Customer Reviews

John and his team were amazing. The river was amazing. Perfect mix of fun, excitement, relaxing and safety. We took a group of 40 with 23 kids ages 8-12 on the 3/4 day trip. Can’t say enough good things. It was the highlight of our weekend!! Definitely recommend to anyone looking to go rafting, from beginner to experienced.

First time rafters. Forever hooked. Scottie was our guide. Highly HIGHLY recommend him. He kept us entertained, safe and taught us a lot about rafting techniques, the area and nature. Great spread for lunch (build your own sandwiches with ALL the fixings). We'll definitely be back.

I had family visiting ad wanted to give them a safe, special trip on the river. As a Coloma resident and kayaker, I asked local friends & fellow whitewater enthusiasts for recommendations for a good raft outfitter for a 2-day South Fork trip. One of the companies that was repeatedly recommended was River Runners. As soon as I spoke to the owner, John, I knew River Runners would be a great choice. John was accommodating and professional. He went out of his way to help me deliver a custom, intimate experience for my family. Everything about our river trip was top notch. Our guide Chris was fantastic!! He navigated our desire for maximum FUN while keeping everyone safe. His decades of experience shined as we surfed & spun on waves that I wouldn’t have thought possible. At the same time, he displayed the infectious enthusiasm and energy of a newer guide. In our rafting photos, you can see pure joy on Chris’ face…this is a guide who is truly present and loves what he does. The River Runners team did not take any shortcuts. Chris, along with another awesome guide Wyatt, showed us the best blackberry spots, swimming eddies, and jumping rocks. The team served up a great BBQ for lunch one day and a fantastic lunch spread the next. It was a class act from start to finish. I thought I was hiring River Runners mainly to make the logistics easier for me (vs. having a local rafting friend take us down.) What I didn’t realize is that after hundreds of trips down the South Fork, I would experience the river in a whole new way! Thank you John, Chris, Wyatt and team for providing an unforgettable experience for us all!

We went rafting and it was one of the best experiences ever! and thanks to Chris, he is a clear example that when you love what you do it shows, you are the best !! highly recommended

So easy to pull in and set up for camping /great staff and setting for the river

Incredible team focused on safety and having a fun time!

Best Guides on the River Our family of five from San Diego felt lucky to get the best guides on the river. They gave us time to swim, jump off rocks into the water, and float on our backs down the river when we wanted to. No hurry. Just nature and fun. Loved it! Shane Sullivan

Wow what a blast…. This was my third time white water rafting…. River Runners was by far the best experience I have had…. John our guide was so knowledgeable and his experience was second to none! If you’re thinking about it I would say just do it! You won’t regret it! I would rate this 10 stars if it was available!

A chill family run operation. I can see the corporatization of some of the other operators and glad that they still run it in such a personalized, way. The picnic lunch was great, with quality food. They have their own reserved campsite area that's away from the rest of the sites. Scotty our guide clearly had over 20 years of experience.

I had such an amazing experience with River Runners last weekend for Labor Day with the wife we decided to go down this weekend with our kids and it was amazing all the things we did along the trip down river. The guides were amazing with the knowledge of the area the family and I have learned so much about trees , wildlife , edible plants and berries. I look forward to next season we will definitely be out there.

Great vibe, Great people, Great trip-I'd give y'all six stars if I could. Thanks Remy !

River Runners is a fantastic rafting company. The staff are truly kind and enjoyable, and I had a great experience over 2 days with them.

We loved everything about the whole experience. Guides were great! John was our guide. My husband ended up knocking my son out of the raft but that just added to the adventure. Lunch was great. The water was really moving fast. Highly recommend.

The best rafting outfit and guides I have ever experienced. Definitely worth the over night stay for both upper and lower runs but the dinner menu was amazing. Ive been back with my groups and families many time and have never had a complaint or criticism. Professional, safe abd fun.

We'd choose River Runners again and again!! 5 Stars for sure! My family and I had the BEST time rafting with our guide, John. He made it so exciting for us that we want to return less than a month later!! Definitely choose River Runners for the most skilled guides who are kind and into giving you and your family the best experience!

Had an amazing time rafting the south fork. Derrick was the best guide!!

GREAT RAFT GUIDE PROGRAM! I took the 5-day rafting guide course for private boaters this June on the South Fork American River. Plenty of class 3-4 white water rapids. The class was very well organized and professionally taught. Typical day starts in the morning 8:30am w a discussion of strategies and rapids. Boating safety was always a top priority. Then off to the put in where it's lots of hands on training and practice w several experienced guide. Boats were 4-5 students in each so we all took turns guiding and paddling. Throughout various days we also practiced flipping rafts over, ferrying across a river upstream, throwing ropes to pull rafters to safety and portaging around obstacles. I recommend this course as an introduction for those looking to do private rafting trips w friends and family.

RIVER RUNNERS IS THE BEST! Our group of 21 did a full day trip at South Fork and we had such a BLAST! From the guides, to the food, to doing all the fun activities.. everything was perfect and amazing! John, the owner, was so easy to talk to and very responsive to all my inquiries because you know.. booking a trip for 21 people wasn’t easy. We jumped rocks, swam through the rapid, went through a “birthing canal” - (ps: none of the other river rafting companies do this extra ordinary experience) .. and IT WAS SO FUN!! So If you are looking for a fun, exciting, adventurous experience then you should definitely book from river runners. And we love love love our guide, Andrew!!! He definitely gave our boat a memorable and fun experience that we will never forget. He told jokes, made us laugh, remembered all our names, and made us do crazy fun tricks 😊

John is excellent guide. Very entertaining extremely safe and his strategies work on 5 yr old too. He's very safe rafter and knows the rapids oh the south fork Robert very well. Provided snack and enough break time swim time in water . No rushing. Understands our needs. Provided cool watermelon at the end of trip. We could not stay over at the camp. But highly recommend camping and then rafting

I went river rafting with my son's scout troop on Sunday and had an *amazing* time, despite the somewhat smoky air quality due to the Mosquito fire! I had already heard a great review about this company from another parent and everything she told me was accurate. They took their time guiding us down the river (~5 - 6 hours!), so it wasn't a rush to get to the finish line, and stopped at so many places to let the kids (and adults) play in the rapids, swim or jump from cliffs, where it's safe. The guides also seemed to tailor each boat's experience based on the passengers. Our boat was all adults and the guide (Kylie) was very personable and knowledgeable about the river and we also learned a lot about how the company is run and what makes them so special, as well as the art of guiding a raft. Kyle had a boat with the older scouts and was so funny to watch with them. He would get their raft purposefully(?) stuck on rocks, "surf" almost every rapid they could and do other fun things with the boat. He even jumped in at one point to rescue my hat. My son and the younger scouts were with Wyatt as their guide and I felt like they were taken care of and safe. All of the guides instilled in me full confidence in their capabilities and we all had a blast! Everything was well run, the campsite is beautiful with nice/clean facilities and the whole experience was top notch. It was very memorable for me and I would highly highly recommend this company if you're planning to be in the area.

Good people work for good people - Kyle and John made that abundantly obvious. Because we came so early in the year, my wife and I were fortunate enough to be the only people in the 6+ person raft with our guide, Kyle. From the moment I booked over the phone with John until the moment we left camp after the trip, the size of our group/trip never once felt like an inconvenience to River Runners. We arrived to a fresh pour of coffee and chatted with the entire team before setting out on a full single day trip. Kyle was passionate, personable, and full of life. Wouldn't consider another outfitter for a future trip.

Went on a school trip this Monday and Tuesday and the staff were phenomenal and super fun to be around! They were on top of everything, woke up super early to make us delicious breakfast, and cooked amazing lunches and dinner. Would give them more than 5 stars but unfortunately, that's the max. This place is worth the time and money!!!!!

I went here for a boy scout trip a few days ago, and it was so much fun! Andrew and Kyle were our guides, and they were excellent! We went both rafting and kayaking, and I loved them both!

Such an amazing experience! Thank you John for everything! Honestly y’all don’t book with anyone else river runners is where it’s at!!

Hands down the best. John and all the guides is what makes it the best .

Lower fork during the middle of the week Our group did the lower fork and had a blast. During the middle of the week there is not that many rafts on the river. Great time to go. It's like having your own private river.

The staff at River Runners take their time and let you enjoy the day. They had an excellent spread for lunch too. Highly recommend using them for your raft trip.

Emily was the best.

Booked a weekend trip for our Boy Scout families and everyone had a blast. River Runners is a tightly run ship and they curate a magical experience.

We arrived after dark Friday night and yet it was stress-free because the tents (spotless and near-new) were set up and there were lights in the dining area to illuminate our way. Every meal was delicious and surprised us with the abundance of fresh, organic, tasty ingredients. It was hard to believe we were camping, the food was just phenomenal (I'm from the Bay Area with plentiful access to amazing food - and this did not disappoint!).

The guides were the perfect combination of informative and fun, and they worked hard. After guiding us down the river all day at whatever level of adventure we wanted, they helped prep and serve meals, all while smiling, sharing great conversation, and making us feel welcomed and appreciated.

Special shout-out to my guide Remy! Enjoyed rafting and surfing with you and love knowing you're teaching the next generation. Can't say enough good things about our weekend experience. River Runners' campsite is beautiful, and while the bathrooms are shared with Camp Lotus, they were always spotless. Thank you River Runners for creating a memorable experience for our Troop!

Trust the reviews on this one! This is a family-owned business and it delivers a significantly better experience than the larger companies on the river. This was my third time rafting in the area and the first with River Runners. Our group is already talking about returning next summer! Working with John was seamless. I would give this company more stars if I could!

If you're sitting wondering if you should go rafting with River Runners...just say YES! River Runner is the best rafting company on the American River hands down! This is an experience you won't regret and wish would never end!

A 2-day rafting trip on the South Fork of the American River with River Runners means enjoying the river for hours, guides who are extremely skilled on the river have great personalities (jokes, fun facts, and insightful conversations are endless), pulling over on the river to immerse yourself in nature (nature walks, rock art, jumping off rocks, berry picking, eddy swims, etc.), running rapids (and then turning around to surf them) and so much more!

And don't forget about the camping amenities and food. It's an all inclusive ordeal! The camp and tents are set up for you upon arrival and the food is DELICIOUS (so much variety...it's not your typical hot dog/canned food situation you'd find camping). Definitely check out their website for the full spiel.

I would recommend River Runners a thousand times over!!!

We had a great trip with John, Sarah and Andrew! Third year in a row in June and it was great. Great dynamic leaders who were able to lead us adults and kids on a great rafting trip. And great food too!

We just competed our seventh group trip with River Runners and I'm glad to finally wrote this review. Their trips are safe and fun - top notch guides, equipment and attitude. Their prices are reasonable and they really focus on making the river an experience for their guests. We stopped and played in some fun spots, jumped off a big rock, and joked with the guides. We have had about eight or nine guides on our various trips and they are all top notch - and there are a half dozen who we see year after year, a testament to how they treat their staff. There are lots of choices on the rover and we have tried others on individual trips. Rover runners is the best. Thanks R2!

Just did our first trip down the lower fork of the Sacramento River with these guys. John owns the business and was really helpful and friendly. Marc was our guide. He worked well with folks of different abilities and made it safe and fun. He was also full of local history and a warm, funny guy. I highly recommend booking with River Runners.

I can't say enough good about our experience here. After calling around to different rafting outfits, right away talking to John put me at ease. I told him what my scenario was & number of people and ages of kids, and he was able to help coach me through to plan appropriately and make everyone comfortable. I loved our guide Scotty and enjoyed him sharing his different experiences and river knowledge. Not only was this a safe and exciting adventure, it was an educational experience that my whole family will remember for the rest of their lives. This place deserves a 10 out of 10 in my book. I love the fact it is a locally owned buisness (not a Corporation or chain). Nothing but love and respect here, no disappointments and worth every penny don't forget to tip your guide!

River runners was great. A much more fun experience then most of the rafting outfitters. Everyone should try this at least once. Lots of fun!

Been a decade that I've had this shirt. The tears in the shirt make today its last day as a shirt, and it's first day as rags for cleaning. Good memories of great times. I've been down rivers from Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alaska, and California. Definitely worth the memories!

We went on the 1/2 day Chili Bar Express trip with 6 adults a d an 8yr old child. A couple people in our group were a bit apprehensive at first, but our amazing guide, John, made everyone feel very comfortable and safe. We had such an amazing time that we are already wanting to book another, longe, trip. We 100% recommended rafting with River Runners! Thank you John and Sarah

Awesome Tour Guides....Jus everything...

A group of 10 adults and 3 kids made a last minute plan to go on a camping trip on the memorial day weekend. We contacted River Runners and talked to Sarah and John. They were able to accommodate us at such a short notice. We took the 2 day package that included tents, meals and a 2-day rafting experience. We did not expect much since it was last minute and were unsure of what kind of food we'll get there. Once we reached there, everything was way above expectations. The campsite was lush green, well maintained and clean. Sarah and John (owners of River runners), made our stay very comfortable. All the meals were warm and fresh, including good vegetarian options (which are usually so hard to find) like fresh veggies and fruits, cooked by Sarah and her team. Sarah was so hospitable and warm, taking personal care of each one of us. We felt like we went to a friends' place! Our rafting guide, Mr. Chris Wilson was amazing! He made the 2-day rafting experience so much fun, never rushed us through, stopped at all the activities and made sure we had a gala time. He has 25+ yrs of experience as a guide so I felt so much safe with him too. I'd definitely recommend River Runners and would 100% return every summer!

PHENOMENAL! Scotty and Chris are amazing guides. Love Chris' quirky style and Scotty is a botany wiz! My wife, teen boys and I spent two days on the South Fork. We camped at Camp Lotus with all the quail and geese. Lovely! And most importantly, we had a great time getting wet on the river! Satan's Cesspool was fun! Nice 25 foot jump! Oh yes, and vegetarians and vegans, you won't be disappointed. While my wife and boys enjoyed steak, fish and chicken, Sarah (Sara?), a vegetarian herself, made me wonderful veggie food. So nice to go camping and not have to cook.

By far the best company on the river. You are the first on the water and the last off at the end of the day. All the guides are skilled and know the river extremely well. The food they served was amazing and enough fot everyone to make a large portion. If you are looking for a great adventure I would recommend them over and over.

I went rafting and camped with River Runners and was seriously impressed with every aspect of the trip! The staff was fun, energetic, helpful and welcoming! The campsite was really nice and the food they prepared as absolutely perfect! River Runners was very helpful answering any questions ahead of time and while at camp. I cannot recommend them enough and will definitely be heading back to raft and camp with them again!

If there were more than five stars, I would certainly give them to River Runners, as they definitely deserves them! From my very first phone conversation with Sarah, and there were several of them as I constantly wanted more information, to the morning we had to pack up and head home, was an absolute delight. We were so impressed with their service, food, accommodations, and knowledge of the river and all that surround it. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel super welcomed and comfortable. The staff are all so friendly and like a big family. Our guide John, being our first time, put us all at ease from the start and was so gracious in taking his time to point out so many unique spots along the 19 mile trip. As we made our way down the river, over the course of two days, I noticed several other rafting companies pass by us and not participate in any of the fun activities River Runners offers. I asked John about it, and he informed me that the other companies don’t do it. We were able to jump off rocks, surf the tide, get out and swim, and a multitude of other activities. Thank you John, Sarah and the entire staff at River Runners. We will be back and cannot wait. Sending you all our best, Andrew & Michael The gay/straight buddy duo.

John and his team were amazing, as usual. We took a troop of Boy Scouts out this weekend. They make the trip so FUN! Lots of swimming, raft surfing and a generally great time. Excellent trip for the Scouts and adults alike. We are so grateful.

Book with River Runners for a truly memorable experience!
I would give River Runners 6 stars if I could! Everyone is super chill and really focused on making sure all their guests have a blast. John was able to accommodate our reservation with short notice and once we arrived at camp Lotus everything from there was all organized and taken care of for our 1 day trip down the gorge. Our guide Chris was what really made the trip fun and memorable. He took his time guiding us down the river checking out many spots and stopping to swim and jump off rocks. Surfing was epic!! Chris knows so much about the area and we really enjoyed our time and conversations. Every video from the trip the whole boat is laughing and enjoying the moment. Already looking forward to coming back next year to see our new friends at River Runners!!

River Runners Rock!!!! Our time spent with River Runners over Labor Day exceeded all my expectations. My husband and I went with our two teenage daughters (15 and 17)..which is never easy.
The staff is exceptional and made every experience positive and enjoyable. The meals were prepared to order and delicious thanks to Sarah. Chris' Safety talk" was entertaining and hilarious while still focusing on the importance of safety at all times. John, our raft guide, brought 21 years of experience to every aspect of our time on the river. He showed us where berries were hidden, explained the history of the different tribes, gold rushers and early settlers in the area and shared his personal experiences on the river and his vast travel adventures. Our family was matched up with two other male guests with who we instantly hit it off! During the slower times when the river was calm, jokes and stories were shared and during the more active times, laughing, screaming and friendly heckling was a must!! John knew how to keep our conversation easy and flowing and even the teenagers were engaged and were participatory. My older daughter was tentative about the more advanced river classifications and John assured her he would never do anything to scare her. He was true to his word and gained her trust as the days continued, My younger daughter was more fearless and John challenged her to do even more adventurous activities. As parents, we felt completely comfortable having our family under John's care both on and off the river. We can't say enough about the accommodations and the professionalism of the entire River Runner team. We will most definitely be back!

If there were more than five stars, I would certainly give them to River Runners, as they definitely deserves them! From my very first phone conversation with Sarah, and there were several of them as I constantly wanted more information, to the morning we had to pack up and head home, was an absolute delight. We were so impressed with their service, food, accommodations, and knowledge of the river and all that surround it. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel super welcomed and comfortable. The staff are all so friendly and like a big family. Our guide John, being our first time, put us all at ease from the start and was so gracious in taking his time to point out so many unique spots along the 19 mile trip. As we made our way down the river, over the course of two days, I noticed several other rafting companies pass by us and not participate in any of the fun activities River Runners offers. I asked John about it, and he informed me that the other companies don't do it. We were able to jump off rocks, surf the tide, get out and swim, and a multitude of other activities. Thank you John, Sarah and the entire staff at River Runners. We will be back and cannot wait. Sending you all our best,
Andrew & Michael
The gay/straight buddy duo.