Description:
Looking for the most rafting you can get in a day, well our Whole River trip is for you. 21 miles of both the Chili Bar and Gorge sections, tons of exciting rapids, time to float through some fun rapids and calm areas, and our riverside buffet lunch await you on this full day river rafting adventure.
What is this trip like? CHECK AVAILABILITY
Itinerary: Our Whole River, 21 mile adventure begins at 8:00 AM at our South Fork Camp area, where your guides will meet you and check you in for the trip. We then board our bus for a 30 min. scenic ride along Gold Country Highway 49, driving right past the Coloma State Park, where gold was first discovered on the American River in 1848, that started the California gold rush. Arriving at Chili Bar, our launching point, your guides will help you with your pfd’s (life jackets), helmets, and paddles. We will give a river safety orientation, break up into groups and guides, and then hit the river for our longest all day South Fork American River Rafting adventure.
Just downstream is our first class 3 rapid, “Meatgrinder”, the longest on the river (not the biggest, though). The morning session is packed with rapids that will challenge and thrill you, the last of the morning will be the famous “Troublemaker Rapid”. After Troublemaker, we relax in a more mellow section for about an hour, then pull off at our riverside camp and your guides will prepare our buffet deli style lunch with all the trimmings. There will be bathrooms there and places to sit around and talk about the rapids of the morning and the next section to come – The Gorge!
The afternoon section, call the Gorge Run, begins with some bouncy whitewater and even a voluntary out of boat experience through “Swimmer’s Rapid” a fun, small wave train that leads to a huge pond to recover in. A fun way to cool off in the hot summer. Then the river builds and enters the “Gorge”, where the rapids come almost in non stop fashion for 6 miles.
At the end of the day, our busses will be waiting for you with cold drinks and snacks for the 30 min ride back to the meeting area, where again your guide’s will be there to thank you for coming and give you photo coupons good for money off your rapid photo purchase (if you wish).
What’s Provided:
- Skilled, professional guide service.
- High-quality inflatable rafts, paddles, helmets, personal floatation devices.
- Wet Suits and splash jackets in springtime before Memorial Day weekend.
- Transportation from the meeting place to the river and back.
- Drinks and snacks at river’s end.
What To Bring:
- River clothing is very casual and you should expect to get wet!
- Bathing suit/trunks, lightweight, quick drying top (rash guard works well).
- Lightweight windbreaker for cool mornings, sweatshirt for cool evenings.
- River sandals or old tennis shoes work great (No flip flops or bare feet allowed).
- Hat (optional under helmet).
- Sunglasses (suggest retaining device so they don’t end up in the river).
- Waterproof sunscreen and lip protection.
- Bottle of water (drinks provided at lunch and end of the trip).
- Inexpensive waterproof camera (professional pictures are taken at one of the rapids).
- Dry clothes for trip home (to be left in your car).
Useful Information
South Fork Whole River Trip Information
Sign Our Online Assumption of Risk Form
South Fork Details and Directions Page
