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James River Canoe Rental

James River Canoe Rental

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About

James River Canoe Rental is a kayak & canoe livery in Galena. They offer canoe, kayak, raft, paddleboard, and tube rentals for float trips on the James River in the Missouri Ozarks.

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Outfitter details

Disciplines
Kayaking, Canoeing

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Paddler reviews

What paddlers are saying

4.9· 134 reviews on Google
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  • M
    Marsha Burns· 3 months ago

    We had such a great experience! The staff was incredibly friendly, patient, and helpful from start to finish. They truly went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, had everything we needed, and knew exactly where to go. The whole process was easy and stress-free, and you can tell they genuinely care about their customers having a good time. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a fun and smooth kayak rental experience! Thank you for making our girls float trip one to remember!

  • C
    Curtiss Hollenbeck· 3 months ago

    We found Dana 4-5 yrs ago now. James river canoe rental is.my first choice when it comes to renting and day floating. The group always takes great care of us! We love the little bus with all our names on it! We love the boats, they are well cared for!

  • S

    This was the best experience I've had in a while as far as customer service goes. My husband booked this activity for us as part of a romantic get away back to Springfield, MO. He'd lived there in college and stayed for 10 years so we were catching up with friends and just having fun. We currently live in Atlanta, GA. I have not been canoeing since I was about 8 (so no fears). I am 33 and full of apprehensions, especially regarding water even though I can swim lol. We had a really rough start to the point I got out of the canoe and refused to go. The canoe seemed unstable and not so easy to steer. My poor husband understood and we came back. I was ready to quit and go back to the car. Dana (I think that was her name), suggested we do Kayaks for more stability instead. She was extremely, extremely kind and patient. Another staff had her child show me how easy it is to maneuver the kayak and that I'd be okay. After like 15 mins of assuring me and putting me at ease, they said a little prayer for me, gave me confidence and I was on my way. It was the most relaxing thing I've done in ages. 10/10 would recommend and thank you so much to the staff for being absolute angels. We will be back in the future!

  • M
    Mama Rogers· 3 months ago

    Very nice owners. Quick and efficient. Me and my family had a great time on our first kayaking trip. My only complaint is that the inside of the bus was covered in bird/chicken poop, even on the seats. I found that disgusting and unprofessional.

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Typical flow by month

1922 to 2026

The water at James River Canoe Rental typically runs highest in April, at a median 1,070 cfs, and lowest in September, at 186 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 74,300 cfs, in 2017.

Typical flow by month at James River at Galena, MO, in cfs
MonthTypical (cfs)Usual range (cfs)Relative level
January517263 to 1,020
February660318 to 1,210
March1,000536 to 1,920
April1,070530 to 1,945
May922494 to 1,940
June558315 to 1,350
July323201 to 567
August209145 to 328
September186126 to 335
October204125 to 392
November265163 to 760
December415183 to 980

Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 105 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for James River at Galena, MO (site 07052500). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.

Current conditions

78Go/ 100 conditions scoreBest day: Fri, Sep 25 (90)

Streamflow

137 cfs

Normal (29th)

Water level

3.84 ft

High today

82°F

Wind

9 kt

Gusts 20 kt

Rain chance

18%

Week ahead

Tue82°F18%
Wed81°F1%
Thu83°F1%
Fri87°F4%
Sat87°F17%
Sun80°F27%
Mon72°F19%

Forecast from Open-Meteo global models (NOAA & ECMWF).

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