OARS was among the first outfitters to offer American River rafting trips, and more than 50 years later from our riverside Outpost in Lotus, CA, we’re still at it. Today, the American River, which is easily accessible from Sacramento, Lake Tahoe and the San Francisco Bay Area, is considered the epicenter of California whitewater rafting with abundant opportunities for first-timers and experienced paddlers alike.
Rafting on the American River is undoubtedly one of California’s top adventures. From short and sweet half-day trips to two-day getaways, explore your options below, grab your crew, and #LetsGoRafting!
7 Reasons Why OARS is Your Best Choice for American River Rafting
Our Experience: Since 1969 we’ve been running whitewater rafting trips in California, across the western U.S. and around the world. From half-day South Fork American River rafting trips to 18-day adventures down Grand Canyon, we have the know-how and expertise to run great trips!
Dedicated Guides & Staff: We are proud to have earned the reputation for having the most experienced, professional and customer-focused crews on the water. No other company’s guides do as much as ours to ensure you’re having the best trip possible and we back that up with dedicated regional managers and year-round office staff.
Quality Equipment: We invest in our gear and use top-of-the-line equipment that’s well-maintained. On every American River rafting trip with OARS, you’ll head downstream on the best rafts and be geared up with top-notch equipment, including paddles, helmets, and PFDs.
Commitment to Diversity: We are proud to be an equal opportunity provider. We seek out the best guides and employees regardless of gender or ethnicity and embrace diversity in every customer we serve. We also offer programs to get under-resourced youth on the river through our Foundation.
Environmental Stewardship: We are committed to environmental stewardship and have been since our humble beginning. We support the communities in which we operate, practice Leave No Trace principles and, in partnership with our guests, we have contributed more than $5 million toward the preservation of the environment.
Family Owned: Although we have a reputation for being a global leader in the adventure travel industry, we are a second-generation family-owned company, and it shows. From your first call to our office, to the happy conclusion of your American River rafting trip, we strive to offer a personal experience to every one of our guests – from our family to yours!
Free Camping at the OARS American River Outpost – Start or end your American River rafting experience with a free night of camping on us. Conveniently located on the banks of the South Fork in Lotus, CA, the OARS American River Outpost offers everything you need to extend the fun with shady campsites, equipment rentals, and even pre-set platform tents.Explore your American River camping options.
South Fork American River Rafting
The South Fork of the American River offers crisp, clear, refreshing water flowing over spectacular granite rocks and boulders. It’s an ideal balance of adrenaline and fun for families with kids as young as eight. We offer half-day trips, full-day trips with lunch, and wildly fun two-day adventures from April – September.
Minimum Age: 8 years (12 at high water) River Rating: Class III River Miles: 8 to 21 Season: April – mid-October Price Range: $119 – $189
— South Fork Rafting Options: —
1/2-Day Chili Bar
Short and sweet, the upper 8-mile Chili Bar stretch of the South Fork of the American River offers several hours of adventure for both novice and experienced rafters. You’ll take on nine lively rapids (Class II-III) as you maneuver through boulder gardens, dodge sneaky holes and drop into exciting rapids like Triplethreat and Troublemaker before reaching the take-out at the OARS American River Outpost.
The lower 13-mile Gorge stretch of the South Fork is a full-day adventure with 11 Class II-III+ rapids that will get your pulse racing. From the put-in at the Outpost, it’s several miles of bouncy, stress-free rapids before things get spicy in the Gorge where you’ll maneuver through challenging chutes, big waves, drops and unforgettable rapids like Satan’s Cesspool. Lunch is included.
This South Fork American River rafting trip is the whole shebang and combines both the Chili Bar and Gorge sections for an epic full-day adventure. You’ll take on all of the South Fork’s most notorious rapids, plus have plenty of time for swimming, soaking in the scenery and laughing the day away with your crew.
For paddlers who want to kick things up a notch, a Middle Fork American River rafting trip won’t disappoint. On this full-day adventure near Auburn you’ll plunge down a beautiful, boulder-strewn stretch of Class III-IV whitewater interspersed with scenic calm stretches. It’s the whole package: stunning views, cool Gold Rush history and adrenaline-inducing rapids like Tunnel Chute, Texas Chainsaw and Kanaka Falls.
Minimum Age: 14 years (16 at high water) River Rating: Class IV River Miles: 16 Season: Mid-May – September Price Range: $159 – $189
When this wild and untamed stretch of river roars to life from spring runoff, North Fork American River rafting trips offer up some of the best action-packed Class IV+ whitewater in the Sierra Nevada. On this challenging early season run, intricate boulder gardens, rushing falls and staircase drops promise intense paddling and plenty of adrenaline-inspiring thrills in exhilarating rapids like Slaughter’s Sluice, Chamberlain Falls, and Bogus Thunder.
Minimum Age: 14 years (16 at high water) River Rating: Class IV+ River Miles: 10 Season: March – June Price Range: $159 – $189
Combine two fun-packed days of American River rafting with hassle-free riverside camping for the perfect weekend getaway or adventurous add-on to your California vacation.
Minimum Age: 2-Day SFA: 8 years (12 at high water); MFA & Combo Trips: 14 years (16 at high water) River Rating: SFA: Class III; MFA/NFA: Class IV – IV+ River Miles: 21 – 37 Season: SFA/MFA: April – mid-October; NFA: March – June Price Range: $269 – $449
— 2-Day American River Rafting Options: —
2-Day South Fork American River Rafting
On our 2-day South Fork American River rafting trip, we make your getaway easy. Enjoy the splashy fun of all 21 miles of the South Fork starting with the Gorge Run on the first day followed by a hot shower, catered dinner, and night of camping. Then, wake-up to a hearty breakfast in camp before heading off to challenge the Chili Bar section of the South Fork.
This 2-day Middle Fork American River rafting trip lets you escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and disappear down a remote and wild river canyon. Exhilarating whitewater and scenic calm stretches of flat water combined with stress-free camping under the stars (where we bring all the gear and do all the cooking) makes for an unforgettable and easy overnight getaway.
This exciting 2-day adventure combines a thrilling Class IV Middle Fork American River rafting trip on day one with the splashy, fun South Fork American River Chili Bar run, which gets you off the river by noon on day two so you can head home or on to your next adventure. Between trips, enjoy a hot shower, camp games, and a night of catered camping so you can kick back with your crew.
Raft the popular Gorge stretch of the South Fork of the American River before stepping up the action on a Middle Fork American River rafting trip for the ultimate 2-day California whitewater adventure. This hassle-free getaway includes guide-prepared meals and a night of catered camping at our Outpost.
This one-of-a-kind California whitewater adventure begins with a day of warm-up rapids on the Gorge stretch of the South Fork American River before cranking things up the next day on an exhilarating North Fork American rafting trip. In between trips, kick back at the Outpost and enjoy guide-prepared meals and a night of catered camping.
