North Fork American River Full Day

After meeting with your guides and receiving a safety briefing and equipment, your expert guides will slide your boats into the snowmelt to begin your North Fork full day adventure!

This river trip isn't for the faint of heart! Imagine, just a quarter mile downstream from the put-in, an ancient landslide chokes an already narrow canyon. A giant dead tree trunk hangs over a must-make slot. Scattered boulders encumber the line of sight so much that your guide is relying on memory and instinct to navigate. And that's just the beginning, for this is the gateway to a consistent section of whitewater with big name features like Chamberlain Falls, Tongue & Groove, Zig Zag, Achilles Heel, Bogus Thunder, The Wall, Grand Slalom, and Staircase.

All days on the North Fork are excellent. If the water is fast, we may pull over and hike up a creek, or lounge in the sun on rocks to warm up. If the water is slow, we drift with the current, enjoying its hypnotic effect. On all trips we stop for lunch somewhere along the way, a fresh deli lunch spread prepared by your guides during a welcome break from the excitement.

After navigating this exhilarating canyon, you will end your North Fork full day trip by arriving at the take-out area where a van will be waiting to take you back to the meeting point.

Looking for something else to do in the area? Auburn State Recreation Area gets more than 1 million visitors a year, and for good reason. There is an ample supply of space for swimming, hiking, forest bathing, and even mountain biking. Check out their website here.

Or, if you are looking for a cultural attraction, try visiting Nevada City. It was an important Gold Rush town and it continues to showcase that legacy. Check out their Chamber of Commerce website.