Best River Camping Games
On multi day river trips you'll have tons of time paddling on the river, doing side hikes and spending time hanging out at camp with friends. One of the best ways to spend time at camp is playing games with friends. Here are some of our favorite:
1. Kubb is an old Viking game where you try and throw wooden batons at the opposing teams blocks. Once you knock them over the other team tosses them to the other side so they have to knock over even more blocks. It's a great game because you can come so close to winning and one small mistake the other team can come back and swoop in on the victory.
2. Kan Jam is a simple team game with two plastic cans and a frisbee. The goal is to either hit the can, make in into the top of the can or the slot on the front. Your teammate is standing by the can and can hit the frisbee out of the air like a slam dunk to assist.
3. Corn Hole is a classic game where you throw a bean bag onto a slanted board trying to get the bag into the hole. Usually played with a firm wooden board, but we prefer the inflatable versions which are more compact and packable for river trips.
4. Card games are always a classic and of course lightweight and packable so it makes it really easy to bring along on any packrafting trip. Some of our favorites are Solitaire, Go Fish, Rummy, and Poker.
5. Bocce Ball is our favorite of all the river games. You start with a small ball and toss it where ever you want and then everyone else tries their best to throw their larger ball as close to the smaller one as possible. Usually played on sand, but playing around trees, rocks, hillsides, etc make the game even more fun! The light up version makes playing into the dark a blast.
6. Beersbee is a fun frisbee game that can be played with a paddle and 2 cans. Take yoir paddle apart into two pieces, burry the blade in the sand and balance a can on the end of each paddle shaft. You get two points for knocking the can off and one point for hitting the paddle shaft. There are premade kits you can buy but remember to never bring glass on river trips.
7. Spikeball is a fairly new game consisting of small net on the ground where you try and hit the ball into the net in a way your opponent can’t return it. It’s kind of like playing tennis with your hands and the court is a small trampoline.
8. Horseshoes is another old classic game that is pretty small and compact to bring. The object is to toss a horseshoe at a peg in the ground. Each player gets 1 tosses and the closest to the peg gets one point and a ringer where the horseshoe is circled around the peg gets three points.
9. Raft Guide Tug of War is a really simple and fun game with no extra gear to bring. Two players stand on either ammo cans or rocks and try and tug the other player off while trying to stay standing without getting pulled off. It's a great game of skill and balance.
10. Giant Jenga is the child hood classic game of slowing removing one block at time trying to not make the tower fall, but supersized for the outdoors.
