Zoar Outdoor Adventure Resort — Attraction in Charlemont

I would like to begin by saying that I have never been whitewater rafting. Complete beginner here. I learned about the opportunity by chance and I am very happy I did.

Tldr: My time with Zoar Outdoors was a 11/10 experience and I will definitely be doing it again!

The Details: It began when my initial trip was canceled. Grace from Zoar called me and, after apologizing for the inconvenience, explained all my options. My initial cancellation happened due to low registration. She not only explained all the alternatives available to me and answered all my questions, but she made me even more excited about the trip. She didn’t sugarcoat anything and explained the very realistic possibility that there could be another cancellation due to water levels, but she made rescheduling super easy!

Fast forward to the date of the adventure and my guest and I are greeted by Zak, upbeat and in high spirits. He gets us checked in and explains all we have to know about getting ready for our day on the water. Throughout this process, I was assisted by others on the crew and all my questions were answered.

Another guide, Davis, offered not only some helpful tips on putting on my wetsuit, but also, in a very kind gesture, offered an eyeglasses cord for my unprepared self! I didn’t even consider that I would need one, but I was so appreciative of his attention to detail.

The explanation video and process happened swiftly and was wonderfully explained by Zak. Then we were off, snug in the vans. Davis, Emma, and Graeme were in my own van and they maintained that same high energy introduced by Zak during the welcome. It was nice to see that the people leading us were willing to have some fun and connect with us in a friendly manner.

Now, onto the ride: it was incredible! My own guide, Emma, gave clear instructions to keep us on track. She was also very nice and I enjoyed spending time in the back chatting with her. On the second round, she said that if we were comfortable we could try riding at the front. That was a great idea on her part!

As for the environment: the group was great and the guides did an excellent job keeping the energy relaxed and fun. There wasn't a point where I felt scared or worried rafting through the rapids; I know that was in large part due to the energy coming from the crew. Their teamwork was also a sight to see, inspiring me to work more in-sync with my own group on the second round; especially after seeing them all work to get the rafts in and out of the waters. Overall their goal was to make sure the group stayed safe and had a great time. They are a truly passionate group and you can’t help but gain a little of their passion from simply being near them.

Final Verdict: Will I be doing this again? Yes, absolutely. After this trip, I started looking at more of what Zoar offers. I will for sure be looking at options for this summer, perhaps even the winter. If you want to do something adventurous, but want a good company that makes you feel safe and excited about it, I’d definitely give Zoar Outdoors a try. All the gear was provided for my trip and I didn’t feel like it was a hassle to reschedule or to go through the process of preparing. Everyone I interacted with was open, honest, and didn’t judge any of my questions. At the very least, if you have any doubts, give them a call or reach out via email and ask them any questions you may have.

Thank you Grace, Zak, Emma, Davis, Gary, Graeme, and Matt! This trip was awesome and I’ll hopefully be joining you all on another trip soon. Until then, stay awesome. Keep rocking on...

Although we had an amazing time on the water and two very friendly and knowledgeable guides (Tom & Gary), there were a few things that disappointed/concerned me and therefore, affected my review rating. The first is that this tour started a little chaotic. The check in was a bit rough. The staff member was late and there was alot of miscommunication and confusion moving the entire group from one barn to another. Everyone was super friendly, but it felt just a bit disorganized. The other thing was, unfortunately, no photo was taken on our white rafting tour as originally advertised. This was a HUGE disappointment as we drove 2 1/2 hours and were encouraged to leave all items in our vehicle (including our phones) that could be water damaged from the rafting, which we agreed made sense, so we had no ability to take our own photos. The last thing that I feel is the MOST important is that there were no staff available at the end of our trip when we were back at the bath houses. The store was closed. We had taken the last family float trip tour, which was at 3:30pm and it's a 3 hour rafting trip. By the time we got off of the raft, washed and returned our gear and headed back to the parking lot to get our items to bathe and change, it was late and getting dark. As I waited outside of the bath house for my husband to finish, there was a sketchy man who came out of the woods behind the bath houses and who was wandering around the premises. He was trying to yank on the store door, even though it had a sign clearly visible that read it was "closed". I was very uneasy about the whole situation and was about to walk to the parking lot to lock myself in the car because i thought the man was going to approach me, but my husband was alone in the bathhouse and I did not want to leave him there. Neither one of us had our phones on us, as they were still in our car. Fortunately, my husband came out right when I stood up and we were able to leave together safely. This man was still walking around. In any case, there SHOULD BE STAFF there until the last person leaves. I mean, ANYONE could have gotten into the bathhouses while we were bathing. That is super dangerous in this day and age. I am convinced that because it was a Friday and late in the day, the staff just up and left. I believe that is also the reason why we do not have a memory photo from Zoar, because our trip started late and there was no staff member that wanted to stay and wait to photograph us. For the amount we paid for this experience and the drive effort we made to be there prepared, I'm really frustrated and disappointed.

I've placed a service ticket for my missing photos as I received a link for them, but our 3:30PM trip is not included in it and no one has been able to help as they were CLEARLY never taken.

UPDATE:

I received a call from Mr. Henry at Zoar who sincerely apologized for the frustration and issues we experienced on this day. After speaking with him, I would like to make some clarifications:

1. There is a staff member there until 8PM and they may be across the street, where the gear is stored.

2. There is a Zoar affiliated campground through those woods, behind the bathhouses, which is still part of their property, so they can access the grounds easily as well.

3. Photos for this event are an amenity. There is no guarantee that they will be taken, as a photographer might not be available for the day and time...

Stayed in the Miller Room and want to leave this review to help inform future guests. The bedroom was nice, and the bathroom was across the hall as noted in the room description. However, what was unclear (at least to me), was that this was not a private area/hallway. Had I understood this in advance, I would have likely chosen another room for the privacy aspect. One thing that would have made this more comfortable would be a recommendation to bring slippers/crocs or similar to wear between the bedroom and bathroom, as you are crossing the communal hallway.

Some negatives: There were some stains on the bed comforter which was off-putting, but the rest of the bedding seemed fine so we made due. Also a decent number of spiders and ladybugs in the bathroom but considering this is mainly a camping lodge, again not a total dealbreaker. If you were staying here after a few days of hiking or rafting, the indoor amenities would definitely outweigh the small things. This is by no means a luxury b&b, but it is a more than sufficient place to crash after a day on the slopes. The bed was comfy and the shower was hot!

Recommendations: A mini fridge in the room would be a really nice feature/helpful. I would've liked to have packed some more perishable foods for ski lunches, or saved some of my leftovers from dinner. But we just planned accordingly. An additional entry mat to prevent tracking into the room would also be nice - especially during winter with so much salt/sand!

Positives: THE VIEW!! Absolutely stunning view of the moutain, worth every penny. Also being a literal 1 minute drive away from the Berkshire East parking lot could not have made for an easier ski day! If skiing BE again, I would definitely stay at this lodge (just in a different room), simply because the location was so convenient. Also, a short ride to Shelburne Falls - which has a very cute downtown area and great...