Floating tents in Troy offer relaxing overnight on the Great Miami River, but what about the bathroom? – cleveland.com

TROY, Ohio – I pulled my paddle through the water and headed toward the bright orange object floating up ahead.

I’ve hiked to hotels, biked to inns, but this was the first time I’ve traveled by raft to my overnight accommodation.

My destination for the evening: one of 10 floating tents, anchored along a quiet stretch of the Great Miami River in Troy, about 20 miles north of Dayton.

Honestly, I was a bit apprehensive about this adventure, given that I’m not much of a camper: How well would I sleep on the water? Were these tents comfortable?

And, perhaps most importantly, what if I had to use the bathroom in the middle of the night?

I needn’t have worried. The tent was surprisingly cushy, I slept unexpectedly well and — spoiler alert — I didn’t need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. But I would have been OK if I did.

A unique stay in Southwest Ohio

Matt Clifton, who coordinates the Float Troy program for the city, said Troy is the only place in the world where travelers can spend the night in a floating tent.

The inflatable tents are made by a local company, SmithFly, which also makes rafts and other fishing equipment.

Purchased by the city several years ago with grant money from a local foundation, the tents were used first by students in a University of Dayton environmental program. They’re part of a broader effort to improve access to the Great Miami River, which runs 160 miles through Southwest Ohio before joining with the Ohio River near Cincinnati.

“Florida has beaches, some states have mountains. We have rivers,” said Stan Kegley, project manager with the city of Troy.

The public tourism initiative launched last year, but on a small scale because of the coronavirus pandemic. This year, the floating tents are proving to be a major draw, attracting media attention and visitors from throughout the region and beyond.

“We thought it would really be a big hit,” said Kegley. “As far as we know we’re the only ones in the world doing it.”

Joining me on the river during my one-night stay last month: a pair of sisters, ages 20 and 17, from Alliance; two 70-something friends from Columbus and Springfield; and a family from nearby Sidney.

The tents are spread over a wide stretch of river, perhaps 200 feet across. They’re tethered to the ground, as well as to each other, spaced about 25 feet apart.

Located about a mile north of downtown, the tent village is part of the city’s Treasure Island Park, which also has a small amphitheater, multi-purpose trails and boat launch area.

It’s not a particularly remote location. I could hear the low hum of traffic from nearby Interstate 75, and a siren disturbed the peace as I was getting ready for bed.

I could also hear crickets and frogs and the wind rustling outside.

There are picnic tables and grills in the park, if you want to bring your own food, although my husband and I traveled into town for our meals. There’s a highly regarded restaurant, Smith’s Boathouse, located inside the park’s historic boathouse. Unfortunately, it was closed on the day of our visit, a recent Sunday.

The park also has a small bathhouse, with two toilets and two sinks, open all night. There is no shower, though Clifton said he is hoping to add one next year.

The 75-mile Great Miami River Trail multi-use path runs alongside the park, a popular destination for cyclists.

The primary mode of transportation on this trip, however, wasn’t intended to be two wheels, but two paddles, as well as a 10-foot-long rubber raft.

First, some instructions

Clifton went over a few instructions when we arrived, showing us how to connect our raft to our tent using carabiner clips. Once attached, it was relatively easy to maneuver from raft to tent.

“If you fall in, just stand up,” he said. “The river is only about 3 feet deep.”

Clifton was initially concerned about the wind during our visit, with gusts predicted as high as to 35 mph. He recommended against using one of three floating fire pits.

“The worst thing that might happen is that the wind will blow you closer together,” he said. “The tents might bump into one another.”

The wind died down by nightfall, however, and our tents stayed where they were supposed to.

We checked in just after 5 p.m., then moved some of our stuff to the tent, about a 5-minute paddle from shore.

These rafts – also made by SmithFly – were simple to maneuver, and easily held a couple of sleeping bags, pillows, a small overnight bag, lantern and a complimentary drybag provided by Float Troy.

After dropping off our gear, we set out to explore the river, first heading south toward downtown. Clifton cautioned us about a low-head dam about a mile and half away. “You will not just stumble upon it,” he said. “You will see it.”

But we only got perhaps half that far, paddling against the wind the whole time.

The day was hot and humid, so I asked Clifton if the river water was clean enough to swim in. He assured me that it was, although the breeze kept me just cool enough and I didn’t get wet above my legs.

After dinner downtown, my husband and I headed back to camp, used the restroom, then paddled back to Tent 6, with lights from the park guiding the way.

SmithFly describes its shoal tent as a raft with a tent topper. The base doubles as an extra-firm air mattress and was surprisingly comfortable. It felt like a 1970s-era waterbed every time I rolled over, gently bobbing on the water.

I didn’t have any trouble falling asleep, though the horns from numerous passing trains in town woke me up way too early.

So I rose with the sun, paddled to shore and used the restroom.

I asked Clifton how many campers just went to the bathroom in the river. He told me he was not in the habit of asking overnight guests that question.

Yet the bathroom issue was clearly top of mind for many of the people I talked to.

Both before and after my stay, I had numerous people – women, mostly – ask me about using the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Fellow campers Reatha Collinsworth and Cindy Gibbons told me they had a friend who declined an invitation to join them on the water because of concerns she would need to paddle to shore in the middle of the night.

Indeed, Collinsworth said she stopped drinking water early in the evening to avert the problem. As for why the two signed up for the adventure, Gibbons said, “It was something different. We like doing different things.”

I, too, tried not to drink too much in advance, which was a bit of a challenge given the heat of the day and because I had dinner at a brewery.

Even so, it all turned out OK.

After using the park restroom shortly after sunrise, my husband and I headed out on our raft again, this time traveling north, where we had a serene stretch of the river all to ourselves.

As the mid-morning sun rose overhead, we turned around and made our back to our tent before the 10 a.m. checkout time. We packed up our gear and paddled slowly back to shore.

If you go: Float Troy

Where: Troy is the county seat of Miami County, about 225 miles southwest from Cleveland, just north of where interstates 70 and 75 intersect.

Cost: A one-night stay is $85 and includes use of a kayak or raft. The 8-foot-by-8-foot tents sleep up to four, although two or three occupants would be more comfortable.

Availability: The tents rent from late June through early September, with limited dates open this summer. Information: float-troy.com

Also in Troy: Troy, population about 25,000, has one of the loveliest small downtowns I’ve seen in Ohio, with numerous restaurants, shops and a gorgeous county courthouse. Troy Main Street puts on a biannual public art project, Sculptures on the Square, which this year features 22 sculptures reflecting the theme “Taking Flight.” The show runs through October 4. Information: troymainstreet.org

Where we ate: We enjoyed local beer and upscale bar food at Moeller Brew Barn, located in a former church at 214 W. Main St. For a late breakfast/lunch, we hit K’s Hamburger Shop, 117 E. Main St., a Troy mainstay since 1935. A hamburger here is $3; a milkshake, $3.05.

More information: homegrowngreat.com