I have used this company several times, so I obviously like them. The price is good, it's around $70 for roughly a 5 hour trip. When I went on 8/19/18, the 11AM trip, the water level was about 3'. I tend to follow the USGS Water data for kayaking and rafting trips and when I wade while fishing.
Anyway, it was a great trip. As always, it starts out on Dinnerbell Road at the location of the guided rafting check in (this isn't always clear when using their website). You hop on a bus, travel into town and get on the rafts. There is about 30 minutes of safety instruction before carrying the raft to the river and beginning the 8 mile trip downstream. The safety instruction is important and the guides do a great job keeping it entertaining which helps to keep everyone paying attention. The trip I generally do is guided, I would recommend that. As the group of rafts progresses through the various rapids, you will pull over into an eddy and regroup periodically. There are points along the way to swim where the current isn't fast. Get in the water like everyone else, it's refreshing. You will also stop for lunch, there is generally a ham/turkey wrap, an apple, a cookie, and water or kool-aid. I believe you can request vegetarian wraps when you book.
If you go early or late in the year, you may have to wear a wet suit due to colder water temperatures, these are provided.
In terms of attire: I would recommend wearing a baseball cap, as the helmets are for the masses and are sometimes a little uncomfortable, but the hat will protect you from being rubbed by rigid plastic which holds the helmet in place on your head. Also, I would recommend wearing a synthetic quick drying tee shirt, because that will keep the life jacket from direct skin contact, and try not to wear cotton, it dries slowly and weighs more when wet. Wear a bathing suit! Also, I would wear water shoes or sandals that firmly attach to your feet. Do not wear flip flops as these will likely be lost in the water.
I would also recommend bringing an old pair of jeans if you want to do the "natural water slide" after the trip. Perhaps wear 2 pair of jeans for this. You've been warned. There are other cool things to do in Ohiopyle, so feel free to plan an adventure that lasts a weekend or just hit the rafing and head home.
You want to bring a change of clothes, soap, shampoo, and a towel. There is a shower house for when you are done. Most people don't bring this, so the lines to shower are almost always negligible. I always park closest to the shower house when I raft, so I can grab my stuff and shower promptly after rafting. I would also recommend rinsing your river attire after rafting to keep it from getting too stinky on the ride home.
If you wear glasses, I would get one of those straps which prevents them from coming off your head. They sell them at the booth in case you forget one.
There are a couple rapids that are very technical and the guides will be standing on a rock instructing you. They will be making hand signals indicating to your group how to paddle to make it through the rapid successfully. Do as they suggest, not what you think is best, they have done this hundreds and thousands of times, listen to them.
Every trip I have ever done has been a blast. I believe children need to be at least 13 years old, if not, I would recommend waiting until your children are 13 to take them on the trip. If you have small children, you can take them on the Middle Yough, for a float trip, but I would probably just skip it until the kids are 13, because it is rumored that the Middle Yough has parts that flow UPHILL and this may discourage them from ever rafting again... through the grapevine, the trip is long and tedious. So, wait until they are old enough and have them do the lower Yough so they enjoy it. Nobody wants to paddle for 12 straight hours.
There is also the Upper Yough, which is a class 4 & 5 section. I believe if you do this, you will have a guide in every boat and there are 4 to a boat, so 3 people plus the guide. Plan accordingly. I wouldn't do the upper Yough unless I was with experienced rafters. That's just me though.
The last rapid is on the right hand side of the river and the take out is on the left side of the river. The guides will tell you to get across the river promptly at the end. I would definitely encourage trying to cross the river as quickly as possible there, otherwise, you, like many other boats will be paddling upstream a bit. Not how you want to end the trip. When you get to the shore, you carry the raft up a short hill, and leave it at the top. You carry your paddles and take your vests and helmets back to the starting point while the guides generally tell a barrage of bad jokes (ok, they are funny). Sitting on the bus, you realize that everyone smells bad and you suffer through that a little bit, but you will generally have a sense of accomplishment combined with anergia from rafting all day, so just put the windows down and try not to be the one who stinks the most.
When you get back, you can generally look at photos, buy them if you like, I think you get a discount if you buy them same day. Feel free to tip the guides. They starve without it.
This particular trip, because the water was at 3' it was possible to run Dimple (that's a rapid's name) on the right. This was a first for me. I was tossed out of the boat, but my foot was still in the raft. After being under water for about 5 seconds, I made the decision to remove my foot from the raft, freeing myself, because my leg was twisting. I was under water for about another 10-15 seconds and I was disoriented, I was being pushed around by the water. (Don't inhale if this happens to you, just keep holding your breath.) When I popped up, I heard the guides yelling "rope, rope" and saw they had thrown ropes to me. They do this for safety, it's good stuff, and they are great guides who keep you alive! I also heard them yelling "pull him in" and I saw my raft. I grabbed the raft and was pulled in it. IT WAS AWESOME!!!! Great times!!!!
The lead guide for the trip was SUGAR FRIES and there were other guides, perhaps Mallory, but I can't remember if that was her name. They were both great, in addition to the other guides being great. Good people, all with a good sense of humor.
Lastly, If the guy who owns the company reads this, I would like to see the video of me going overboard. Have your guy send it to me please (he has my email)!!!! It was incredible!