The South Fork of the American River is one of the most popular white water rafting runs in the world!! With American River white water rafting trips running from springtime through the end of summer, and white water rapids of varying challenge, our South Fork American River Rafting Trips offer something for everybody. While it is an excellent white water rafting trip for beginning rafters, it also offers a number of exciting class III rapids for more experienced rafters. Take a look at our video from the South Fork of the American River above and find out more details about each trip below.
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1/2 Day Trips
The Upper South Fork American River (Chili Bar Run)**
M-F: $78* Weekend: $88*
Length: 7 miles
Start Time: 9:00 am
Time on water: 2 1/2 hours
Chili Bar is a great half-day American River white water rafting trip! You start the day off early and hit the first Class III rapid only minutes after getting on the river. The morning is filled with great white water rapids, such as Racehorse Bend, Maya, and Triple Threat. You finish off the morning with the biggest white water rapid of the day, Troublemaker, where photographers will be waiting to capture the excitement! We will take out at the 49er bridge in Coloma and drive back to our campsite at Rivers Bend, so you can get back on the road by lunch. Add lunch in camp to this trip for only $15 per person!
1/2-Day Lower South Fork American River (Gorge Run)
M-F: $73* Weekend: $88*
Length: 14 miles
Start Time: 11:30 am
Time on water: roughly 2 1/2 hours
One of our most popular trips, the Lower South Fork of the American River 1/2-day begins on a relaxing stretch of Class II white water rapids right at our base camp in Rivers Bend Resort, where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery, and leads up to a legendary stretch of white water known as "the Gorge." You will navigate through the American River canyon as the Sierra foothills narrows and leads into a stretch of class III white water rapids, including Bouncing Rock, Hospital Bar, and the legendary Satan's Cesspool. Photographers will be waiting to immortalize the excitement of your American River rafting experience. This trip is an affordable way to enjoy one of the most popular white water rafting runs in the country in a condensed time frame. But this is 11 miles of the exciting American river done in a half day trip, so make sure to eat a good lunch first...or even better add lunch for only $25 per person and your guide will prepare it for you on the side of the river!
1 Day Trips - includes lunch along the river
Full Day Upper South Fork American River (Chili Bar Run) **
M-F: $93* Weekend: $103*
Length: 10 miles
Start Time: 9:30 am
Time on water: roughly 3 1/2 hours
The Upper South fork American River (Chili Bar) can also be run as a full day American Whitewater excursion with lunch provided alongside the river in the historic Marshall Gold Discovery Park, right next to Sutter's Mill. You start the day off early and hit the first Class III rapid only minutes after getting on the river. The morning is filled with great white water rapids, such as Racehorse Bend, Maya, and Triple Threat. You finish off the morning with the biggest white water rapid of the day, Troublemaker, where photographers will be waiting to capture the excitement! We'll grab a delicious deli lunch in Marshall Parkl, then continue on down river to our American River camp at Rivers Bend. We'll take out directly in our camp, where your day first began, so you can jump right into your car and hit the road.
Full Day Lower South Fork American River (Gorge Run)
M-F: $93* Weekend: $113*
Length: 10 miles
Start Time: 9:30 am
Time on water: roughly 3 1/2 hours
This is our most popular white water rafting adventure! The Lower South Fork of the American River white water rafting trip begins on a relaxing stretch of Class II rapids where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. Your guides will morph into amazing chefs at lunch time and prepare a refreshing fruit salad, River and Rock Adventures' famous guacamole boats, and a delicious deli spread all along side the river’s edge, right in our campsite on the American River. After lunch, the river will lead towards the legendary "Gorge," and you will navigate through the American River canyon as the Sierra foothills narrows and leads into a stretch of class III white water rapids, including Bouncing Rock, Hospital Bar, and the legendary Satan's Cesspool. Photographers will be waiting to immortalize the excitement of your American River rafting experience.This is the perfect trip for anyone who enjoys white water rafting.
South Fork American Whole River (Chili Bar + Gorge Run)**
M-F: $128* Weekend: $138*
Length: 21 miles
Start Time: 8:00 am
Total trip time: roughly 6 hours
This trip is the perfect American River white water rafting trip for those with energy and endurance! You start the day off early at Chili Bar and hit the first Class III rapid only minutes after getting on the water. The morning is filled with great white water rapids, such as Racehorse Bend, Maya, and Triple Threat. You finish off the morning with the biggest rapid of the day, Troublemaker, where photographers will be waiting to capture the excitement! After Troublemaker you enter a relaxing stretch of Class II rapids where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. Your guides will morph into amazing chefs at lunch time and prepare a refreshing fruit salad, River and Rock Adventures' famous guacamole boats, and a delicious deli spread all along side the American river’s edge, right in our campsite on the American River. After lunch, you will navigate the class III "Gorge," as the Sierra foothills narrows and leads into a stretch of class III rapids, including Bouncing Rock, Hospital Bar, and the legendary Satan's Cesspool. Photographers will be waiting to immortalize the excitement of your American River rafting experience.
2 Day Trips - includes 4 meals
South Fork American Whole River (Chili Bar + Gorge Run)
M-F: $241* Weekend: $266*
Length: 21 miles
Start Time: 9:30 am
Total trip time: roughly 6 hours
Day 1: The GORGE - The Lower South Fork of the American River white water rafting trip begins on a relaxing stretch of Class II white water rapids where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. Your guides will morph into amazing chefs at lunch time and prepare a refreshing fruit salad, River and Rock Adventures' famous guacamole boats, and a delicious deli spread all along side the river’s edge, right in our campsite on the American River. After lunch, you will continue rafting through the American river canyon as the Sierra foothills narrows and leads into a stretch of class III rapids, including Bouncing Rock, Hospital Bar, and the legendary Satan's Cesspool. Photographers will be waiting to immortalize the excitement of your American river white water rafting experience.
Come back to camp and enjoy an evening around the campfire while a delicious dinner is prepared for you...chicken, tri-tip, corn on the cob, garlic bread, salad, cowboy potatoes, and pineapple upside down cake to finish it all off! We can also customize a menu to suit your needs. Once the sun goes down enjoy a slideshow underneath the star filled sky of the pictures from your first day of rafting.
Day 2: CHILI BAR - Wake up to the smell of blueberry pancakes, eggs, sausage and fresh fruit. You start the second day off early at Chili Bar and hit the first Class III rapid only minutes after getting on the river. The morning is filled with great white water rapids, such as Racehorse Bend, Maya, and Triple Threat. You finish off the morning with the biggest rapid of the day, Troublemaker, where photographers will be waiting to capture the excitement! We will take out at the 49er bridge in the heart of Coloma and drive back to camp, so you can get back on the road by lunchtime.
*All prices are per person and subject to a $7 per person per day Government white water rafting Use and Service Fee. This fee goes to: California State Parks, El Dorado County Parks, and the Bureau of Land Management
**Minimum age requirement for the Upper South Fork (Chili Bar run) is 8 years old
American River rafting in Northern California offers something for everyone. The dedication of our staff makes us one of the finest rafting companies on the American River.
