nothing worse than getting to the takeout with a phone and keys at the bottom of the river.

* We must have at least two customers to run a given shuttle- we’ll combine groups to make that happen. If you don’t see dates/times available, please feel free to call the shop at 804-560-0068 during business hours