Onion River Race and Ramble 

The 2023 event will be held on Sunday, June 4, 2023. Registration will open at the end of April. 

If you wonder what this event is like, please watch these videos of the 2022 Race & Ramble produced by Gilberto Diaz-Santos.  

English version

Spanish version

The Onion River Race and Ramble is a 10.5-mile paddle from Bolton to Richmond on Vermont's Winooski River. The Race and Ramble attracts serious racers as well as recreational paddlers looking for a fun morning on the water.

Please note: there is a section of Class II rapids running through rocks in the railroad trestle at the start, and then ten miles of unmonitored river with a strong current and potential hazards like downed trees and boulders in some channels. Click here for a map showing some of the trickier spots. Note the rapids and rocks in the photo below. 

We do scout the course prior to the start, and we have safety boaters on the course to assist paddlers who get into trouble, but we ask that you please consider whether your level of experience and ability to maneuver your boat in strong currents with significant obstacles is a fit for this course. For experienced and skilled paddlers, this is a fun event that should not be too challenging, but it is not the right event for folks still learning how to handle their boats. 

Read the Class descriptions listed here. 

Following the paddle, participants can enjoy lunch at the Richmond Town park. 

Important Info re 2023 Shuttling: 

Everyone did such a great job at self-shuttling last year, we want to reduce our reliance on the vans, and encourage you to organize your own shuttling again. Thank you!

  1. Please drop off your boat(s) and check-in for the Race at the starting line, Bolton Falls Dam, Bolton, VT.
  2. One team member will then drive to Richmond to park your vehicle. Parking is located in Richmond at the Richmond Town Hall lot. 
  3. IF YOU LEAVE YOUR CAR AT BOLTON DAM, YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING BACK TO YOUR CAR AFTER THE RACE. 
  4. We will have less shuttle capacity than in the past. If you can organize with friends to shuttle each other, that will help reduce pressure on our shuttle. Priority for the shuttle will be given to paddlers who register by May 28. Paddlers registering from 5/29 on: Please make a plan to have your own ride back to Bolton.  Please arrive early to allow enough time: the distance between points is 11 miles. 

Please read all of the event information below before registering. 

2023 Registration fees

The fee is $35 per person ($15 for youth) if you register by May 22. 

Paddlers who register by May 28 will have priority for the limited shuttles. 

On May 23 the fee increases to $40 per person ($20 for youth). 

RACERS must register by June 2. No same-day registration for RACERS. 

Online registration will close end of day June 2. 

Ramblers may register on the day of the event (June 4); the price increases to $45 per person ($25 for youth).

With each registration, there is an option to add $5 for lunch, which will be a fresh spread of deli platters with lots of options for making your own sandwiches, plus snacks and drinks. 

Proceeds benefit the Friends' work to protect and restore the Winooski River watershed. 

 

REGISTER TODAY

 

THANK YOU to our generous sponsors and event partners!