micks pine barrens canoe and kayak rental

Whether you are an experienced, or new at kayaking or canoeing, this is the place you will want to go in the heart of the Pine Barrens to rent one. They have numerous routes for whatever your level of expertise is to try. The Staff is the friendliest and best. They help you with whatever your needs are. They will set you up in the right kayak or canoe, and the best route through the pine barrens for you paddle down for your expertise. They will drop you off at your starting point and pick you up at your ending point. New to it all, no problem, they take real good care of you in setting you up so you have a great time. The different routes you can paddle through in the Pine Barrens are just so peaceful and beautiful. A great experience. So give them a try. From start to end Micks and their staff are the best all around. They also can transport you and your own kayak or canoe to your starting point and pick up point for a small fee. No disappointment here. Give them a try.

Friendly staff drove us a little up-river and then picked us up at the end of the trip. They had a 2,3, or 5 hr option. Could easily have finished faster but very peaceful. Only downside is that it is a little expensive.

Visited Mick's the last Friday in August with a bunch of families. Mick's canoe rental provides a great family activity that is close to home. The canoe/kayak rental was about $45/canoe includes transportation to and from the drop-off/pickup locations. It was about 10-15 minute trip by van to the drop-off location. At the drop-off location, Mick's staff quickly unloaded the canoes and got us on our way. Some reviewers mention that the vans are 'old'...that's part of the adventure!Our group did the Wading River - Hawkins Bridge to Evans Bridge trip, which is about a 3+/- hour trip -- your mileage may vary. We stopped along the river for lunch and let the kids play in the water for a bit. The water level was good (of course Mick's doesn't have any control over that) and relatively warm.Back at Mick's they have restrooms, showers to get cleaned up, and a small store to purchase t-shirts, snacks, and the oh-so important waterproof case for your smartphone.Can't wait to go back next year!

I took this canoe trip on a weekday. It was plenty of fun. They checked us in right away, took us to our destination and picked us up on time. The only draw back is that it looks like they have not invested anything back into the business since 1979. I would have liked Nicer buses, Nicer canoes,New paddles. Everything was just old. But when you are on the water, everything is forgotten.

My family loves going to Mick's to rent canoes and kayaks. The trips are fun and can be a bit challenging. It is a great family outing. I do recommend calling ahead to get the river conditions. If the water is too fast, only certain routes can be run and younger children will not be allowed on the river. If the water is too low, the trip will be slow and you may end up having to get out and pull your boat. Mother nature will prevail. However, my family has always had a good experience on the rivers no matter which trip we took. There are beaches along the way to stop and have lunch. Some routes even have a rope swing for use when the water is deep enough. Mick's drops you off and we never had to wait long to be picked up at the end. You can choose canoes or kayaks, singles or doubles. It is a great family day.

If you are looking for a relaxing trip down a non-threatening body of water in a picturesque environment...look no further! Micks has everything you need: bathrooms, changing rooms, showers, dry stuff bags to rent ($4) or buy ($20), blankets, t-shirts, sunscreen, you name it. They have trips varying in lengths and a large staff/supply as to accommodate many people at a time. Although you can call ahead and reserve (recommended for large parties) they don't need a deposit and can easily take walk-ins. It's a bit pricey, but not much more than their competition (which we used a few weeks earlier) which isn't nearly as accommodating. Bring your kids, bring your dog! Pack a lunch/blanket to enjoy a picnic at one of the many small "beaches"!

We've been going here every fathers day for the past 7 years. Mick's makes canoing in the pine barrens easy and fun. They have several different trips to choose from. You can check out all their information, download release forms, and get some pro tips for your trip through their website. If you still have questions, just call - they are thoroughly knowledgable and really friendly too. I highly recommend canoing with Mick's!p.s. just reading through some categories before posting my review and thought I should add the following:1. Plan on being on the water a minimum of 3 hours for the short trip. We usually pack a lunch and park our canoes on a beach to eat. Then we usually stop at a 2nd beach and do some swimming - this give the kids a break and a chance for us to stretch our legs. With the 2 stops our 3 hour trip usually winds up being a 5 hour trip.2. SUNSCREEN and bug spray - a must!3. Micks has port-a-pottys, but after leaving Micks there are no bathrooms, you are in the woods on a river, so plan accordingly...4. Most of the trip is just you and the river, but if you pick the 3 hour trip you do go by a campsite near the beginning of the trip, its a family campsite and people are really friendly. If you have kids, or are a kid at heart, pack a water gun... I'm just sayin

We went today with 32 people and had a blast!!! Most of us rented canoes & some had kayaks. It was very pretty & relaxing. I highly recommend going for a very fun day!!

We have been going to Mick's a couple of times each summer for various kayaking routes. The staff is friendly and very informative about the different routes. Bathrooms and changing areas are very clean and well-maintained. One of our favorite places to go each summer.

We use them to rent canoes and drop us off then pick us up after a 4hr canoe trip. Seems like prices continually rise each year, but what else can you do. Not really sure of another way to go about our canoeing ventures without using Micks. Kind of a neutral experience..

Kayaking in the Pine Barrens is really a very special experience. Once on the river, you are a million miles away from civilization. Today we rented kayaks from Mick's and had a perfect day. All you need is the money to pay for the rental and Mick's transports you to the put-in spot of your choice. We chose a 3 hour trip down the Wading River. Since we really wanted a 4 hour trip, we made the 3 hour into a 4 hour trip, with lots of stops along the way to rest, enjoy the moment, and eat. Fall is an especially beautiful time to float down this river, but the current can carry you with only a little expert paddling to avoid the fallen trees, etc. in the river. Next spring we're returning to do the Oswego River - and a longer day on the river. Great experience - and good people at Mick's.

I recently reserved a group campground at Hawkins Bridge. First, when we arrived, there was trash still strewn about. Second, the directions that we received when we called the office were a set of GPS coordinates. Each car put in the same coordinates and wound up taking a different route each. We were aware that we would be on some dirt roads, but many of the roads were not suitable unless you had a SUV. 2 cars were towed that weekend. There were no signs or warning signs and one car even got directions from the visitors office and then were subsequently stuck in a sand ditch half a mile away from camp. Third the group campsites are located right next to each other in a large clearing (not expected) so while there were no other large groups except for ours, if ther ewas, there was no privacy. Also, when i called the office i asked if the firepit had a grill and i was told no. WHen i arrived, there was a grill. all in all, it seemed like the visitors office gave little information that was quite poor and put a huge damper on our trip. Had they been more specific, we couldve avoided the trouble. I will not be returning here.It seems that unless you were already in the know about the campsites, you could run the risk of getting our car stuck in one of the many poorly maintained dirt roads leading to the campsite.

Want to go canoeing or kayaking and don't have the gear? Micks is the answer. They offer one stop renting. Come in, pick out what type of watercraft you want, which river you want to explore, and how far you want to go. They'll get you your gear (including life jackets, paddles, etc), drop you off, and then pick you up at the end. If you have to cut your journey short, they'll pick you up at an earlier drop off point. Suggestions:- Rent a dry sack for your lunch, keys, phone, etc. If you have something on you that can't get wet, it guarantees that you'll tip in at some point and ruin it.- Reserve ahead of time on nice weekends, they do book up on occasion. I've never had them book up, but I usually boat in the offseason.- You have a life jacket, wear it. People die on these rivers every few years. Plus, it's the law in state parks.- Stick a few bills in your pocket to tip your drivers.My suggestion is to canoe the Wading River. It winds its way through miles of love pine forest, cedar swamps, and through a few marshes. Just this year, I've spotted snakes, turtles, and plenty of birds. You'll pass under a few bridges too, which make nice markers. I usually canoe from Hawkin's Bridge to Bodine Field Campground (where I camp for the weekend). Hawkins to Evans is also a lovely run.The river is usually pretty clear of obstacles (especially compared to the nearby Mullica), but this is a deceitfully quick river. Expect to crash into a few bushes and low hanging branches while you adapt to it's curves and pace.I only have one complaint about Micks, which is the prices have been creeping ever upward over the years I've used them, especially since they absorbed their main competition - Pine Barrens Canoe Rental. The prices aren't outrageous, but they used to be a better deal.

We were in Surf City for a family reunion and looking for something to do when one of my brother's found Mick's. We signed up for the 3 hour trip on the Wading River. It took about 30-40 minutes to drive to Mick's from Surf City. We got a little lost - Mick's is in the Pine Barrens so you're hemmed in on all sides by pines, no mountains; so everything looks the same. We got there around 9:30 am (on a Tuesday) and there were only a few cars in the parking lot. About 40 minutes later the place got a lot more crowded. Mick's not only rents out canoes and kayaks, but can drop you and your equipment off and do pick up.The desk person was super friendly and helped us figure out what canoes and kayaks to rent. Except for my two teenagers, we are all novices. One brother, his wife and kids (9 and 5 yrs old) took a canoe. My husband and I took a canoe. My kids (17 and 14 yrs old) took a double kayak. My other brother and one kid (12 yrs old) took a canoe; his other son (14 yrs old) took a single kayak. We left all our electronics behind except me because my cell phone had Verizon. They gave me a ziplock bag with their phone # on it for my phone. We got some basic advice and directions on the river route.We piled into a small school bus that hauled our canoe and kayak rentals. We were dropped off at Hawkin Bridge. We put on some slightly mildew-smelling life vests and then were off. The Wading River is very placid. We're from Colorado and are used to rivers with lots of white water so I was a little concerned about the seeming lack of safety instructions or the need for a guide. My trepedations were quickly dispelled when I realized how calm the river was. By the way, do not wear white or anything that stains. The river water is a very dark red brown because of the iron content in the surrounding soil. It was hard to tell how deep the river was in most parts because of this.Even though the river is very calm, it's very curvy and being novices we occassionally ran into banks or tree limbs. We got pinned twice against logs but were able to free ourselves. My brother and his family in the canoe flipped once. Everyone in our group can swim which, as calm as the river is, was a good thing.The river is very peaceful and we were able to enjoy the quiet on the straight stretches. As a 51 year old parent who works outside the home, I really, really appreciated this.There are a number of sandy banks along the route where you can pull out for a break. Near the end of our route there was a rope swing that the kids had a great time with.We finished in just under 3 hours and called Mick's to be picked up. They showed up promptly in 5 minutes.Mick's is not a fussy, fancy place. They provide basic equipment and services that allow others to have an enjoyable and simple river experience. The entire family gave Mick's and the river experience a thumbs up.

The Oswego River in the New Jersey Pine Barrens is one of the prettiest rivers you can kayak. If you want to canoe it, it is best to do it in the spring after a lot a rain because it is generally too shallow for canoes in the summer. Since kayaks need less water, that is the better option. It winds through a beautiful forest. You start out with a short paddle across Lake Oswego, a short portage over a cranberry bog impoundment and then on down the river for 2-3 hours depending on how much you paddle or how fast the water is moving which isn't usually very fast. At the end, you paddle across Harrisville Lake to the beach. The first part of the lake is shallow and full of water lilies, a beautiful site to see when hundreds of them are in bloom. Along the way you will often see turtles slide into the water from logs where they are resting until they see you coming. There are a couple of beaches along the way to stop and have lunch.If you have two cars, you can put your own canoes in at Lake Oswego and leave one car at Harrisville Lake. Or you can put in at Harrisville Lake and paddle upstream for a while and then float back down.Mick's Pine Barrens Canoe and Kayak Rentals will put you in at Lake Oswego and take you out at Harrisville. You can rent boats from them or they will transport yours.