California Rafting with W.E.T. River Trips
and other Recommended Rivers
Here's a list of our favorite river rafting trips throughout California and the rest of the World!
CALIFORNIA RIVER TRIPS - Best rafting trips in the West!
- American River Rafting Most popular California rafting trips in the United States!
- South Fork American Class III-III+ South Fork American most popular river trip in the Western US; great for beginners to intermediates; home of the Kayak Rodeo at Chili Bar hole!
- Middle Fork American Class III-IV Infamous Tunnel Chute rapid; weirdest & wildest Class IV rapid in California!
- North Fork American Class IV-V Best Class IV run closest to San Francisco & Lake Tahoe; best rafting in the early to mid-Spring; highlights are pristine water, narrow canyon gorge & beautiful rapids
- East Carson Class II-III A gem located near Markleville, East Carson flows through the high desert of the Sierras. Snow capped mountains with hot springs on the river!
- North Fork Feather Class IV Scheduled releases; beautiful & popular with paddlers; timed releases negotiated by non-profit organization
- Cherry Creek Class V-V+ The ultimate Class 5 run in Northern California. Go with the outfitter who started the run on this upper Tuolumne section; check Miracle Mile!
- Merced River Class III-IV Outside of Yosemite, do this run at high spring flows for optimum rapids on this river; short season from early May through mid-June
- Tuolumne River Class IV-V Classic whitewater rafting just outside of Yosemite; very popular w/ San Francisco Bay Area population; do the two or three day trip!
- Cal Salmon Class V Our favorite Class V; features pristine, clear water; difficult rapids; isolated river trip for the wilderness lover; Freight Train rapid is awesome!
- Scott River Class V Intermittent flows; non-stop Class IV+ to V rapids challenge paddlers' skills & stamina
- Klamath River Class II-III Grand Klamath in the native American lands; wilderness, fishing & hiking highlight the longest undammed river in the West.
- Trinity River Class II-V Pristine river of easy Class 2 to difficult Burnt Ranch section, Class V
- Smith River Class II-V in a beautiful setting of wilderness and remote area; precipitation-fed river in winter and early spring
- Upper Klamath Class IV On the California/Oregon border, a good Class IV in the summer months
- Kaweah River Class IV near Sequoia National Park in Three Rivers, California; experienced paddlers
- Kern River Class III-V Most popular run for the Southern California crowd; some sections are for beginners while other sections are for experienced only
- Kings River Class III-IV Only a few outfitters on this gorgeous river; spring runs are highly recommended
- Stanislaus River Class II-III A favorite of California's whitewater paddlers!
- Truckee River Class II-III Several sections offer do-it-yourself or guided whitewater tours
- Truckee River Class II-III Close to Reno & North Shore Lake Tahoe; ideal summer rafting trip
- Yuba River Class IV-V In the Tahoe National Forest, this beautiful river is challenging & technical; portage or scout Class 5 Maytag Rapid
- Creeks, streams & kayaking This website features great creekin' rivers; for inflatable kayaks & hard-shell kayaks; descriptions of rivers & lower flows for kayaks; lots of pictures!
In addition, here are other rivers that have great reputations in the world of paddling sports!
World Class Rafting Trips for the Connoisseur
- Colorado Grand Canyon Class X Granddaddy of them all! Plan a year in advance for this world popular rafting trip; British, Germans, Americans & others find this the best rafting trip!
- Zambezi River Class X Africa's most famous rafting river is highlighted by major waterfalls & unmatched wilderness
- Futaleufu River Class II-V Raft the latest trendy river trip; surreal beauty in Chile; black basalt walls & incredible views
- Mekong River Class III-IV+ China's popular whitewater rafting trip; 15-day trips
- Salmon River Class IV in Idaho; Hemingway country, fishing, rafting, camping and lodges
- Tatshenshini River in Alaska is a must do for all ages! Surreal beauty w/glaciers.
- Rivers in Russia Pioneers such as Dr. Gavrilov have opened the doors to unprecedented beauty and rapids on the rivers in Russia. Read his latest book!
Rivers in OREGON - Wilderness Rafting Trips and lots of Kayaking
- Illinois River Class IV-V
Approximately 36 miles long; a great private river trip w/meadows and extreme whitewater in one of the most remote wilderness rivers in the USA.
- Rogue River Class III-IV Classic river trip for wilderness enthusiasts; multiple day trip; great fishing.
- Rogue River Class III-IV This Oregon river is a classic in the West; Blossom Bar is a Class IV but the rest of this beautiful river is mostly Class II - III; great for families.
- James Henry River Journeys is a long time outfitter on the Rogue and in Alaska.
- Deschutes River Class II-III
250 miles flowing through Eastern Oregon; great fishing & family rafting trips.
- Clackamas River Class III - IV
The river originates from Ollalie Lake and ends into the Williamette River; federally designated as a Wild And Scenic River.
- White Salmon River Class III - IV Only 1-1/2 hours from Portland, OR
- McKenzie River Class II-III Located between Eugene and Bend, OR
Rivers in WASHINGTON - Lots of rain means lots of rafting
- Elwha River Class II+
Beautiful float trip in the heart of the Olympic Mountains; breath-taking views of snow-capped mountains;scenic trip in the Olympic National Park
- Hoh River Class II
Geology and dense rainforest; great family float trip; Olympic National Park
- Klickitat River Class III
Springtime run with a lot of Class 3 rapids; great run for springtime enthusiasts!
- White Salmon River Class IV Eastern slopes of Cascade; glacier fed, athletic users
- Wenatchee River Class III Popular rafting trip in Washington; Wenatchee River Valley
- Skagit River Class II-III Near Ross Lake; family floats and whitewater trips
Rivers in IDAHO - Hemingway country; fishing, kayaking
- Middle Fork Salmon Class III-IV+ A personal favorite! Middle Fork is intimate & challenging; fishing, hot springs, rapids & history... you'll never want to come back home!
- Main Salmon River Class III-IV A classic river with historical references in many literary circles.
Rivers in WEST VIRGINIA - popular rafting back East
- Gauley River Class III-IV
Busy season on the Gauley draws guides from all over the USA; lots of paddlers on this river during Fall season
- New River Class III-IV Breathtaking scenery; the New River Gorge is dubbed "Grand Canyon of the East"
- WV & Eastern Rivers Blog Rafting Blog about the Gauley, the New and more; lots of info about rafting, conservation and more
Rivers in TENNESSEE - popular rafting & kayaking
- Big Pigeon River Class III-IV
Great Smoky Mountain National Forest; Eastern Tennessee.
- Ocoee River Class III-IV
Gentlemen & gentlewomen kayaker river; very popular in the East!
Rivers in NORTH CAROLINA
- Nantahala River Class II-III
Lots of river instruction goes on here; kayak classes & more
- Green River Class IV-V The "Narrows" is defined by 11 major rapids along its 3 mile course.
- French Broad River Class III Near Asheville, NC, actually flows north!
Rivers in WYOMING
- Snake River Class III-IV Another world famous rafting trip.
Rivers in MONTANA
- Flathead River Class II-IV Large river system known as Montana's wildest rivers.
- Blackfoot River Class II-III Great family trips for river rafting vacations in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
- Clark Fork River Class I-III Wildlife abounds on this river trip with eagles, osprey & more.
Rivers in MAINE
- Dead River Class III-V Popular rafting trip in Maine; ideal for intermediates & advanced
Rivers in CANADA and ALASKA
- Canada and Alaska Rivers Here's a directory of many rafting companies up in the Great North!
- Tatshenshini River Alaskan dream river in surreal surroundings of blue skies and glaciers.
- Alsek River Fed by glaciers high in the Canadian mountains; located in the Kluane National Park Reserve
More River Rafting Resources for the paddling junkie!
For more information on Rafting Trips, see below:
Established 1978 in Sacramento, California. Running American River rafting & whitewater rivers throughout California. Permitted by United States Bureau of Land Management, United States Forest Service, California State Parks, El Dorado County & other governing agencies. Members of California Outdoors, America Outdoors, Friends of the River, American River Conservancy, Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce, El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce, El Dorado County Visitors Bureau, Coloma-Lotus Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau and other American River rafting, California whitewater rafting and California river rafting organizations throughout the state of California and the country of the USA.
Price Information: see our current Discounts or visit our online store
For more information on California rafting and California whitewater, please visit our website at RAFTWET.com. W.E.T. River Trips was established in 1978 in Sacramento, California, USA on Planet Earth! Visit our rafting blogs for up-to-date information and news. American River rafting trips are available from mid-March through September. For more rafting resources visit our information pages. If you can't find the info, just call us at 1.888.RAFTWET or 1.888.723.8938 toll free! Visit our online store at RAFTWET-store.com for immediate purchases and savings. Write to: W.E.T. River Trips, PO Box 160024, Sacramento, CA 95816 Attn: Reservations
