A full day in the Gorge!
The South Fork Gorge Full Day Rafting Trip is class III California whitewater rafting at its best! We spend more time on the water than any other company, giving you time to swim, play, and spend quality time with your friends and family.
This magical day begins gently and ends with a bang with class III rapids. Our guides give you time to relax and experience the excitement of rafting the South Fork of the American all in one day.
River Runners has a reputation in the industry for providing the best whitewater rafting experience to our guests. Our full-day rafting trips are the real deal. We spend more time on the water than any other company, prioritizing your experience over all else. If you are looking for a full-day whitewater rafting trip, why rush down the river? Come with us and let us show you all the beauty this river has to offer.
Our South Fork Gorge Full Day Rafting Trip is a Class III adventure suitable for any group looking for a long, leisurely day filled with fun surf spots, jump rocks, and nooks to swim in. All our full-day whitewater rafting trips include a delicious lunch. We use only fresh, quality ingredients and serve everything à la carte so you can make it how you like it.
South Fork Gorge Full Day Itinerary
Starting in the beautiful Coloma Valley, the South Fork Gorge Full Day adventure begins at our campsite in beautiful Camp Lotus, where you will check in with your trip leaders and receive a safety briefing and equipment.
After your guides prepare you for the river, the adventure begins with a fun class II stretch, giving you time to relax, play, and swim before lunch.
Then, your guides will pull over at our lunch spot on the river and 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 heading back to the boats and hitting the class III “gorge” section.
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 you may see a great blue heron, a bald eagle, deer and sometimes even mink, beaver and river otter.
After experiencing the joy of exciting whitewater on the gorge section of your trip, you will float up to the take-out area in Folsom Reservoir where a bus or van will be waiting to take you back to our camp, where your trip will officially end.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Class II-III
- Minimum Age: 6-years-old
- Season: April - September
- River Miles/Distance: 12 miles
- Trip Duration: Approximately 8.5 hours, start to finish
- Check In: 9:30 AM at Camp Lotus
- Check Out: Approximately 5:30 PM at Camp Lotus
- Trip Cost: $160 per person
- Lunch is included
- Taxes and fees are included
- Guide gratuity is not included
You can book online by paying the full amount or a deposit.
If you have never been whitewater river rafting in California, we can't recommend the South Fork of the American River enough. It’s not just a one-and-done thrill though, River Runners has customers that have come back yearly for decades because the experience can’t be matched.
About class III rafting
Officially the South Fork is rated Class III, but we rate it Class Awesome. Knowing the river really well allows us to experiment and explore. We've been rafting the South Fork of the American River for years now, and it just never gets old. There's always a new place to investigate. There's always a new thrill to enjoy.
Are you ready to book this trip today?
View our calendar and check availability.