You Can Now Register Online For The Neches River Rendezvous

Online registration for the 26th Annual Neches River Rendezvous began about a week ago, and already slots are filling up fast. This fun and family-friendly adventure is a 10-mile paddling excursion down the Neches River, which will take place on Saturday, May 30. Early registration for this Angelina & Neches River Authority event is underway and continues through Friday, April 17.  Late registration begins on Saturday, April 18th, and ends on Friday, May 8th. Registration is based on a first-come, first-served basis. Paddlers are highly encouraged to register online, but paper registration forms can be downloaded from ANRA’s website or picked up at ANRA’s office at 2901 N John Redditt Drive in Lufkin.

The 2026 Neches River Rendezvous will be limited to 150 vessels (kayaks and canoes). Paddlers can choose to bring their own vessel (limit of 50 personal vessels allowed) or to rent a vessel from the event vendor – Kayaking Texas. After registering for the event on the Angelina & Neches River Authority’s website, paddlers who choose to rent a vessel must secure and pay for their vessel rental with Kayaking Texas on their website. A direct link to Kayaking Texas will be provided from the Neches River Rendezvous registration website. Single kayaks are $40, and tandem kayaks and canoes are $50.

On the day of the event, paddlers will park at International Paper’s North Boggy Slough Conservation Area and will then be shuttled upriver, where volunteers will assist them in launching their kayaks and canoes in the river. There will be staggered launch times to avoid overcrowding. After a leisurely 3-4 hours paddling the river, paddlers will end their journey at the Highway 7 bridge, where they will be assisted out of the river. They will then be shuttled back to North Boggy Slough, where they can purchase a meal from one of several food trucks that will be on-site.

This event is open to all ages and experience levels, however, anyone under the age of 18, must have a legal guardian present. Since safety is the top priority of the event, life jackets must be worn by all paddlers. Paddlers who bring their own vessel must provide their own life jackets, but life jackets will be provided for paddlers who rent a vessel.

A multitude of local, state, and federal organizations will assist with logistics and safety during the event, including the Deep East Texas Amateur Radio Club, Hudson Fire Department Search & Rescue, Houston County EMS, Scouting America, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Game Wardens.

The Authority is still seeking volunteers and sponsors for the event. A volunteer guide and a sponsor information packet are both available here.