If you’re floating the Elk River for the first time (or first time in a while), your first question is probably “what do I actually bring?” Short answer: water shoes, sunscreen, a dry bag for your phone, plenty of water, and a cooler with no glass. The full packing list is below, written by the people who run river operations, rent rafts, and watch what works (and what doesn’t) on the river every weekend from May through September.
Quick Packing List
Here’s the whole thing at a glance. The rest of the post explains the why behind each item.
The essentials
- Water shoes or strap sandals (not flip flops)
- Sunscreen
- Dry bag for phone, keys, and ID
- Plenty of water
- Sunglasses with a strap
- Hat with a brim
- Towel left in the car for the takeout
Clothing
- Swimsuit
- Quick-dry shorts and shirt (avoid cotton)
- Long-sleeve sun shirt or rash guard
- Dry change of clothes for the drive home
Cooler
- Soft or hard cooler within the size limit
- Ice or frozen water bottles
- Drinks in cans, never glass
- Snacks in sealed bags or containers
- We provide red bags for trash, just take them with you off the river
Leave at home
Anything you’d be heartbroken to lose
Glass bottles or jars of any kind
Styrofoam coolers
The Non-Negotiables
These are the items you’ll regret skipping. Every weekend we see floaters realize at the put-in that they forgot one of them.
Water shoes. Flip flops do not survive a float trip. They float away the second you step in, and you’ll spend the next four hours barefoot on a gravel bottom. A $20 pair of strap sandals or aqua shoes will save your weekend. Old tennis shoes work in a pinch.
Sunscreen, more than you think. The Elk is mostly open sky with intermittent shade. You will get burned if you skip this. Reapply once at the halfway point.
A dry bag. Phone, keys, ID, cash, a backup card. Put it all in a dry bag, roll the top three times to seal it, and clip it to the raft. You can buy a small one for under $15 most places. The River Ranch store sells them too if you forget.
Water. Floating in the sun for four hours is more dehydrating than people realize. Bring more water than you think you’ll drink, especially if you’re also bringing drinks that aren’t water. One full water bottle per person, minimum.
What to Wear
Two rules: dress for getting wet, and protect yourself from the sun.
Swimsuit underneath everything. Quick-dry shorts or board shorts over the swimsuit. A lightweight long-sleeve shirt or rash guard saves you from the worst of the sun and dries quickly. Skip cotton; once cotton gets wet it stays wet and gets cold.
A hat with a brim is more important than people think. Sunglasses with a strap (a cheap Croakies pair works fine) are the difference between losing them in the first 10 minutes and keeping them for the whole float.
Leave a dry change of clothes in the car. You’ll thank yourself on the drive home.
Cooler Rules
This is where most first-timers trip up.
Size limit: Coolers need to fit safely on your raft, canoe, or tube. Tube floats have the strictest limits. If you’re floating tubes and want to bring a cooler, we rent cooler tubes sized 21″ x 31″ that fit a standard cooler that size. Confirm what works for your trip when you book.
No glass, ever. This is the one rule we don’t bend on. Broken glass in the river is a hazard for every barefoot floater downstream. Cans only.
No Styrofoam. It breaks apart, ends up in the river, and is illegal in most Missouri waterways. Bring a soft cooler or a hard plastic one.
Secure it. Coolers flip. Tie it to a strap on the raft so it doesn’t go on its own float.
Pack it out. We provide red trash bags at check-in. Whatever came in with you leaves with you.
What NOT to Bring
A few things to leave at home or in the car:
Vapes or anything that drowns. Bring a small dry bag if you can’t seal it.
Glass. Worth saying twice. Wine, beer, mason jars, the fancy mixers your friend insisted on. Pour them into cans or insulated tumblers before you launch.
Expensive electronics. If you can’t afford to lose it or get it wet, leave it in the car.
Heavy fragrances. Sunscreen and bug spray are fine; strong cologne, body spray, and scented lotions attract wasps and bees.
Pro Tips From the Staff
A few things we’ve learned watching thousands of floats:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring beer or alcohol on the Elk River? Yes, as long as it’s not in glass containers. Cans only. You also have to be 21, and you’re responsible for staying safe on the water.
Are dogs allowed on the float? Yes. River Ranch is pet-friendly and dogs are welcome on all of our float trips. We recommend a doggy life vest just in case.
What if it rains? Light rain usually doesn’t cancel a float. Heavy storms or lightning will. We actively monitor the forecast and will text, call, or email you if conditions change before your trip. If lightning or storms move in during your float, we have on-river protocols to get you safely off the water.
How long does the float actually take? The 5-mile float runs about 2 to 4 hours. The 8-mile is closer to 4 to 6. Plan extra time for swimming, lunch on a gravel bar, and getting back to your car.
Do you provide life jackets? Yes, every floater gets one. They’re required for kids under 12 and strongly recommended for everyone else.
Can I bring a chair or hammock? Camp chairs don’t work well on rafts. A small foam seat pad makes a difference. Hammocks belong back at camp, not on the river.
What about kayaks and canoes versus rafts versus tubes? Rafts are best for groups and coolers. Canoes are the OG way to float, two or three people, paddle the whole way. Kayaks are the most maneuverable option for solo floaters, and we have tandems too for pairs. Tubes are the most casual, laziest, most relaxed option, but they’re also the slowest.
Thanks For Reading
Whether you spend the weekend on the river under the sun, at a glow float at night, or sitting on the gravel bar with a cooler, River Ranch is one of the better long-weekend destinations in the country right now. Memorial Day is when the season takes shape. Come float with us.
Written by the team at River Ranch Resort in Noel, Missouri. We’ve been outfitting Elk River float trips for over 45 years. Book Memorial Day weekend today!
