AMERICAN RIVER – KERN RIVER – TUOLUMNE, MERCED, YUBA, KINGS, KAWEAH RIVERS
Go California rafting on the 7 most popular rivers in the state!
The American River in California, rafting made world famous for its South Fork, remains one of the most popular white water rafting runs in the West. Located 40 minutes from Sacramento and 2 hours from the San Francisco Bay Area, this river offers easy access to fabulous American River rafting and whitewater fun and picturesque Sierra scenery.
The Kern River is a river rafter's jewel located in Southern California in the heart of Sequoia National Forest near Bakersfield northeast, and 2+ hours from Los Angeles. These California rafting trips along the major sections of the Kern River include the Lower Kern River, below Lake Isabella, the Upper Kern, above the lake and the world-famous Forks of the Kern run.
The Tuolumne River, just west of Yosemite National Park, is an easy 140 mile drive from the San Francisco Bay Area. The Tuolumne is a Class IV+ slalom course for rafters with rapids of escalating intensity. This “Wild and Scenic” river thunders and plunges through a grand succession of boulder gardens and spectacular cascades, with stunning granite boulders and blue-green waters. The Tuolumne River is one of California's finest whitewater destinations and white water rafters return to it, year after year.
Also just west of Yosemite National Park, is the beautiful and very scenic Merced River. A non-dammed river, the Merced offers exciting rafting trips during the high water typical of May and early June calming to gentler flows during the lower flows of late June and July. With steep slopes covered in wild flowers, the beauty of the Merced River canyon is simply inspirational.
Other popular California rafting trips can be found on the Yuba River near Lake Tahoe National Forest, and on the Kaweah and the Kings Rivers near Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park in Central California.
