Experience thrilling Class III rapids on the South Fork American River. Perfect for all skill levels. Quick adventure near Sacramento and Lake Tahoe.
- South Fork of the American River - You’ll meet at the OARS American River Outpost on the morning of your trip. After an orientation and safety talk, we’ll take a 25-minute drive to the Chili Bar put-in.
Meatgrinder Rapid is the exciting start to the splashy, big-water fun on the upper section of the South Fork. As beautiful river scenes stretch out around us, rapids like Racehorse Bend, Maya, and Triple Threat await us further downstream.
After a short section of Class I-II whitewater, we find ourselves at the notorious Troublemaker Rapid. This Class III rapid packs an exhilarating ride and can offer plenty of surprises. As we float by the historic town of Coloma and the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, the trip begins to wind down—but not without a few more stories from your personable and knowledgeable guide.
Once we return to the Outpost, we encourage you to explore our nature trails, play campground games, or just savor your time along the river.
- Transfers from the river take-out back to our campground
- Skilled, professional guide service
- High-quality river equipment including paddle, helmet, personal flotation device, and wetsuits and splash tops (included on early and late season trips, cold weather trips, and by advance request)
- Gratuities
Need a quick adventure fix? This classic California whitewater rafting trip on the upper 8-mile Chili Bar stretch of the South Fork of the American River offers several hours of rafting for novice and experienced rafters alike. You’ll maneuver through boulder gardens, dodge sneaky holes, and drop into exciting Class III rapids like Meatgrinder, Triple Threat, and Troublemaker (which definitely has the potential to live up to its name). In the calmer stretches, simply bask in the beauty of the scenic Sierra Foothills, or take the opportunity to hop off of the raft and feel the rush of swimming a “swimmer’s rapid.”
About an hour from Sacramento, and just an hour and a half from Lake Tahoe, this quick getaway has you rafting on the American River in the morning and back in time for lunch and plenty of time to venture on to your next destination.
- Please call to speak with an Adventure Consultant if you have any health concerns
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.