Where to Go Tubing Near Indianapolis | Noblesville River Tube Trips

We love finding things to do in the water during the summer months. River tubing is so much fun and if you’re wondering, where can I float the river near me, I have ideas! For us, a tubing trip at White River Canoe Company was a great fit.

This outdoor adventure business gives visitors experiences canoeing, tubing, and kayaking on the West Fork of the White River northeast of Indianapolis in Noblesville.

River Float Trip near indianapolis

River Tubing with Kids

Before we had kids, our group of about 20 adults would spend one of the last weekends of August camping out. Our Saturday entertainment was a river excursion aboard a tube on the river. We would pack giant coolers full of adult beverages and snacks and spend 3-5 hours just floating, listening to music, and telling stories. About ten years ago, all of us started having children and it became difficult to get away for a weekend.

One summer, we decided to take our 4, 5, 8, and 10-year-old on a similar adventure, but make it family-friendly. Since Noblesville is just about 30 minutes from our home near downtown Indy, it’s the perfect location for this summer activity.

river tubing near indianapolis

White River Canoe Company

This outfitter sits right on the White River and their site is where you’ll start your adventure and end your adventure. Pull into the driveway and check in at the office to get started on your tube rentals. Be sure to fill out your waivers online before you arrive to save time and avoid a $5 paper waiver fee. Otherwise, you can do this from your phone when you arrive.

After checking in, drive your vehicle to the bottom of the hill where you’ll be given a life vest (children aged 13 and under are required to wear life jackets). You may want to consider bringing your own if you have a more comfortable option in your collection. These life vests are the standard blocky, orange type. If your child is under 30 pounds, please bring your own that has a strap between the legs. If you’d like to join your tubes together, ask for some tube straps.

From here, you’ll wait for a school bus to come pick you up and take you upriver to Potter’s Bridge where you’ll begin your journey down the river and go tubing. This is the location where you’ll end up getting out of the river after your tube trip. You can also leave one vehicle at this site (River Road Site, 17180 River Road, Noblesville) and then skip the shuttle services and drive yourself to Potter’s Bridge and meet the equipment truck there. Just don’t forget your keys!

White River Canoe Company is open seven days a week during the warmer season. Their hours are 9 am – 2 pm, Monday through Friday with extended hours on Saturday and Sunday.

natural lazy river tube trip

River Tubing in Indiana

White River Canoe Company now offers two different trips for guests interested in a river float. There’s a short river tube trip that has a drop-in at the Forest Park ramp. This will give you about an hour to an hour and a half river tube trip back to the livery.

You can extend your time by paddling back upstream or hanging out on the banks of the river in the sand bar (gravel).

The longer trip can take four or five hours to float and is great for families with older children, experienced tubers, and adults. This is the river float trip we took our family on and it was great!

Indiana Tube Trips

River conditions dictate how long your tube float trip is. When there has been a lot of rain, the river is higher and moves quicker. When it’s been dry, the river moves slower and you may need to get out of your tube more often to drag your tube through low areas. There aren’t really any rapids on this trip, but if you’re looking for white water rafting in Indiana, check out South Bend!

On the day that we took our trip, it hadn’t rained significantly in about two weeks. My daughters enjoyed dragging us through some areas and steering us clear of fallen tree debris, but it wasn’t bad at all. Our trip took about 3 1/2 hours and it was fantastic, save for a few moments in the beginning when one of my children decided this wasn’t the activity for her — but she changed her mind after a little while.

While you’re floating down the river, you’ll see all kinds of animals and insects, beautiful homes, hiking and walking trails, bridges, and trestles. You’ll have opportunities to get out on islands and shorelines. It’s like a trip down the ultimate lazy river.

There are shells to find, creek stomping, fishing and so many other things to do along the way. We typically eat our lunch and snacks in our tubes but we’ve also stopped along the shore to enjoy a snack.

river floating innertube places

What to Pack for Your Indiana Tube Trip

My children are happy as long as they don’t get “hangry” or thirsty, so I bring a lot of snacks and water. I pack them in a soft-sided cooler and then I rent a cooler tube to drag the cooler down the river with us. You’ll also need to slather yourself with sunscreen (we use Cotz Mineral Sunscreen so that it doesn’t burn our eyes when we swim or sweat), as the sun is intense in the water and there are very few shady spots. I also bring along sunblock to reapply when we’ve been swimming or I feel the heat getting into my skin. For reapplying, I typically bring along a spray-on sunscreen so I can get my kids with it from my tube. Don’t forget to get the tops of your head, or wear a hat.

Sunglasses are a must, as the glare and reflection on the water can cause a world of hurt and damage. I also bring along my phone in a waterproof floating case so I can snap photos of my kids. Make sure you bring a soft-sided cooler bag with pockets to store your car keys in a ziplock bag. It’s always fun to bring along a waterproof Bluetooth speaker so you can listen to music as you drift along. You’ll need to secure it to your raft or cooler, so I like this one with the clip.

You’ll probably want a towel for the car ride home and maybe even a change of clothes.

where to go on a river tube trip

What to Wear on a River Tube Trip

Swimsuits are the best attire for an inner-tube trip, but anything will do. I also bring along a T-shirt just in case I need more sun protection. Proper footwear will make your trip more enjoyable, especially if you need to exit your tube and traverse rocky areas. I recommend Tevas or similar water shoes like Sketchers that have a strap, but I’ve also been able to get by with my Crocs.

river float tube tripBest Snacks for a River Float Trip

Drinks: Water (lots and lots of water), Gatorade, and Powerade. Glass is not allowed.
Snacks: pretzels, chips, granola bars, fresh fruit like apples, oranges, peaches, and cheese sticks.
Lunch: Uncrustables/PB&J, deli sandwiches, cheese and crackers.

If you’re looking for a summer adventure in the water, a float trip should be on your summer must-do list!

12 thoughts on “Where to Go Tubing Near Indianapolis | Noblesville River Tube Trips”

  1. Pingback: Sugar Creek Inner Tube Float at Turkey Run State Park

  2. I saw the tubers yesterday from Potter’s bridge and wondered how to get around the lack of social distancing with the packed bus. Parking at the lot is a good idea but how did you get back up to the lot without taking the packed bus?

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  4. This looks like fun! How did you social distance in the tubes? Were there a lot of other families in the water or is it easy to stay away? Are the tubes sanitized for each family? Thanks!

    1. We stayed in our own group and did not go near other people. Details about other social distancing measures in the article. I’m not sure about tubes being sanitized, so we brought Clorox wipes. Great question though! Have fun!

  5. Do you prefer this one or turkey run sugar creek tubing? I was leaning toward this one for location!

    1. I haven’t been to Turkey Run in a couple of years, but this one was so convenient and using our own cars was a great plan for us. Honestly, you can’t go wrong either way.

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  7. Pingback: Indiana Tubing Trips | Where to Go Inner Tubing in Indiana

  8. Pingback: White River Canoe Company | A Family Canoe Adventure

  9. Pingback: 20 Date Night Ideas in Noblesville, Indiana

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