Leavenworth River Float: Everything You Need to Know
In this post: Everything you need to know to plan an awesome Leavenworth River Float (without using a tour company), including where to start and end for a safe and fun day on the water.
Updated July 19, 2026
- Where is Leavenworth?
- When is the Best Time to Do a Leavenworth River Float?
- How to Plan a Leavenworth River Float
- Where to Start and End Your Leavenworth River Float
- How Long Does it Take to Complete a Leavenworth River Float?
- How Difficult is a Leavenworth River Float?
- Tips for a Fun and Safe River Tubing Experience
- What to Pack for a Leavenworth River Float
- Additional Suggestions for the Leavenworth Area
The weather is heating up in the Seattle area, which means it’s officially river float season! After months of cool, rainy weather, we’re always determined to soak up every minute of our all-too-short Pacific Northwest summer. One of our favorite ways to beat the heat is with a Leavenworth river float—a relaxing trip down the Wenatchee River with incredible mountain views, crystal-clear water, and just the right mix of sunshine and adventure.
If you’re planning your own Leavenworth river float, this guide covers everything you need to know before you go, including where to start and end your float, how the shuttle works, where to park, what to pack, important safety tips, and our favorite advice for making the most of your day on the river.
Where is Leavenworth?
Leavenworth is a charming Bavarian-themed mountain town located about two hours east of Seattle in central Washington. The drive follows Highway 2 over Stevens Pass, one of the most scenic road trips in the state. During the summer, it’s an easy drive with lush forests, alpine peaks, and plenty of places to stop along the way.
While Leavenworth is famous for its Christmas lights and festive holiday atmosphere, it’s just as magical in the summer. Warm, sunny weather, stunning mountain scenery, and the crystal-clear Wenatchee River make it one of the best places in Washington for a river float. Even better, the float ends right in town, so you can grab lunch, browse the shops, or treat yourself to ice cream after a day on the water.
When is the Best Time to Do a Leavenworth River Float?
River tubing in the Leavenworth area is highly dependent on the weather and water levels. Tubing is typically doable from mid-June through Labor Day, with higher water levels and colder water earlier in the year, and shallower, slower conditions as the summer goes on. If you’re looking to go earlier in the season, it’s wise to do some googling and check tubing company websites to see if they are currently running trips. You could even make a quick phone call to inquire about water levels and river speed if you want to cover your bases! It’s very important that you do your research and pay close attention to where you’re starting and ending your float to ensure your safety. That said, we’ve done the float described in this post numerous times in July and August and have always had a safe and fun time!
No matter when you go, the water in the Wenatchee River is quite cold, and depending what your tube is like, your butt may be down in the water throughout the duration of the float. Trust us when we say that you want hot and sunny weather to enjoy this activity. We’ve done it on cloudy and slightly chilly days, and it’s just not the same. Aim for a day with full sun (or at least mostly sunny) and temperatures above 85 degrees. Just be sure to lather on that sunscreen and drink plenty of water!
You also don’t want to start the float too late in the day. With trees towering along the river bank, the sun will dip down earlier than you might think, leaving the water (and you) in the shade – brr! We learned that one the hard way too.
How to Plan a Leavenworth River Float
If you’re looking to plan a Leavenworth River Float, you have a few options for how to do it depending how much autonomy you want vs a more supported experience.
Option 1: Book Through a Tour Operator
If you don’t have your own tubes and/or want the least amount of planning and coordinating logistics, you can book your trip through a rental company (details here). This could be a great option if you’re visiting the area! The tour operator will provide the tubes and transportation, so all you need to do is show up ready to have a great day on the river.
If you’re local and think you might want to do a river float again in future years, then we recommend purchasing tubes and coordinating the trip on your own, which is actually quite easy and affordable. This blog covers everything you need to know to make that happen. We have done a Leavenworth river float at least 1-2 times per year every summer for many years now. It’s become a favorite summer tradition for sure!
Option 2: Use the Free Leavenworth River Shuttle
If you are looking for a partially supported tubing experience in Leavenworth, then we recommend checking out the Leavenworth River Shuttle, which is completely FREE! This is a new service offered in recent years by the City of Leavenworth in partnership with the Wenatchee Valley Shuttle to make the tubing experience as smooth and hassle-free for floaters as possible. During summer 2026, this service is available on weekends only (Saturday and Sunday) and Labor Day from July 4-September 7. It runs approximately every 30 minutes between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. See the most up-to-date details here.
The best way to use the shuttle is to first drive to the put-in location (where you’ll START the float) to inflate and drop off your gear and all of your group members except for your driver. Once everything is unloaded, the driver can head to the East Leavenworth Boat Launch (Google Map Pin) to park the car for the day and hop on the shuttle which will take them back to the start to join the group and head out on the river.
So where do you start the Leavenworth river float? You technically have two options depending on the river levels: the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Public Fishing Access and the Bridge River Access Park off Icicle Road. We have more details about these options below. The free river shuttle stops at both of these locations when they are open.
Because we’ve been doing this float unsupported for so many years, we actually have never used the shuttle so cannot speak firsthand about the experience. It does seem to be very well organized and worth a shot if you want to float with your own tubes, but don’t want to deal with parking and walking like we’ll describe below. The only downside is that you are restricted to the shuttle’s operating days/hours, and I’m guessing it could get quite busy. If we were going to use it, we would be at the shuttle pick-up lot and ready to hop on the first ride at 10 a.m. We also recommend getting to the put-in lot early so you can pull in and inflate your tubes before the craziness begins, ie: lots of people arriving and the rental companies rolling in with their trailers. If you can arrive by 9 a.m., that’s ideal!
If you want the ultimate flexibility and don’t mind a walk, then the next option is for you . . .
Option 3: Shuttle Your Vehicles and Walk
As I mentioned above, we have done this Leavenworth River Float many times and have never used a tour operator or the shuttle. In the past, you were able to park at the Bridge River Access Park on Icicle Road as long as you arrived early. Please note that as of July 2026, this is no longer the case. You may only pull into the lot for 10 minutes to unload your gear and group members and will then need to find parking elsewhere. It seems like this change came about at the same time they launched the new shuttle. We are assuming that this parking restriction is only in effect during the days that the shuttle is running, but cannot confirm for sure.
Below is exactly how we coordinate our totally unsupported Leavenworth river float. Please note that this option assumes you are beginning your float at the Bridge River Access Park on Icicle Road. We have never started from the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery, but we might try this next year and will report back with those details!
- Arrive early at the Bridge River Access Park to inflate your tubes. We got there at 8:30 a.m. on a Saturday and were the very first car in the lot. By 9 a.m., a few more cars were starting to pull in and shortly after that, the tour operators will start making their rounds with big trailers of tubes. If you don’t want to feel rushed, it’s worth arriving at the river put-in by 9 a.m.
- Leave all of your gear and non-drivers at the put-in location. In our case, the three wives stayed behind while our husbands drove the cars to the end point (thanks, guys!). We went ahead and took the tubes down to the water and found a sunny spot to anchor to some rocks and just floated in place while waiting for them to return.
- Take at least one car to your end point. For this option, the end point for your Leavenworth river float will be at Waterfront Park in downtown Leavenworth. There is free parking here, and it’s a convenient location to be able to hop off the river, deflate your tubes, and then walk up the hill into town for lunch and shopping. If your group has multiple cars, you could choose to either leave them all in this same lot (making for a longer walk), or you could leave one car at Waterfront Park and hop into another vehicle and park as close to the river put-in as you can, shortening your walk.
- Head back to the river put-in site. If you only have one car or opted to leave all your cars at Waterfront Park, you will need to walk about 1.8 miles back to the Bridge River Access Park to start your float. In our case, our husbands all decided to park at Waterfront Park and walk back together, and didn’t seem to mind the walk and extra time to catch up before hitting the river (it took them about 35 minutes). The walk is mostly on sidewalks through town, and then there’s a wide shoulder along Icicle Road. The biggest benefit to this option is that your cars will all be waiting at the end when you get off the river — no need to shuttle group members back to their car on the other end of town. If that seems like too long of a walk, you can snag whatever parking spot you can find closer to the put-in — just be sure to mind any “no parking” signs so you don’t get towed or ticketed!
Where to Start and End Your Leavenworth River Float
Since so many people go through rafting companies, we found it hard to find clear information about how to do this Leavenworth river float on your own, including where to start and end. Our first time, we actually went to the end point thinking it was the start, inflated our giant raft, then realized we were in the wrong spot. We then opted to strap the raft to the roof of the car and (slowly) drove the few miles to the actual start, getting plenty of looks along the way. We’re hoping to save you from having the same issues we did with this Leavenworth river float map!
Where to Start Your Leavenworth River Float
As mentioned above, you technically have two options depending on the river levels: the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Public Fishing Access and the Bridge River Access Park off Icicle Road.
We have always started our float from the Bridge River Access Park off of Icicle Road (Google Map Pin) and floated in the Wenatchee River. We would love to try out the Hatchery put-in option, but it tends to close earlier in the season due to low river flows in Icicle Creek. For example, this year (2026), the Hatchery put-in location closed after 4th of July weekend due to low flows. Since we usually do this float later in July or early August, this has never been a good option for us, but we may look into it more next year and will report back here!
Getting to the Bridge River Access Park on Icicle Road
If approaching Leavenworth from the west (Seattle), you will turn right onto Icicle Road just as you start to head into town. There will be a 76 gas station on the corner that you can watch for to help you spot the turn. You will follow Icicle Road just under 1 mile, then you’ll come to a bridge that crosses the river. This is where you’ll start your Leavenworth river float. The trick is to take a left on the unmarked road just before the bridge. From there it’ll be obvious where to stop and unload.
Leavenworth River Float Map
Where You’ll End the Float
The end point for your Leavenworth river float will be at Waterfront Park in downtown Leavenworth (left side of the river) if doing the fully unsupported version, or at the East Leavenworth Boat Launch (right side of the river) if you took the shuttle. It will be obvious where you need to get out, as there are numerous warning signs telling you to not go past this point.
How Long Does it Take to Complete a Leavenworth River Float?
The exact timing will vary depending on where you put-in (see details above), the river conditions, and how often you paddle or stop, but it has typically taken us about 2-2.5 hours at a very leisurely pace when starting from the Bridge River Access Park. We typically only paddle (with our hands) or swim if we need to redirect away from rocks or the bank, and just enjoy the ride the remainder of the time.
Near the end of the float, you’ll come to a junction where you can either continue straight or go to the left around Blackbird Island. Going left will add 20-25 minutes to your trip so it’s a great option if you’re not ready to be done yet! You can also pull up to the shoreline and hang out for as long as you like to extend the day.
How Difficult is a Leavenworth River Float?
If done during the right conditions, this float is super duper easy, even for someone like me (Katie) who is a total baby when it comes to the water. There are virtually no rapids, just a few shallow spots over rocks, but we have had no trouble at all on past visits. The water can be deep in spots, so if you truly cannot swim, this is not the trip for you. But we found it to be a calm, smooth ride with no issues at all.
That said, this is nature and things can change in a heartbeat! Keep an eye on the weather and river conditions to make sure nothing is out of the ordinary (like flooding). Assess the river before you drop in. Do you see other people floating? Are the raft companies running as usual? Being observant and using common sense will help you make smart choices.
Tips for a Fun and Safe River Tubing Experience
Before you head out, we highly recommend checking out this article on smart tubing. It covers a lot of the basics that are good to know for your safety. We’re also sharing a few additional tips from our experience doing this float several times:
- Remember how draining the sun and water can be, especially for us Seattleites who don’t see the big orange guy very often! Pack plenty of water and sun protection.
- Keep trash to a minimum, and pack it ALL out. There’s nothing worse than seeing BudLight cans floating in this gorgeous river. We recommend bringing a dry bag that you can clip to your tube and put any trash in there right away so it doesn’t accidentally get away from you. You may also want a way to attach your sunglasses to you, or consider a hat instead. It seems like someone is always losing sunglasses on the river!
- You may want to bring a paddle to help navigate the river. We’ve never had too much trouble without one, but conditions can vary from day to day. The tubing companies typically provide frisbees to guests to use for paddling, which seems to work pretty well. Just be sure to not turn them into litter!
- Water shoes are your friend. We’ll cover this again in the What to Pack section, but it’s worth stating twice. Secure water shoes will be clutch when you have to walk over rocks in flowing water.
- Use common sense. This is nature, not a lazy river at a waterpark. Research water levels before you go, stay alert, watch out for obstacles in the water, and keep an eye on your group members.
- Don’t underestimate how tired you’ll be after the float! If you’re worried about making the long drive back to Seattle, consider planning in advance and book a spot to stay in town.
What to Pack for a Leavenworth River Float
- River tube (The more durable, the better. We’ve had good luck with this one. Also know that these tend to sell out during heat waves, so if you know you’ll want to float, it’s good to purchase your tube in advance). We have a large tube that fits 3-4 people (like this), and then take a few smaller tubes as well and typically tie together for at least part of the float.
- A way to blow up your tube(s), such as this air pump with multiple attachments. If you buy the smaller tube shown above, we also just happened to find that our leaf blower fits right into the air intake spots and works amazing! We use the leaf blower to inflate 95% of the way and then top off with our mouth.
- Sun protection (Sunscreen, sun shirt, hat, etc.)
- Sunglasses (At least one person always seems to lose their sunglasses. Leave your most expensive pair at home, and/or consider attaching them to yourself or opt for a hat instead)
- Water and a snack (We swear by Hyrdoflask water bottles, which keep your water totally cold even on really hot days)
- Dry bag and baggie for phone (Try to pack as light as you can, but for the items you must bring, you’ll definitely want a dry bag)
- Water shoes (These are so helpful if you need to walk in the river at all. Highly recommend a sturdy and secure pair such as these from Keen for women or men).
- Towel and change of clothes to leave in the car for after you’re done
- Life jacket (Even if you don’t wear it the entire time, it’s good to have on you just in case of an accident)
- Paddle or frisbee (If you want to bring one to help navigate the river more easily – something like this would work great)
Please know that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Additional Suggestions for the Leavenworth Area
There are a ton of things to do in Leavenworth, so we definitely recommend making a full day or even a weekend of your float if you can. Some of our favorite spots include Icicle Brewing (amazing for hazy IPAs), Blewett Brewing (great pizza), and Heidelburger (amazing burgers, curly fries, and shakes which really hit the spot after a day on the river). If you’re looking to do more things in the area, check out this post for inspiration (scroll to the bottom) or this one, which provides recommendations for the nearby Wenatchee area.
Looking for other ways to beat the heat? Consider a visit to one of Washington’s best beaches: Jetty Island, or head out to the incredibly beautiful Olympic coast.
We hope we’ve answered all of your questions about how to plan a safe and fun Leavenworth float trip, but please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. Stay cool and happy floating!
