Taking a tubing trip down the scenic Au Sable River in Michigan is a fun and relaxing activity. The 129-mile long Au Sable is a tubing-friendly river with a steady current between 3 and 5 mph, a relatively constant depth between 1 and 5 feet (with some holes reaching up to 8-10 feet), and plenty of companies that are willing to rent out the tubes and all other necessary equipment.
Bring or rent a tube from any one of the 15 or so companies that rent them at different points along the Au Sable, or you can purchase your own. Rental prices range between $12 and $20, and purchase prices can vary anywhere from $25 and $400, depending on what size you're looking for and the quality of craftsmanship.
Find an access point. If you rented your tube then the company that rented it to you will provide you with their own private access to the Au Sable. Otherwise, you'll have to find a public access point on the map somewhere. Such access points are relatively abundant and shouldn't be difficult to locate.
Hike down to the river, carrying your tube and any supplies you brought.
Enjoy a nice, relaxing tubing trip down the Au Sable. Remain aware of your location on the river, following along on your map, to make sure that you don't go too far downriver and miss your destination.
Since it's difficult to bring supplies along with you while tubing, it's recommended that you plan your Au Sable tubing trip to be a maximum of 5 hours or so. After 5 hours it can start to be difficult to keep enjoying yourself without food, water, or any other supplies. If you're planning on taking a longer tubing trip, bring a floating cooler as well or consider renting a canoe to float alongside in which you can keep supplies.
