Come discover the adventure of kayaking through Ohiopyle’s premier instructional program. With sections of river ranging from Class I to Class V on our very own Youghiogheny River we personally tailor each clinic to meet your individual needs, from the beginner to the advanced paddler. We help you to build a solid foundation of proper technique, confidence and control while enjoying the scenic river valley of the Laurel Highlands. Our guaranteed novice programs start from the very beginning with a smooth and supportive introduction to this amazing sport, making learning easier than ever!

Call us for reservations at 800-272-4141

Other private clinics available:
• 1 day introduction
• 2, 3, 5 day clinics
• Intermediate clinics on the Lower Yough and other surrounding rivers
• Advanced clinics: Creeking on the Upper Yough, Playboating
• Waterfall clinic on Valley Falls
• “Over the Falls” clinic
We recommend the 2 or 3 day clinic to get a better feel for the sport and begin to build your skill set with more consecutive days on the river

What will I learn?
A typical clinic might go like this…
Day one will begin by introducing you to the kayak and all your gear. Moving onto the water either on nearby Youghiogheny Lake or right in our backyard on the Middle Yough, we will go over safety procedures like the wet exit and breakdown the different strokes needed to make your boat go where you want. With edge control exercises and lots of paddling practice your comfort level in the kayak will soar. Later in the day you will get to paddle through gentle currents learning techniques such as ferrying, eddy turns, peel-outs and basic river reading.
Day two will reinforce the new skills you’ve just learned. If water levels cooperate, this day is spent running the scenic Middle Youghiogheny, navigating through class I and II whitewater. We also introduce to the bow rescue and bracing techniques, both of which we’ll then use to teach the Eskimo Roll.
From here, days three, four and five will find you building upon your skills by running sections of rivers such as the Loop or even the whole Lower Yough. Additional rolling practice will also be included. The longer your clinic, the more comfortable you will be to venture out on your own!
Our Instructors....
Wilderness Voyageurs’ instructional staff can frequently be spotted on local rivers such as Meadow, Fikes, Top and Upper Yough because kayaking is what we love to do best! Many of our instructors have over 10 years of kayaking experience on rivers all over the world. As former US Kayak Team members, owners Eric and Lynne Martin have set the standards high and continue to promote the development of their employees within the sport. We live and breathe kayaking and can’t wait to share this unique and highly addicting sport with you!
What then?
Upon the completion of your clinic, your instructor will be happy to discuss options for continuing your pursuit of whitewater kayaking from obtaining your own gear to getting you out on the river.
NEW THIS YEAR!!!Friday night Loop runs!
Want to meet other kayakers? Free Friday night Loop runs began in June for new and experienced paddlers. We meet at 6:30 at the Wilderness Voyageurs Outfitter Store then head to the river from there. Come join our kayaking staff and practice your new skills, share personal techniques with others or just enjoy the company of new faces on the river!
Intermediate to Advanced Kayaking Clinics


Creeking Clinic on the Upper Yough
Getting to be a star on the Lower Yough and want to step it up a notch? Thinking you are ready to take on the Upper Yough? Let us show you down! With a 2 day creeking clinic we can evaluate and refine your whitewater skills with the intention of heading out for a personal day of instruction on the Upper Yough, the east coast training grounds for creek boaters.
Running Waterfalls Clinic on Valley Falls, WV
Paddling up to the lip of a waterfall might be one of the coolest things you can do in your kayak as well as one of the scariest. Join our instruction staff for a day clinic on running waterfalls on nearby Valley Falls. You’ll learn how to approach, take-off and land over different types of waterfalls as well as log in as many runs as you can possibly manage in one day due to the convenience the site offers. Practice makes perfect so you can be confident on that 20-footer drop you’ve wanted to style.
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Looking for more? You might be interested in the advanced kayak instruction.