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The Middle Fork of the American River is the perfect mix of thrills and amazing scenery. This Class IV river is ideal for the thrill-seekers, experienced rafters or athletic beginners. With 18 miles of whitewater this all day excursion is sure to energize your soul. Experience the unique Tunnel Chute rapid; a tunnel blasted through the mountain back in the gold mining era.
Departure: The meeting time for the Middle Fork is 8:30AM. You will meet the WET van and your guides for the day. behind the Raleys in Auburn California at 13384 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603. From there we have a short ride in the van down the beautiful Middle Fork Canyon to our put- in location at the Oxbox Reservoir.
The Trip: Enjoy a stunning combination of scenery and adventure on this day long trip. Start out with Good Morning Rapid quickly followed by Tunnel Chute. Wrap up the first section of rapids with Kanaka Falls, then enjoy an easy float until you reach the lunch area near Chunder Falls. Stop for a gourmet deli style lunch served riverside, then continue with Class III – IV rapids in the afternoon.
Return: Once your time on the water is complete you will load into the WET van and return to the Raley’s parking lot after a short drive.
This 18 mile trip is an experience that you will never forget. The Class IV Middle Fork of the American River is an intermediate whitewater river offering numerous big drops, intricate technical rapids and tons of action. This trip is perfect for adventurous novices as well as the more experienced individuals who have rafted the South Fork and are looking for something more adventurous. This is a full day adventure full of whitewater action as well as calm pools that allow you to bask in the breath taking beauty of the 2000 foot deep wilderness river canyon. If all of that isn’t enough the Middle Fork provides the added benefit of its historic significance during the California Gold Rush.
We start are day in Auburn, California from which we jump into our shuttle vans to drive to put-in. You get a bird’s eye view of the canyon as we travel to our put-in.
After being fitted with all the necessary rafting equipment and receiving a safety orientation from one of our highly trained guides, we load into our rafts to continue our adventure. It starts off right away with the aptly named “Good Morning” rapid. If you weren’t awake before, you will be after this rapid. After tackling numerous rapids including Kanaka Falls, Bus Crash and the famous “Tunnel Chute” which drops 80 feet through a 14 foot wite chute ending by floating through a manmade tunnel blasted through the mountain during the gold rush, this is an absolutely incredible experience and one of only two rivers in the world where you can raft through a tunnel, we will stop for a gourmet deli lunch freshly prepared by your guide. Before continue our journey filled with more whitewater action and breathtaking views. This is truly a once in a lifetime experience and we have people come back year after year to re-live it.
Depending on snow pack and river flows the Middle Fork of the American is run-able June through September.
The very best time to experience this river is during midweek or Sundays when you can avoid the Saturdays crowd and experience the solitude of the canyon. You will feel like you have the river to yourself.
Please feel free to bring whatever items you would like to leave in your car for retrieval after the trip. Camp Lotus features hot showers available for your use.
One day is just never enough to truly enjoy what rafting has to offer. Join us on this two day trip and let us take care of all the details! Two days of camping, meals, and adventure.
Lower (Gorge) Express Ready yourself as the canyon narrows into a granite gorge where you will plunge through thrilling Class 3 rapids like Satan’s Cesspool,
South Fork Full River Lunch Included! The perfect trip for those looking to see all 20+ miles of the South Fork of the American River.
Great for those short on time! Surf a hole at ChilI Bar Hole and enjoy our favorite rapids, including Meatgrinder, Triple Threat and Trouble Maker, the river’s most challenging and exciting rapid. These rapids are followed by a relaxing float through Marshall Gold Discovery State Park in Coloma.
Float along the South Fork’s Class 2 section and take in scenic views of golden rolling foothills, before the canyon narrows into a granite gorge where you will plunge through thrilling Class 3 rapids like Satan’s Cesspool, Bouncing Rock and Hospital Bar, to name a few. A customer favorite, this trip is perfect for any size and type of group.
Our most popular day trip boasts rapids right from the start. Surf a hole at ChilI Bar Hole and enjoy favorite rapids, including Meatgrinder, Triple Threat and Trouble Maker, the river’s most challenging and exciting rapid. These rapids are followed by a relaxing float through Marshall Gold Discovery State Park in Coloma.
Everyone has done Vegas. Take a different route for your upcoming bachelor party.
the Definitive Guide to Floating the lower American River in Sacramento Guide to a lazy float on the American River in Sacramento Floating the Lower
Are you ready to get out of the Bay? Join us for riveting guided whitewater rafting trips just an hour and 45 minutes from San Francisco!
Guide School Skills for a lifetime Whitewater Guide School 2020 Guide School has been postponed due to COVID-19. Please check back for new 2020 dates.
Find out what the difference is between the various different classes of rapids and choose the one right for you!
The meeting place for this trip is directly behind the Raleys on Lincoln Way in Auburn. Please drive and park behind the Raley’s where our guides will meet you.
Let’s face it, what we are facing with Covid-19 has left a lot of us uncertain about the future. As a way to promote positive vibes and to give us all something to look forward to during social distancing we are offering full refunds (or preferably reschedules) on all trips. Please don’t hesitate to book your whitewater excursion. Let’s beat this and get out on the water together!