California > South Fork American River Wine Tasting and Rafting

South Fork American River Wine Tasting and Rafting

2 Days
Trip Highlights
  • Tour award-winning wineries in El Dorado County Wine Country
  • Enjoy exciting South Fork American River rafting
  • Paddle exciting Class III rapids like Fowler’s Rock, Satan's Cesspool & Hospital Bar
  • Stay at the historic American River Inn B&B
  • Easy drive from the San Francisco Bay Area, Lake Tahoe and Sacramento
  • Full-day, morning and afternoon options available
Reserve This Trip

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Call Toll Free: 800-346-6277 or enter the month and year you want to go on this trip.
The season runs May - September.


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Departure Dates
Wednesdays: May through August
Price

$359

Deposit: $60

Additional Costs:
$65 Single Supplement
$8 per person per river day federal, state and local access fees
Guests are responsible for the purchase of any alcohol


River Rating Minimum Age
Class III21 Yrs
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California Wine Tasting and Rafting: Overview

Download Itinerary

Wednesdays are the new Saturdays!  Enjoy an un-crowded weekend, mid-week, taking in fresh mountain air, clear skies, sparkling water and superb wines on the American River near Sacramento, CA.  Adding to O.A.R.S.’ already extensive collection of California whitewater rafting adventures is this two-day wine tasting and whitewater rafting adventure on the South Fork of the American River.  This unique combination of fun whitewater rafting on the Class III South Fork of the American River and wine tasting includes visits to several local El Dorado wine country wineries of your choice, including Venezio Vineyards, Auriga Wine Cellars, Lava Cap, Boeger, Sierra Vista and Holly’s Hill Vineyards complimented by a comfortable evening at the historic American River Inn in Georgetown.  This unique two-day California getaway is a quick, easy drive from the San Francisco Bay Area, Lake Tahoe and Sacramento.  Groups are generally limited to 12 people, but custom trips for larger groups are available upon request.

This is California Wine Tasting at its best! There are more than 100 wineries in the Sierra Foothills, with at least 50 of those located in El Dorado County.  It is one of the few wine growing areas of California that contain only mountain vineyards.  These California wineries offer award-winning Zinfandels, as well as high quality Sauvignon Blanc, Barbera, Sangiovese, Syrah, Ports, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Primitivo.

California Wine Tasting & Rafting: "Raft & Wine" Itinerary at a Glance

  • Day One: Meet at at 10:00 AM at the American River Inn at 6600 Orleans Street in Georgetown, CA 95634
  • Spend the morning visiting various wineries in El Dorado County via a private shuttle
  • After a mid-day stop for a gourmet lunch, you will resume your tour of El Dorado County wineries and tasting rooms
  • Return to the American River Inn at approximately 5:00 pm - the evening is yours to stroll through historic Georgetown, enjoy dinner on your own and relax in a hot tub
  • Day Two: Meet at O.A.R.S. River Park Adventure Campground 7330 River Park Drive, Lotus, CA  95651 at 10:00 am
  • After a thorough safety talk, we will practice paddle strokes and shove off
  • Spend a full day rafting on the Class III South Fork of the American River
  • A delicious lunch is provided along the way
  • Raft the South Fork’s infamous rapids, including Barking Dog, Satan’s Cesspool, Hospital Bar and Recovery Room
  • Upon take-out, we will shuttle you back to your vehicle at O.A.R.S. River Park Adventure Campground

Show Mile By Mile Guide

South Fork of the American River Wine & Raft:
Mile by Mile Guide


Lower South Fork American ~ The Gorge

Mile 8.0
O.A.R.S. base camp for one-day trips.

O.A.R.S. River Park Adventure Campground 7330 River Park Drive, Lotus, CA  95651: Located on eleven gorgeous acres, stretching over a third of a mile on the riverfront, offers modern shower and bathroom facilities, a sand volleyball court, horseshoe rings, tons of lawn game sets, and an unequalled list of amenities for your comfort.

O.A.R.S. South Fork American River rafting passengers park their vehicles at our River Park Adventure Campground.  Guests will be returned to the campground upon completing their whitewater journey.
Mile 11.1
HIGHWAY RAPID (II+). A long, curving rock garden..
Mile 11.5
SWIMMER’S RAPID.  Swimmer's Rapid is a great spot for rafting passengers to jump in and experience what it feels like to swim a rapid.  It is a fun wave train rapid.
Mile 12.2
Public restrooms.  These are the only public facilities on the South Fork American River whitewater rafting trip.
Mile 13.9
Gorilla Rock.  This rock, sometimes referred to as Convict Rock, really looks like a gorilla.
Mile 15.8
FOWLER’S ROCK (III).  Entrance to ‘The Gorge’ - occurs after the third sighting of the Lollipop tree.  This tree can be spotted atop a distant hill and does indeed resemble a lollipop.  This is the first big rapid on the South Fork’s lower section.  The river bends left into a short pool then back to the right where a boulder cluster marks the entry to the rapid.
Mile 16.9
SATAN’S CESSPOOL (III+).  Satan’s is the biggest rapid in the Gorge Run of the South Fork American River.  After a long pool, the river pours over a sharp drop (Lost Hat), then bends left and right into a bigger drop against the left wall.  There is a small eddy on the left just down stream.  A rock above the final drop provides a good vantage point for photographers and spectators.  Professional photographers are frequently stationed here with their cameras.
Mile 17.0
SON OF SATAN’S or DEAD MAN’S DROP (II+).
Mile 17.4
SCISSORS (III).  The river turns left down a narrow, rocky chute with big, irregular waves.
Mile 17.6
LOWER HAYSTACK CANYON (II+).  A fun, bouncy rapid with big standing waves and short drops in a narrow section.
Mile 18.1
Weber Creek – a large, year-round creek on river left.
Mile 18.2
BOUNCING ROCK (II+).  This rapid, with a big hole on river right, provides a  bouncy whitewater ride.
Mile 18.6
HOSPITAL BAR (III).  Named for a medical tent set up here during the Gold Rush, this is the last big, splashy rapid on The Gorge Run.  The rapid is a rock chute that bends left and then right.  It provides surprising whitewater fun.  Professional photographers are sometimes stationed here with their cameras.
Mile 18.8
RECOVERY ROOM (II+).  Big, fun waves and clean drops.
Mile 19.4
SURPRISE RAPID (II).  If the Folsom Reservoir is full, there will be a flat-water paddle or a tow-out, and this rapid will be under water.  Class II rapids continue to mile 20 if the reservoir is low.   It is a treat to find Surprise Rapid uncovered!
Mile 20.5
TAKE OUT (end) for O.A.R.S. full-day trips.
TAKE OUT for the South Fork American River is at Salmon Falls Bridge at Folsom Reservoir.

Information for this Mile by Mile guide was gathered from the books “California Whitewater” and “A Guide to the Best Whitewater in the State of California”, as well as from a variety of sources on the Internet.

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  • Legend
  • Directions

From Sacramento on U.S. Hwy 50

Follow Hwy 50 east toward Placerville and South Lake Tahoe. Take the Ponderosa Rd exit (Exit #37), turn left onto Ponderosa/S. Shingle Rd and cross over the freeway. At the second stop light, take the right turn on N. Shingle Rd toward Coloma/Lotus.

After about 4.5 miles N. Shingle Rd turns into Lotus Rd—continue going straight for about 6 more miles. As you approach Lotus, pass through the town’s first stop sign and continue to the 3-way stop sign intersection with Hwy 49. Turn left onto Hwy 49 (north) and cross the bridge over the South Fork of the American. Right after crossing the river, you will see the “River Park” shopping center on the left, with signs for Hotshot Imaging. Please use the center’s second entrance, where a left-turn lane is provided at River Park Dr. Look to the back of the center, where you will see the entrance to our River Park Adventure Campground.

From South Lake Tahoe

Take Hwy 50 west to Placerville. Turn right on Hwy 49 (north) and follow the directions from Placerville listed below.

From Placerville

Proceed north on winding Hwy 49 for about 9.5 miles (about 20—25 minutes) through the town of Coloma. Just past Coloma and the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, cross the bridge over the South Fork of the American. Right after crossing the river, you will see the “River Park” shopping center on the left, with signs for Hotshot Imaging. Please use the center’s second entrance, where a left-turn lane is provided at River Park Dr. Look to the back of the center, where you will see the entrance to our campground.

From Reno, Nevada/North Lake Tahoe:

Take Interstate 80 west to Auburn. Take Hwy 49 south from Auburn for about 17 miles (about 30 minutes), arriving in the Coloma/Lotus area. After passing through Lotus’ 3-way stop sign (intersection with Marshall Grade Rd), continue past the gas station and look for us behind the “River Park” shopping center on the right. Before Hotshot Imaging’s building, turn right onto River Park Dr and look for the entrance to our campground in the back of the retail center.

By Air

Many people enjoy the time saved by flying into Sacramento, which is accessed my most major airlines. A variety of car rental companies are available at the airport.

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  • Write a Review
“Our guide, Charlie (Charlotte) was fabulous. It was great to have her be our driver for the wine tasting and our river guide the next day. We felt like she was part of our family by the end of the trip. The combo wine tasting & river rafting was the perfectly paced 2 day escape that combinind leisure with adventure. Great choice. It was a truly pleasurable experience. ”
Mary Claire Boucher ~ Minden, NV

South Fork American River Wine & Raft - 2 Days Trip Planner

Required Forms

Please complete one set of reservation forms per person no later than 30 days prior to your trip. If you have reserved your trip within 30 days of departure, please complete your forms immediately. Due to insurance requirements, you will also be required to sign a paper copy of our Liability Release Form on-site.

You can reference your email for the link or, log-in now to complete your forms.

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Itineraries

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Local Weather & Current Conditions

Average Temperatures
Month Days Nights
June 85° 57°
July 95° 63°
August 100° 62°
September 85° 59°
Water Temperatures
Seasonal Average: 50° - 60° F



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The world's best whitewater rafting & adventure travel - defining adventure since 1969
Questions about trips or making reservations? Contact info@oars.com or call 800-346-6277 in the USA or Canada or 1-209-736-4677 if outside the USA or Canada.
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