11+ Best Things To Know About Helen GA Tubing For A Totally Epic Time (2024)

Helen GA tubing along the Chattahoochee River is a rite of passage. It’s that thing that every local and visitor alike MUST do when coming within at least 100 miles of this Alpine-inspired city. Float down the Chattahoochee River – either with the family, with friends, or on a special adults-only outing. It’s a tubing trip you won’t forget as you float through Helen’s Alpine Village.

One summer, we took the boys for some tubing in Helen as part of their birthday celebration, and they are still talking about it!

Here are 11+ things you need to know before “shooting the Hooch” in Helen, Georgia.

Coolest Places To Stay In Helen

Where To Get Tubes

Our family took the “green tubes” down the river with the Cool River Tubing company in Helen. We started our adventure at their Chattahoochee Outpost. You can also start at the Headwaters Outpost, or visit their booth on Main Street.

The staff was super friendly, and it was easy to use their shuttle service to the drop-off point.

You can also take the “pink tubes” with Helen Tubing & Waterpark. We didn’t have the opportunity to try their tubing offerings, but we did check out the water park. In fact, the water slides there are one of the main reasons my boys wanted to visit Helen for their birthday.

The oldest was tall enough to go down the four slides – 42-inches and taller. The youngest is still too short, but he and I enjoyed the 1000-ft lazy river and the playground. The lazy river here is also a great alternative for those times when the water level is too low for tubing (see below).

Cool River Tubing vs. Helen Tubing

• There is only one ride down the river with Helen Tubing (one entrance and one exit point), while Cool River Tubing offers a long and short ride.

• Helen Tubing’s ride is about 2 hours long, depending on water flow. The shorter ride with Cool River Tubing is 1-1.5 hours and the longer ride is 2-2.5 hours.

• For Helen Tubing, kids must be at least 2 years old. Cool River Tubing requires kids to be at least 3 years old.

• Helen Tubing also has a water park with slides for an additional fee. Cool River Tubing offers adventure courses and ziplines you can also add on to your tubing!

• Helen Tubing recently added a 25-foot tall, 4-lane rock wall at their water park.

• Cool River Tubing has a picnic area for customers with pavilions, tables, and grills.

• Cool River Tubing supplies free straps, so you can strap tubes together if you’d like. (You’ll probably want to only strap 3 together at a time.)

• Helen Tubing sells straps for $3 a piece if you want to connect. They only allow 2 tubes to be connected at a time.

• Cool River Tubing offers tubes with or without bottoms. Helen Tubing offers tubes with or without bottoms and with or without headrests — but the prices vary depending on what you get.

• The tubing season for both is usually Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

• Both Cool River Tubing and Helen Tubing allow nice dogs. (You can get a tube for them, too!)

• No coolers, glass, litter, or alcohol is allowed on the river.

Watch The Water Levels

If the water level is too low, then they won’t run the tubes. Usually with a low water level, Cool River will just recommend the shorter run, rather than the longer one. Call and ask – don’t be shy. If you’re in town, you can ask any local or eavesdrop on almost any conversation. Everyone will be talking about it.

When we visited, the water levels were low. Because of that, we took the short ride with Cool River, which lasted about 2.5 hours. Yes, you’ll see on many websites that the short ride is only 1-1.5 hours…but if the water level is low then it doesn’t flow as easily and the ride can take longer…which we loved!

Buy Or Bring A Stick

Everywhere I researched prior to our tubing adventure indicated that we needed a push off stick on the trip, especially if the water level is low. The staff at Cool River recommended a push stick.

We didn’t buy a push stick. We totally regretted it!

BUY THE STICK. Or you can bring your own. (No, you aren’t going to find one along the side of the river bank.) You can purchase them for around $5 (give or take) at both tubing locations. Then keep the stick, and use it again the next time! Trust me. Buy the darn thing.

Everything Is Going To Get Wet

You are going to get wet, even if you take the tube with a bottom. Prepare for this. Wear your swimsuit or something akin to one. I wore my suit with a swim cover. Don’t wear jeans!

I also used a waterproof case for my iPhone so that I could take photos. Both tubing outfitters sell waterproof cameras if you prefer to take that route.

Don’t forget water shoes. We wore our KEEN sandals and that was perfect. Again, both tubing outfitters offered these. You don’t want to go barefoot, as you might need to get out of your tube, and you never know what’s going to be in the river.

Standard flip flops aren’t a good idea either. If the river is really flowing, those flops will come right off.

Save Your Beer For Afterward

You can’t blame the tubing companies; this is the law of the City of Helen. No alcohol, no coolers, no glass and no litter.

If you need to hydrate, you are allowed one 32-oz non-glass drink container, but don’t even think about sneaking the booze. The Helen PD are not shy about enforcing good clean fun.

Stay Attached To The One You Love

If you’re tubing with little ones, I highly recommend that you grab a leash from the outfitter to attach their tube to yours.

The leashes are free to use at Cool River Tubing, but they recommend just one strap per two tubes for safety reasons. Helen Tubing charges $3 per strap.

If you’re floating with older kids or friends, then I’d say forgo the leashes. Use your push stick to take hold and wait on the tube that is behind you.

Go Early To Beat The Crowds

We visited Helen on a weekend and were holding our tubes at 9am when they opened. In fact, we were the first ones on the bus to the drop-off point, and I HIGHLY recommend this.

First, it was much easier with kids when we didn’t have to worry about navigating around other tubers. We had the river to ourselves, pretty much, and we like it that way.

Second, you don’t want to have to wait in line to pay, then wait in line to get on the bus, then wait in line to get in the water. Especially with kids.

Finally, if you wait too late in the day, there is a chance that the outfitters might have to stop selling tickets. Only a certain number of people can fit on that stretch of the river. Especially on a holiday weekend, don’t risk going too late.

No Restrooms or Shopping Stops

There are no restroom stops along the way.

Much of the land along the river is privately owned, so you’d be trespassing on homeowners’ properties. Second, gift shop owners don’t want wet patrons dripping Chattahoochee water all over their wares.

Make sure to “go” before you go!

Kids and Pups Are Welcome

As mentioned above, kids must be 3 years or older to ride with Cool River. Kids must be 2 years old to tube with Helen Tubing.

All kiddos must have a certified life jacket. We brought ours with us, and the kids had no problem wearing it. Kids ages 13 and under are required by law to wear their life jacket on the water.

Both outfitters allow pups. At Cool River Tubing, they can ride with you or you can rent them their own tube and tether it to yours. Helen Tubing requires you to rent a tube for your dog. Please bring a towel for the bottom so their claws don’t ruin the tube, otherwise you might have to buy it.

Mind Your Stuff

Remember, everything gets wet. You also don’t want to lose your keys or valuables. Locker rental is available at both outfitters, with restrooms and changing areas.

Both places also have a rack for your keys. Cool River Tubing requires a photo ID exchange for keys to make sure no one takes yours. Whatever you do, just don’t take your keys with you. Murphy’s Law.

THINGS TO DO IN HELEN (printable)

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Download this 1-page checklist of Things to Do in Helen to print at home or your local print shop. Perfect to keep in a binder, bring on your adventure or just put on the refrigerator!

(PS. A portion of this list is detailed in our article, The 39+ Best Things To Do in Helen Ga for Alpine Fun.)

Format: PDF, US Letter Size, Portrait (8.5”x11”)

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See Also

Tubing on the Chattahoochee River in Helen, Georgia

Helen GA Tubing FAQ

MORE INFORMATION FOR YOUR TRIP TO HELEN

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