River School
Since River School began in 2006, thousands of Hoosiers have had their first experience paddling on the White River. River School’s goal is to provide safe, fun, and engaging on-the-water educational experiences that enhance personal connections to the White River and the natural world.
About Outdoor Recreation and FOWR
Our River School program turns an urban corridor of White River into an environmental classroom for students, civic leaders and selected partner programs. Enroute, our guides discuss history, shoreline and aquatic wildlife, riparian flora, environmental science and water quality, all while engaging people in a first-hand look at Central Indiana’s most valuable natural resource.
Group Request Form
River School Details
Friends of the White River will make a good faith effort to accommodate individuals with specific needs. However, we cannot make changes that would undermine safe operation of River School, or would cause a direct threat to the health or safety of other participants, volunteers, or staff.
A non-refundable deposit is required to secure your group’s reservation. The additional cost-per-participant fee will be invoiced to your group after the River School program is complete. Depending on the nature of your group or organization, you may be eligible for reduced participant fees based on FOWR’s current grant funding.
| Group Size | Adult Program Non-Refundable Deposit | Youth Program Non-Refundable Deposit | Additional cost per participant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 12 | $350 | $350 | $30 |
| 13 to 20 | $450 | $350 | $30 |
| 21 to 28 | $550 | $350 | $30 |
All participants should bring: appropriate footwear that will get wet (No Crocs or Flip Flops), comfortable outdoor clothing (it will get wet and dirty), a Filled Reusable Water Bottle (no Glass please); and sun protection (non-aerosol sunblock, hat, sunglasses).
FOWR provides life jackets, paddles, and dry bags.
River School trips are available from mid-May until the end of October. Please see our web calendar for availability. Our standard program days begin between 8am-9am and conclude after four hours, including shuttling, setup, briefings, 1.5 to 2 hours of paddling time, and post trip cleanup. Afternoon or early evening times are possible upon request.
While usually calm and serene, White River experiences high water conditions unsafe for paddling around 25 times a year. When you make a reservation, we will reserve both a Primary and Backup program date. Should river safety conditions prevent going on the Primary date, your Backup date will already be booked.
Our primary River School route is from Hazel Landing Park in Carmel to Oliver’s Woods Nature Preserve in Indianapolis. Participants will usually meet at Oliver’s Woods and carpool for a 5-minute drive to Hazel Landing at the beginning of the trip. Other routes are possible upon request, depending on the time of year, water levels, and available access.
All participants must wear a Life Jacket at all times when on or near the water, and follow the safety instructions of FOWR Guides and the Trip Leader. FOWR makes the final call on all safety decisions, including “Go/No-Go” decisions based on water levels and weather forecast, consistent with our Emergency Action Plan.
Schools, Summer Camps, Scouts, and other groups made primarily of youth ages 10-12 must provide one adult leader per four youth, and
each adult leader must first complete a free River School Volunteer training day.
River School Route
Our primary River School route is from Hazel Landing Park in Carmel to Oliver’s Woods Nature Preserve in Indianapolis. Participants will usually meet at Oliver’s Woods and carpool for a 5-minute drive to Hazel Landing at the beginning of the trip. Other routes are possible upon request, depending on the time of year, water levels, and available access.
Current River Levels
Noblesville
Nora
Art Museum
Scott Salmon
Since November of 2021, Scott Salmon has been the Executive Director of Friends of the White River. Scott began volunteering with Friends in 2008 as a raft guide through the River School program, and has worked several downtown cleanups and many float trips since moving to Indianapolis in 2012.
He holds a M.P.A. from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and a B.S. from Indiana State University. He spent nearly five years with the Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife, managing pollution-caused fish kill response and riparian restoration, conducting environmental risk assessments, and planning aquatic habitat projects such as low-head dam removals and streambank restoration.
Scott has held teaching, logistics, and leadership positions with numerous outdoor education organizations over his career, and maintains Wilderness First Responder and PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor certifications. He currently serves as a volunteer board member with the Indiana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and on the Indiana Conservation Alliance Steering Committee.
River School Raft Guide Trainings
This spring, Friends of the White River is offering two River School Volunteer Raft Guide Trainings. If you’ve ever wanted to join our River School team as a volunteer raft guide, this is the best way to get involved.
Volunteer Raft Guides are the core of the River School program and we cannot do it without you!