2025 Elkhart River Challenge
First Saturday After Labor Day
Proceeds from the Elkhart River Challenge will go toward blue way projects and Elkhart River education.
- 2025: Saturday, September 6
- 2026: Saturday, September 12
- 2027: Saturday, September 11
- 2028: Saturday, September 9
If you get a head start, are you up for a challenge?
The Elkhart River Challenge connects Goshen & Elkhart and encourages appreciation of the Elkhart River and its surrounding nature. Of course, there’s a bit of competition, too, and you’re going to need to build some momentum.
Not only is the course nearly 18 miles, but casual paddlers and CHALLENGERS get to take on COMPETITIVE paddlers. To make the race even, challengers get a head start and can launch as early as 8:30 am! The Pros may be able to complete this course in about 2 hours and 25 minutes – on a good day – but they can’t leave until 10:30 am!
ELKHART RIVER CHALLENGE 2025 IS A USCA INDIANA SANCTIONED EVENT
2025 SPONSORS:
A special THANK YOU to Elkhart County Parks, City of Goshen Parks & Recreation, and City of Elkhart Parks & Recreation!
CHALLENGE Details
ALL PADDLECRAFT are allowed. Single and tandem canoes and kayaks are accepted in Challenger race (but each paddler must complete the registration process individually). Prizes will be awarded individually. Prize money for COMPETITION racers is for solo paddlecraft only.
For those who don’t have an extra driver for drop off and pick up: FIRST, leave your kayak at Goshen/Rogers Park and drive to Elkhart’s Lundquist Bicentennial Park. There you can park your car/truck/trailer. A driver will take you back to the start of the race and your kayak.
(The 2025 event will be on Sept. 6.)
For CHALLENGERS, the Elkhart River Challenge will start between 8:30 and 9:45 a.m. at Rogers Park in Goshen. For COMPETITION racers, the start time is 10:30 a.m.
The course runs from the footbridge at ROGERS Park (Chicago Ave. & Lincoln Ave., Goshen) and ends at the footbridge of ISLAND Park (200 E Sycamore St, Elkhart).
A shuttle is available at 8:15 AM and every 40 minutes from Lundquist/Tongxiang Parks to Rogers until 9:35 AM – BY THE YELLOW BATHROOM.
Paddlers can check in as early as 8:00 AM at the start line/Rogers Park in Goshen.
8:00 am Check-in, get your t-shirt and launch from Rogers Park.
8:30 am CHALLENGERS launch every 15 min (8:30, 8:45, 9, 9:15, 9:30, & 9:45)
10:00 am Final call for ERC Challengers.
10:00 am COMPETITION pre-race meeting. Meet near check-in for a quick run-down.
10:30 am COMPETITION Race Participants launch from Rogers Park and aim to pass all the Challengers!
2:00 pm Official end of COMPETITION race and CHALLENGE cut off! All participants MUST pass the finish line by 2 PM to be eligible for prizes.
2:30 pm Completion Medals to all who complete the ERC, Prizes Drawn, Awards given.
All participants who finish by 2pm will be eligible for the prize drawings. 4 prize packages will be awarded.
SOLO COMPETITION racers who start at 10:30AM will be eligible for a special COMPETITION prize purse: 1st place prize – men’s/women’s: $150 each. Runner-up prize – men’s/women’s: $100 each.
The cost for CHALLENGERS AND COMPETITION racers is $40 per participant.
Registration includes a t-shirt (registrants after 8/28/25 are not guaranteed a t-shirt), bib number, and a commemorative event sticker (and event medals for those who complete the Challenge).
Finish Line Update
The finish line is the footbridge to Island Park. After crossing the finish line, turn around and pull out anywhere along the shore of Island Park or Tongxiang Park. Volunteers can help with your boat if needed. We’ll have snacks, drinks, and awards at Island Park near the finish line.
Mile Endurance Route
A father, his son, and his son’s best friend from Kalamazoo, Michigan stayed Friday night in Goshen for the 2024 Elkhart River Challenge. They enjoyed the city’s First Fridays festivities, got some sleep at a local hotel, and completed the ERC challenge Saturday morning. Another person from Arizona was visiting family near Elkhart when he heard about the 2024 ERC. So, he bought a kayak, registered, and finished the challenge. Other paddlers from Muncie, Fort Wayne, Athens and Grand Rapids, Michigan, Bloomington, South Bend, Elkhart, and Goshen accepted the challenge of paddling the Elkhart River and completed the course. A local Elkhart High School teacher who admitted she’s new to the sport said she couldn’t resist and is looking forward to next year. Here are a few more 2024 Pros and Challengers in the embedded video:
8 Race Competition Rules
- Must be over 18 years of age or have parental/guardian permission.
- Each paddler must be officially registered with emergency contacts listed.
- Racing bib number must be visible at all times.
- Life vests are recommended but not required.
- Singles and Tandem allowed, kayaks or canoes, entry fee for each participating individual.
- Paddlers must stay on the course (and portage only at any portage)
- All boats must be human powered.
- Paddlers must complete the race on their own without assistance.
- This includes carrying your boat at any portage area (none at this time – but the weather could change that).
BECOME A 2026 SPONSOR
Your sponsorship of this event helps Elkhart County. If you’re interested in sponsoring the 2026 Elkhart River Challenge, please input your email below.
Sponsorship deadline is August 28, 2026 (Aug. 16 to get on the t-shirt).
Reserve your place early.
- $2,500 – Large logo on the t-shirt, social media shout-out, and banner at the event, plus 8 entries. (1 Available)
- $1,250 – Medium logo on the t-shirt, social media shout-out, and banner at the event, plus 4 entries. (3 Available)
- $500 – Small logo on t-shirt and social media shout-out, plus 2 entries. (4 Available)
ELKHART RIVER CHALLENGE
Sept. 12, 2026
All sponsors get the first right of refusal for 2027.