South Fork American River – 2 day Wilderness Raft Trip

Lotus, CA /

PRICES STARTING AT
WeekdaysThurs/Fri
  • $339 – adults (ages 14+)
  • $319 – kids (7-13)
Weekends Sat/Sun
  • $369 – adults (ages 14+)
  • $349 – kids (7-13)

Wilderness Rafting and Camping Great for Kids

This is the perfect 2 day American River rafting trip for youth groups, scout groups, and corporate groups looking for a wilderness rafting trip. We are conveniently located close to Sacramento, San Francisco, and Lake Tahoe!

This is suitable for non-swimmers. We recommend a starting age of 7-8 for kids, the Class 3+ action starts early on Day 1 and we want everyone to have a fabulous time. If you do have younger of more timid members of your group, we offer a 2 day that starts with more Class 2 rapids, but also on the South Fork American River.

Join us at our established South Fork American River Campground, with showers and flushing toilets for the first night of camping. The 2nd night is spent at a more primitive location with a beautiful beach (there are no showers or flushing toilets on night 2). This night of camping in the wilderness is memorable for all ages. Guests usually sleep under the stars and wake to the amazing sounds of the river and her beautiful nature surrounding in the morning. Both nights are included with the trip, and you are welcome to add more before or after!

There are 5 meals included with the trip as well, all prepared and cooked by your amazing river guides! With this trip we do take all the gear on the river with us for the 2nd night of camping in the wild. There is an extra guide (sometimes 2) rowing a boat with all the equipment.

The first morning coffee & tea is available in the kitchen early morning followed by a hearty breakfast before we head out for a day of rafting! This is an earlier morning than day 2, we will shuttle you put in for the upper Chili Bar section that we will run that day. There are many Class 3+ rapids finishing with the infamous Troublemaker Rapid. We float past the historic Marshall Gold Discovery Park where gold was first discovered on the River starting the California Gold Rush of 1949! There are a few more miles of Class 2-2+ rapids back to camp like Old Scary and Barking Dog and we will stop there for lunch. The gear boat(s) will join us on the river for a few more miles of rafting before we reach the BLM campground for our overnight stay. Our guests help us get the gear onto shore and there is time to explore, play games, swim, fish etc. You might be surprised at the spread our guides are able to create for appetizers and dinner in the evening! Drinks are also included and we will reach out about alcohol preferences as we can provide a moderate amount for adults.

The second morning is quite leisurely as we enjoy our coffee/tea/juice with breakfast and watch the water flows start to rise. This is a dam controlled river so the following evening you will have seen a major drop in the river levels. We launch mid-morning and travel down a few Class 2 rapids before lunch. After lunch we head into the Gorge section of the South Fork American River for several Class 3 rapids including Satan’s Cesspool & Hospital Bar. We end in Folsom Lake, load the gear up & shuttle back to camp. There is time to shower if you like before departing, you can also join us for another relaxing evening by the river after your trip.

 

Trip Information

  • 2 days of white water rafting (covering 21 miles)
  • 5 delicious meals
  • 2 nights riverside camping (different locations each night, additional nights available as an add on)
    • Your first night of camping is at our established South Fork American River campground in Lotus, CA with showers, and flush toilets (additional nights are at this location)
    • The second night of camping is primitive located on BLM property, no showers and vault toilets

Once you arrive as our guest please know you are now what we consider “River Time”. This means we try and stick to a schedule, but times are merely a guideline and may not be exact once we start our adventure. Times below may vary, but not much!

The night before your rafting adventure begins:

4:00-8:00PM – Check in to our South Fork American River campground for camping the night before you start rafting. Dinner is not included.

The first day of your rafting trip. Your guides will hand out dry bags for your overnight gear for camping tonight as it will be in a different location

7:00AM Coffee, tea and drinks are available in the kitchen
7:15AM Breakfast
8:00AM Load shuttle to put in for the Chili Bar Run
8:30AM Safety talk and put in and start rafting!
NOON Lunch
12:45PM Back to rafting!
2:00PM Pull into BLM camp
Free Time to hike, play and explore!
6:00PM Riverside appetizers
6:30PM Dinner
8:00PM Campfire and riverside chats (campfire not guaranteed due to possible high fire danger)
10:00PM Quiet Hours begin until 7:00AM the following morning, that just means no loud partying, music or noises…it’s not a bedtime!

Day 2 of your camping and rafting vacation. 

7:00AM Coffee, tea and drinks
7:30AM Breakfast
Play or relax time!
10:00AM Load up and get on the river!
12:30PM Stop for Lunch, more Class 3 Rafting
4:30PM Take out and head back to our campground where your cars are parked
5:30PM Fond farewells as you head home or to your next destination … OR maybe you would like to stay another night!

  • Kids ages 7-8 and up
  • non-swimmers
  • great for groups & families

Included for the rafting:

  • PFD (Personal floatation device / aka life jacket)
  • Paddle
  • Helmet
  • Professional raft guide for each raft
  • Shuttles to/from camp

 

Included with this overnight vacation package:

  • 2 nights riverside camping (different locations each night, additional nights available as an add on)
    • Your first night of camping is at our established South Fork American River campground in Lotus, CA with showers, and flush toilets (additional nights are at this location)
    • The second night of camping out on the South Fork American River @ BLM camp
  • 5 meals
    • Day 1 – breakfast, lunch & dinner
    • Day 2 – breakfast & lunch
  • Dry Bag for your gear on the 2nd night

FOR RAFTING

Required Items:

  • Re-usable 20oz or more water bottle (filled with ice water)
  • shoes (no flip flops)
  • sunscreen

 

Suggested Items:

  • sunglasses (with a strap)
  • baseball hat
  • Cell Phone (at your risk, it will sink)

 

DO NOT BRING:

  • Wallets
  • Expensive jewelry

 

FOR CAMPING (both nights)

  • sleeping bag
  • pillow
  • flashlight/headlamp
  • change of clothes
  • towel

 

For camping Night #1

This night is at our established campground on the South Fork American River

 

For camping Night #2

This night is at the BLM campground

  • tent & sleeping pad (Tributary will also provide)
  • duffel with personal gear that can easily be packed into our large Dry Bag

Directions

Tributary Whitewater – American River Outpost
6500 Hwy 49
Lotus, CA 95651