Middle Fork American River Rafting

Overview
Itinerary
Dates & Prices
Trip Details

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Ultra-exciting and scenic, a Middle Fork American River rafting trip is a must-do for all rafting enthusiasts!

The Class IV Middle Fork of the American River rushes through a pristine, secluded canyon where a melee of pounding whitewater and the beauty of the Sierra Nevada foothills combine to offer an incomparable California whitewater rafting adventure near Sacramento. In 1889, in search of gold buried beneath the American River, miners blasted a tunnel through the side of a cliff to divert the water, creating one of the most unique whitewater features anywhere in the world. Now known as “Tunnel Chute,” this tumultuous rapid drops six vertical feet before concluding with a celebratory float through a 90-foot tunnel. While Tunnel Chute is the heart-pounding highlight of this thrill-packed American River rafting experience, numerous other Class III & IV rapids make the Middle Fork one of the best rafting trips in the country.

Trip Highlights

16 miles of Class IV California whitewater rafting combined with scenic Class I-II paddling in the Sierra Nevada
Float through a 90-foot-long tunnel blasted out by gold miners
Raft 9 major adrenaline-inducing rapids like Chunder, Parallel Parking, Texas Chainsaw Mama, and Final Exam
Delicious riverside picnic lunch
A Middle Fork American River rafting trip is an adventurous day trip or weekend getaway from San Francisco, Sacramento, or Lake Tahoe

Itinerary at a Glance

Every Middle Fork American River rafting trip is different depending upon the group, other trips on the water, camp locations, and sometimes the weather. The following is a sample of what your trip might be like:

The morning of your trip, you’ll meet up with your trip leader and fellow travelers at the meeting location in Auburn, CA. Once everyone has arrived, you’ll take a 45-minute shuttle ride to the put-in at Oxbow Reservoir.
At the put-in, the guides will deliver a safety talk and fit you with your helmet and PFD before conducting a quick on-water orientation. Then, you’re off down the river!
Aptly named Good Morning—a big-wave Class III rapid—gets your blood flowing and heart pumping right out of the gate on this Middle Fork American River rafting trip.
Several more Class II-III rapids come in quick succession. Then, the ominous roar of the famous Tunnel Chute is the presage you hear before the river rushes downward 25 feet through a man-made chute and then into a 90-foot tunnel blasted through the canyon wall.
After Tunnel Chute, the thrilling action does not stop with big, steep rapids like Cathedral and Kanaka Falls. Then the river changes considerably, meandering over several miles of calm water, allowing the opportunity to rest while gazing at the beautiful scenery. Now in the heart of Auburn State Recreation Area, steep walls covered in pine forests plunge down into the boulder-strewn river. In spring, the green hillsides are adorned with colorful wildflowers; later in the season, the hills turn a golden yellow that contrasts sharply with the green woods.
Come lunchtime, you’ll pull over to a beach for a delicious picnic prepared by your guides. This is the perfect opportunity to kick back and recount the day’s highlights so far.
Back on the raft, you’ll continue through the scenic flat water section before preparing for another long stretch of continuous whitewater action. An intense Class IV drop, Chunder, provides thrills and chills before you get out of the boat and scramble around the roaring, 30-foot waterfall, Ruck-A-Chucky Falls. As you negotiate the rugged path around the side of the pounding falls, you can look back up to watch your guides maneuver the rafts down this dramatic stretch of whitewater.
Your day concludes with another mile and a half of great whitewater and rapids. As you reach your take-out at Ruck-a-Chucky campground, a shuttle will be waiting to return you to your vehicles.

Meeting Time & Place

Location

Behind the Raley’s Supermarket in Auburn

Meeting time

8:30 AM

Return

Approximately 3:30 – 4:00 PM

Trip Map

Dates & Prices

Mid-May – Memorial Day: Daily
End of May – Labor Day: Tuesday – Sunday
September: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Trips on the Middle Fork of the American River are run by an affiliate outfitter

2026	Adult	Youth
Weekdays	$159	$139
Weekends	$169	$149

The Need-to-Know Info

Trip Details

Included in Your Trip Cost

Skilled, professional guide service
Delicious, riverside picnic lunch
High-quality inflatable rafts and related river equipment including paddle, helmet, and personal flotation device
Transfers from the meeting place to the river and back

Not Included in Your Trip Cost

Taxes & Gratuities

The boats that may be a part of your experience: Paddle raft

Close up of an orange plate with roast beef, cheddar, tomatoes and lettuce on a tortilla before being rolled up into a wrap with slices of fresh fruit to the side.

A delicious riverside picnic lunch is provided on Middle Fork American River rafting trips. Lunch is always seasonal and changing.

Please advise at least 72 hours in advance of any special dietary requirements.

Average Air & Water Temperatures

	Air (Day) °F	Air (Night) °F	Water °F
June	82-86	50-54	58
July	90-94	59-63	61
Aug	89-93	59-63	65
Sept	83-87	51-55	64

Whitewater

The Middle Fork of the American River offers a beautiful, boulder-strewn stretch of Class IV whitewater interspersed with scenic calm stretches.

Water on the Middle Fork of the American River is released during the summer months from hydroelectric facilities located upstream, which typically provides reliable flows for rafting several days per week throughout the commercial rafting season from Memorial Day through September. Such water releases are not subject to the control of El Dorado County or commercial rafting companies. It is important for our guests to understand that the water flow on the American is directly related to the demand for hydropower.

Learn more about whitewater rafting levels and classifications to help you choose the right adventure for your experience, comfort and skill level.

48 hours’ advance notice is required for the opportunity to reschedule your trip in the same calendar year with the applicable service fees. Guests may be substituted for another person with no penalty. For a full monetary refund, less the deposit, cancellations must be made 30 days or more prior to the trip date in writing. Taxes and river access fees are non-refundable. There is a $25.00 service charge per ticket for any rescheduling within 30 days of the trip date. If reservations are cancelled the morning of the trip, the full amount will be charged to the card on file. This action negates previous discounts.