Middle Fork American River Rafting

Full Day Whitewater Rafting Trip

Tuesday and Wednesday specials under $99 per-person!

Whitewater Rafting on the Middle Fork of the American River

1-Day Trip - 17 Miles

The Middle Fork of the American River is the one of the best summertime Class IV whitewater rafting trip in California. This trip meets at 8:15 AM in Auburn. A 45 minute van ride dead ends at Oxbow Reservoir where gear is distributed and the stoke begins. H2O hits your face early with Good Morning rapid. A warmup is immediately needed as the infamous Tunnel Chute rapid is just over a mile downstream. After five miles of navigating class 3/4 whitewater, the river settles down and provides opportunities for rock jumping, surfing, and ‘riding the bull’ as we float through the canyon towards a riverside stop, where a fresh lunch is prepared for everyone by the guides on the trip.

Following lunch the river complies with our need to digest and remains calm for a few more miles until arriving at Chunder Pond. From here the river changes drastically with rapids such as Chunder Falls, Parallel Parking, and Ski Jump bringing your adrenaline to a high again. A mandatory walk around Ruck-A-Chucky falls allows for a chance to watch your guides run their raft down a commercial class 6 waterfall. Your trip concludes at the old Greenwood Bridge site. Guests are returned to their vehicles around 4:00 PM.

**Please note that the short walk around Ruck-A-Chucky Falls can be a hot and steep hike at times. If you are someone who struggles with hikes, please call our office to make sure this trip is for you :)

Check out this in depth video about a rafting trip on the Middle Fork of the American from our friends at Active NorCal.

2-Day Overnight Wilderness Camping and Rafting Experience

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Same amount of miles, wayyyyy slower pace. The meet time of 8:00 AM allows for dry-bag distribution and packing of all your river essentials. At the boat ramp, bags are loaded onto our gear boat, gear is distributed, and we start our journey downstream. 10 miles of river time brings us to camp where we enjoy all the beauty of a relaxing overnight trip full of great food, drinks, games and laughs. Day 2 allows for side hikes to waterfalls, rock jumping opportunities and more class IV whitewater.

Don’t believe this is the best way to see the Middle Fork? Just ask our guide Ben- He says, “It’s magical, I wish all trips were multi-days!”

Call to discuss multi-day options on the Middle Fork of the American River at: 530.277.3433 and get started creating your “Best Day Ever Experience’today.

A 62-mile river that runs from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Sacramento River in Sacramento Valley, the Middle Fork of the American River is one of the three main forks of the American River Watershed, along with the North Fork American River, and the South Fork American River. Fed by melting snow from the Sierra Nevada mountain range, as well as various tributaries and headwaters, the American River played a central role in the California Gold Rush that started it all in the mid 1800s.

Draining a large watershed near Lake Tahoe, the Middle Fork American River provides some of the best rafting in the United States, and you can even pan for gold in the area, though the South Fork remains the more popular panning destination. But back during the gold rush, the Middle Fork was a hugely popular mining destination, though today long portions of the river have been drained by diversions and other dams. The area also boasts the winding, 100-mile Western States Trail, which runs through the canyons of the Middle Fork River from Auburn to Squaw Valley.

Below the Oxbow Reservoir, however, the Middle Fork American River rafting options are the pinnacle of excitement and recreation in the area. Controlled by dams that regulate the flow of water and bump up naturally occurring flows of 300 cubic feet per second to a recreational release flow of 1,000 cubic feet per second each day through the Summer and early Fall months. The river provides Class II, Class III, Class IV, and even a Class VI waterfall at the Ruck-A-Chucky Falls -- not for beginners.

Come experience the greatness of a true California adventure with Middle Fork American River whitewater rafting. Adventurous beginners and intermediate rafting skill level can be found on the Middle Fork.

Contact us today to book a rafting trip on the American River Middle Fork with the experts at H2O Adventures.