For people who are looking for a relaxing day in the outdoors, rafting on the river can be a great way to unwind.

As the weather starts improving, Outdoor Pursuits and Rentals (OPR) is preparing for the busy spring and summer months of rafting on the Yakima River.

Kendra Turner and Tonya Morrey are both raft guides on the Yakima and work for OPR. They provided knowledge about the upcoming rafting season, and shared information on unique rafting locations on the Yakima River.

The river can be very dangerous in spots, so OPR recommends certain spots to get in and to get out. OPR has a map laid out of different sites they recommend. The map can be found online through OPR or you can go into their shop on campus.

“There are seven spots on the map, but we recommend to only go between one through five,” Turner said.

According to Morrey, a float through spots one through five takes between two to three hours.

Site one is called Ringer Loop, site two is called Bighorn, site three is called Beavertail, site four is called Seventeen Mile Flats, and site five is called Umtanum Recreation Center.

At the end of your journey, Umtanum Recreation Center has a bunch of BBQ pits and places to put your raft or inner tube on shore while you eat.

“It’s a really cool spot to relax after the trip,” Turner said. “Rafting the Yakima for the day can be very inexpensive for students here at the university.”

Renting a raft from OPR costs around $40 and inner tubes cost only around $6. Rafts or inner tubes can be rented for a full day.

“If you are looking for a more bumpy ride, the small inner tubes can get a little crazy on the river,” Morrey said.

They added that all information regarding floats can be found at www.cwu.edu/OPR.