California Dreaming: Whitewater Rafting & Yosemite Vacation
California Dreaming: Whitewater Rafting & Yosemite Vacation - Overview
Where else but in California can you find your whitewater rafting dream vacation? O.A.R.S.’ California Dreaming river rafting adventure is a lodge-based sampler of the Golden State’s premier whitewater runs. Beginning and ending in the heart of California’s historic gold rush country, this trip takes you into the dramatic Sierra Nevada Mountains where the South Fork American, Middle Fork American and Tuolumne Rivers provide terrific whitewater rafting by day, and quaint local inns deliver indulgent creature comforts by night. You’ll also have the opportunity to spend a day exploring Yosemite National Park and will be well positioned for side trips to Lake Tahoe or Napa Valley – both of which are an easy drive away.
California Dreaming: Whitewater Rafting & Yosemite Vacation - Itinerary at a Glance
- Meet at the American River Inn in the quaint gold rush-era town of Georgetown. There, we will enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres prior to dinner
- Paddle the South Fork American River through wet and wild Class III rapids like Barking Dog, Satan's Cesspool and Hospital Bar. In between rapids, calm stretches of cool water invite us to jump in for a refreshing swim
- Return to the American River Inn and relax before dinner in town
- Today the California whitewater rafting gets a little more intense as we maneuver through the Middle Fork American River's first rapid of the day, appropriately named Good Morning
- We'll paddle our way through more exciting rapids before coming to the well-known Class IV Tunnel Chute where a huge whitewater drop will send our raft underground through the "tunnel" created by gold miners in the 1800's
- An O.A.R.S. shuttle will be waiting at the take-out point to take us to the historic town of Murphys. Dinner tonight will be en route to our evening’s lodging
- This morning, we’ll take a shuttle ride down to the Tuolumne River where within the first two miles of the trip, we’ll encounter three of the Tuolumne’s most notorious rapids: Rock Garden, Nemesis, and Rams Head
- The remote beauty enhances our enjoyment of the trip where peace and seclusion in this breathtaking wilderness canyon is well founded. Until we hear a distant, rumbling sound up ahead, which soon turns into a loud roar as we approach the biggest whitewater in the canyon: Clavey Falls. The ultimate thrill, Clavey is actually a series of three staircase drops that are sure to deliver heart-pounding, frenzied-paddling and unabashed excitement!
- Come mid to late afternoon, we’ll stop and make camp where we'll enjoy relaxation and refreshments before a welcome riverside dinner under the stars
- The next morning, Grey’s Grindstone, Thread the Needle, and Hell’s Kitchen provide more thrills as we continue rafting down the Tuolumne River
- As we reach our take-out at scenic Ward’s Ferry, a shuttle will be waiting to transfer us to the Groveland Hotel. Dinner, as well as tomorrow morning’s breakfast, will be at the hotel
- A morning shuttle will pick us up at the hotel to take us into Yosemite National Park, giving us an entire day to explore at our leisure. In the late afternoon a shuttle will be waiting to transfer us back to our rooms at the Groveland Hotel
- The next morning after breakfast, an O.A.R.S. shuttle will take us back to our vehicles at River’s Bend Resort in Coloma
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