American River Rafting Vacation

Two Day/Two Night- Gorge/Chili Bar (Class III)

Available May 1 to September 29, 2024

Take off your shoes. Shed your worries. Have some cold drinks. Gaze at the stars. Go swimming. Go berry picking. Sit in the front of the raft and forget everything. Sit in the back of the raft and watch everyone else forget everything. Skip a rock. Skip a phone call, or five of them.

The South Fork 2-Day is our specialty. It's much more than river rafting. We are excited to show you all of the special places on the river. The places where you can drift in the currents. The places where the turtles rest. The places where a bird nests and a beaver gnaws. The places you can jump off of rocks. The places where you can stick your face out the front of the raft like a giant human hood ornament. 

This is where river time takes over and all you have to worry about is whether you can fit in seconds at dinner and still have room for dessert. 

Arrive the night before and set up your camp (one tent per 2 people will be provided and set up for you prior to your arrival).

Wake up in the morning to a coffee call and stumble out of bed in the beautiful Camp Lotus. Watch your guides whip up a storm in the kitchen to serve you a fresh hot breakfast. 

Take some time to chill out and get river ready while the guides take care of cleaning up. Once they are done the river will begin to call. 

The first day begins with a fun class 2 stretch before lunch giving  you time to relax, play, swim or experience adventurous antics depending on your tastes. Your guides will prepare a fresh deli style lunch that will leave you satisfied and ready for the adventure ahead. After lunch you will have time to digest before hitting the class 3 gorge. The gorge is an exciting and beautiful place where the river has carved through rock deep below the chaparral covered hill sides forming incredibly fun rapids. If you are lucky on a quiet day you may see a great blue heron, a bald eagle, deer and sometimes even mink, beaver and river otter. 

After a long day on the river a 20 minute bus ride will take you back to camp and your tireless guides will prepare an epic dinner to follow up an epic day. 

The next morning your guides will re-enact their breakfast performance  mixing it up for variety and you will hop in a bus to take you 9 miles upstream.

After you slide your boat into the water at Chili Bar it is not long before you drop down into what feels like wilderness. Steep canyon walls loom high above as you crash through the class 3 rapids that begin almost immediately. With great scenery, rapids and fascinating gold rush history this section has something for everyone.  The rapids mellow out in the Coloma valley before you reach Camp Lotus where your guides will have their last hurrah and prepare  a delicious and well deserved lunch. 

Minimum age: 6 years old (children should be comfortable in water)

Check in anytime after 4pm on the evening prior to your first day on the river at the River Runners site in Camp Lotus 5461 Bassi Road, Lotus California, 95651.

Check out is approximately 4pm on your second river day.

• Meals are included

• 2 nights camping at Camp Lotus

• Tents (1 tent per 2 people) included

• Parking and use fees at Camp Lotus are included

• All government fees included

• Tax is included

Price is per person. Guide gratuity not included.

The 2024 two day trip schedule generally follows this cycle:

Thursday/Friday (arriving Wednesday evening) ,

Saturday/Sunday (arriving Friday evening)

Deviations from this schedule can be accommodated call us to discuss your needs, 530-622-5110.

You can book online here by either paying the full amount or a deposit. Please confirm if the dates you want are available by phone 530-622-5110 or email adventures@riverrunnersusa.com. If you have already confirmed your dates are available you will be prompted to enter your desired dates when you click purchase. Be sure to reserve your vacation as soon as possible as dates do sell out.