The NEW ***Scenic Sandusky River Map***
Now Available (FREE)
The 2024 Scenic Sandusky River Maps are now available to pick up at participating area businesses. This is the only map that shows public and private launch/take-out points from Steyer Nature Preserve all the way to the mouth of the bay into Lake Erie plus it notates hazard areas, points of interest, Eagle's Nests/sightings, bridges and MORE!
Pick up a free copy and support the Advertisers! Their locations are noted on the Map with Paddling Safety Tips and on side 2. It is a FULL COLOR Glossy and opens up to an 11 x 17 size. We received them last night and will be delivering as many as we can today!
Pick up your complimentary map at one of our sponsor locations while supplies last below:
Century 21 Wilcox & Associates - Fremont Office - Cindy Gabel
Ghoul Runnings Kayak Adventures
Haunted Hydro - Dark Attraction Park
Riverfront Marina & Campgrounds
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services - Vanessa Whitt-Fremont
Buffer Zone - Marblehead, OH
Sandusky County Visitors Bureau
Angler's Supply - Fremont
Pottery Perfection "Done Your Way"
Jimmy Bukkets on the Sandusky River
Alpha Drivers Testing & Consulting - ADT&C
This Scenic Sandusky River Map was created by Ghoul Runnings Kayak Adventures to assist paddlers in navigating the river safely; and for education and promotional purposes. Big THANK YOU to my friend Penny Baker for helping me find advertisers and keep my mind throughout this enormous project! We hope you find it helpful to enjoy our SCENIC SANDUSKY RIVER and locating area businesses. LIVE * LOVE * YAK - Our MOTTO this year is...
"More Kayaking... LESS Stress..."
FAQ’s… or Frequently Asked Questions… See below…
Ghoul Runnings Kayak Adventures has 2 rental locations that are right across the road from each other.
1. Our “YAK-SHACK” rental location at the top of the Fremont Reservoir is where we rent out all hourly reservoir rentals and where we launch or POPULAR Friday and Saturday night Sunset Paddles. No reservations needed, walk-ins always welcome! Great location to fish, joy-float or test the waters before taking a 2-hour River Trip.
2. Our “A-FRAME” rental location is at the bottom of the Reservoir and is directly across the road 1773 S. River Rd., Fremont, OH 43420 (Previously known as Portage Trail Park) and that is where all river trips will rent from and also be used for overflow parking for the Fremont Reservoir.
What are your days/times of operation?
FRIDAY - 3pm – Sunset
SATURDAY - 11am – Sunset
SUNDAYS & HOLIDAY MONDAYS – 11am – 7pm (With our last hourly reservoir rental launching at 6pm)
We open officially Memorial Day Weekend and we go thru mid-September or a little longer… WEATHER permitting…
What type of watercraft do you rent?
We have 105 watercraft in our fleet. We offer single kayaks that are Sit-In, Sit-On-Top, Fishing, XL and Tandem styles. We also have 17 NEW and EXCITING Kokopelli brand Adventure Rafts that are really fun. (We have discontinued use of our Canoes this year as we found that last year the canoes and our River were not a good match… we have about 13 Tandem Kayaks. We also have 4 paddleboats we use in the Reservoir – weather and water conditions permitting.
WEIGHT LIMITS on our regular single kayaks are up to 299 lbs, over 300 lbs we suggest you rent an XL boat. Our Tandems will hold up to 550 lbs., Kokopelli’s up to 325 lbs.
What do I wear?
Old shoes, water shoes, sandals with back straps, Crocs, flip flops, towel, swim suit, shorts, t-shirt, tanks, clothes that dry quickly… those dry fit items are perfect... honestly… just dress for the weather…!
What to bring?
Cell Phone Dry bags- if you don’t have one we have them for rent or for sale. You can bring your own drinks - we also sell water for $1 and propel and Crystal light flavor packets too. Sunscreen, Bug spray… especially if you are doing a later trip or event.
What is provided with your rentals?
Life Jackets, Kayak or Adventure Raft, Paddles, Helmet (For certain trips) and transportation as needed for trips to launch and pick up at various locations.
Is it cash only?
We actually prefer you book all RIVER TRIPS online off our website a minimum of 2-hours in advance. We do accept cash and all debit/credit cards at the A-Frame and Reservoir. For large groups we will accept checks with proper ID.
What are the River Trip Times, Reservoir Rental info and important things we should know?
At the Reservoir we rent by the hour…no reservations required, you can rent for more than an hour or if you are interested in ½ day or full-day rentals… we have a limited amount of watercraft we can rent out for the day. Email or call us for more info on this.
On the Sandusky River… we have a wide variety of 2-Hour trip options based upon River Levels, Weather Conditions and Skill Levels of the Paddlers. Trips will vary each day depending on these things.
We have designated departure times for ALL TRIPS that can be found by clicking the TRIPS/TOURS/EVENT tab on this website. ALL River Trips need to be reserved a minimum of 2-HOURS in advance. If you are less than 2 hours and would like to call us to see if there is availability. Please call us ASAP @ 419-455-4364.
What are the prices for the trips?
They start at $40 plus tax/fees per person which includes life jackets, paddles, kayak, transportation based upon the length of the trips.
Do you offer any discounts?
Currently we offer a Senior Discount for people 65 and over – they save 10% off any of our River Trips or Reservoir Rentals and they use the PROMO CODE: senior10
Military, Veteran or Service Field employee rate (Police, Fire, Sheriff, State Patrol, etc…) they save 10% off any of our River Trips or Reservoir Rentals and they would use PROMO CODE: service10
Are all your trips guided?
All our 2-hour or longer trips are what we call Guide-Assisted. The guides will help load the boats, launch everyone, make sure everyone knows basic paddling strokes, be in the water during the trip for questions, issues or in case of an emergency and then they help take you out at the end and load kayaks back on the trailer and shuttle you back to the A-Frame location. They are not there to bother you or police you… but are there to make sure things go smoothly and everyone keeps on a timely schedule.
Do we tip the guides?
It is not expected that you do this… but it is always appreciated for them to receive a little bonus thank you for the service they provided to you. Especially if they went above and
beyond and maybe towed you part of the way or helped you when you got stuck or if you swamped your boat, etc... They wash and clean and sanitize all boats and equipment and make sure everything is in proper safety order too. NEW this year… you can add-on a tip at the end of an online River Trip booking or if you do not have cash at the end of your trip you can go inside and put a tip on a credit card. TIPS are SHARED between all guides unless you personally hand deliver a tip to a certain guide.
What if I have my own Kayak?
YES, we call this the BYO option… or Bring Your Own boat. We offer this on MOST of our trips/events. You basically save $10 per person and we ask that you reserve this online in advance as well under the Bring Your Own Kayak option. So we are prepared when you arrive that we have to load up your boat as well. In some cases it is just easier to leave your boats at home and rent one of ours. Many liveries in Ohio do not even offer this service any longer as it got to be more work than it was worth for them.
Do you rent your life jackets and paddles?
Depends on availability. If available it would be $5 plus tax per item (A deposit or Drivers license may be required to hold until you return them based upon the situation).
Do you have tandem kayaks... or Kayaks that hold 2 people or XL Kayaks for people over the standard weight limit?
Yes! We have 12 currently and you can make a reservation for them. Tandem Kayaks or XL Boats will hold up to 550 lbs of weight. We recommend 1 - 2 people… but a 3rd youth or child is also an option to add. They would sit in the middle and the other 2 people would be in the front and the back.
How do I contact you?
You can message us on Facebook off our Ghoul Runnings Kayak Adventure Business Page, send us an email at GhoulRunnings2021@gmail.com or stop by at the Yak Shack or A-Frame during business hours. The best number to call us at is: 419-455-4364
What if I have a large group? Will you open during the week?
If you have a group of 10 or more… YES we will definitely entertain opening for you during the week. Click the Trip/Tours/Event tab on this website and click the GROUPS image and fill out our form to request this or email us.
Do I need to come early for my reservation?
We recommend about 30 mins before reservation time, there are waivers to fill out (Save time and fill it out ONLINE), life jacket fitting, quick lesson on paddling if you need it, etc… and a Safety Video to watch.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS... EMAIL, PM or CALL US.
