My boyfriend and I stayed one night camping and did the Upper Chili Bar rafting trip the next day. We had a really fun time! The rafting was the highlight, and our guide was rowing with the long oars, which made it more relaxed and enjoyable for us. We also enjoyed the BBQ hamburger lunch and watermelon--such a nice touch! They were also very upfront about the cancellation, explained the situation, and promptly refunded us for what we had paid. Overall, this was a really enjoyable experience and we would definitely recommend the rafting. I'm giving 4 stars because there were a couple of things that kept it from feeling like a full 5-star experience for us. read more

The entire trip was wonderful! The guides were friendly, helpful, and made the experience exciting and safe. I would definitely recommend Sierra Whitewater! read more

We had a great experience camping and rafting the full day on the South Fork with Sierra Whitewater. Our guide was amazing and I would highly recommend rafting with Sierra Whitewater. read more

I've had two fabulous trips with Tucker as my river guide for the full-day South Fork of the American river experience. If you want technical excellence, this is the experience for you. Everything was so smooth, it almost felt easy, but I know it's not. On one trip, I was in a fully-laden 15-foot raft with 8 adults, and for the other, it was just 3 of us in a 9-foot raft, and we didn't break 400 lbs between the 3 of us. Both experiences were fabulous. It gave me a good appreciation for how the guide adjusts what he says and does for the capabilities of the group he's got. Tucker worked really hard so that the 3 of us didn't tire out. We took a clean line on every rapid. As a scout group, we camped the night before and after. I recommend that if you are doing the full-day trip, so that you can be well rested if you have a long drive home. read more

5-Stars is not enough for this company and the experience you get! From the moment we arrived, we were greeted and checked-in by Tucker, one of the rafting guides who happened to be our rafting guide for the day. He was absolutely amazing, friendly and incredibly knowledgeable about the river and whitewater rafting. We opted to do the Full River trip which is 21miles on the South Fork of the American River. On the River, Tucker was excellent in calling out paddling commands and instructions to ensure a safe and exhilarating trip. This was a 7/8hr trip which included stopping for hot lunch (grilled burgers, salad, watermelon, chips, cookies as well as Lemonade and fresh cold water) and snacks for the bus ride back. Along the river there are photographers situated at the major rapids that take pictures of all the rafts maneuvering through the turbulent waters. At the end of the day, the photos are posted and you have the opportunity to purchase the ones you like. Bottom line: don't need to take your expensive camera or phone because there's photographers capturing the moments. We're definitely coming back next year! read more

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My husband surprised me with a wonderful birthday and 11th anniversary celebration at this remarkable location, and the experience was truly unforgettable. Upon our arrival, we were warmly welcomed by Josh in the parking lot, whose positive energy set the tone for the day. I highly recommend arriving on an empty stomach, as they provide a generous meal before the adventure begins. We enjoyed delicious hamburgers with a variety of toppings, along with fruit, chips, and cookies. I skipped the cookies but even after eating the hamburger I didn't feel sluggish so it was perfect. After our meal, we got our safety gear and went over rules, tips, safety info etc. Zach was our lead and he was very knowledgeable on all 150 questions our team asked him lol. We took off and within 5 min we were in the water by choice, and the water felt amazing. At the end of our river adventure, a jet ski transported us to end location where we removed our gear and boarded a bus, they gave us a snack prior to loading the bus. Zach drove us back efficiently while Josh kept us entertained. The entire staff was phenomenal and it's clear why this place receives such high praise. I look forward to returning with my kids , as my birthday and anniversary celebration was nothing short of amazing. Thank you guys so much. - Bring cheap sun shades you don't care to loose - Sunscreen - towel (leave in the car) - swim clothes / water suit - change of clothes (leave in the car) - water bottle - chap stick - hair tie for after your hair will be all messed up after this trip lol You don't have to get in the water to swim but be clear you will get wet!!!! And ..... you're wearing a life vest the whole time and helmet so even if you can't swim the vest will keep you floating. I hope this info helps . My husband and I sat in the front I had an amazing experience read more

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This business is fantastic! It was all our first time white water rafting and we had the greatest time! We chose to do the "gorge". We had burgers, salad, and watermelon for lunch before we left. We all got our ppe and listened to the rules. We met our guide Zack who was amazing! He was so personable and really knew what he was doing. It was a fantastic day. Now we all want to do it many more times! read more

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Wonderful experience, competent guides, all around great time. We went on an office outing, people of all ages, sizes and risk aversion or lack thereof, and everyone came back safe and in awe of God's wonderful creation, exhilarated by the trip. read more

Great experience start to finish. Every staff member, whether serving lunch, guiding our raft, or bussing us home was exceptionally friendly. We had a nervous six year old with us and they gave us their sturdiest boat and an excellent guide who navigated us through each rapid without incident. Our four kids ages 6, 12, 14, and 17 had a fantastic experience and said that we should do it again. read more

What a great time and experience! My mother is law planned this family outing and read through several reviews on several different companies. She ultimately chose this one based off the great reviews, and she really did a great job choosing this one! What an amazing time. From the lunch at the beginning of our check in, the knowledge and safety tips, the grouping up, the guides and the trip. It was amazing. Our guide was fun, knowledgeable, whitty and well experienced in rafting. It truly was a great time, and we are already planning a trip back. read more

Sierra Whitewater - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

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We had a great experience with Sierra White Water. Our Guide, Zach, was wonderful, attentive and gave a jacket to my GreatGrandson to help him keep warmer. No one launched from the raft, all made to the take out point soaked but in one piece.. read more

I believe this is the 3rd time I've gone rafting with this company. Our guides name was Zach! I have to say he was fantastic! Made our trip the best ever!!! read more

Sierra Whitewater - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

We love whitewater rafting and Sierra Whitewater is our favorite company to go with. They are kind, fun, welcoming, exciting and just all around wonderful. We had a fantastic day rafting the Gorge with our amazing guide, Sage! She was absolutely fantastic! Thank you!! read more

Sierra Whitewater - Whoo hoo!! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

I recently took a rafting trip with Sierra Whitewater and was extremely pleased and delighted with the experience. From the start of the day when our Guide Noah greeted and prepared us to the end of the river run was nonstop fun. Noah displayed leadership and his enjoyment was clearly on display the entire time. I would recommend Sierra Whitewater to anyone who would be looking for a great and safe time. read more

Had a group of guys ride the middle fork - a few inexperienced - and had a blast! Our guide "duck dick" (Spencer) was a great communicator, good sense of humor, and super knowledgeable about all things merganser ducks. Though we did almost all the work, he was instrumental in a safe and enjoyable experience, especially the 'raft surfing' bit. Food was delicious but light, equipment good condition, and all staff were very friendly. Highly recommend and make sure to ask for duck dick as your guide, won't go wrong. read more

Family and I had a great time on the river with our awesome guide Owen! Jen was also great and gave us some great information about the area. We did the lower fork where we were able to take our 4 yr old twins. They had an absolute blast and felt safe throughout the experience. We pulled over half way down the trip and enjoy a snack and walked in the water a bit. Joyous memories were made. read more

Ask for Austin the guy is an absolute pro. He knows this river like the back of his hand. We had a great adventure. He's an excellent guide very knowledgeable. Highly recommend. read more

Sierra Whitewater - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

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We really enjoyed our rafting experience with Sierra whitewater. Our guide was so knowledgeable and skilled and it was first time for many of us so made us feel confident and gave us excellent instructions to stay safe and have a wonderful time. Highly recommend them and would do it again soon' read more

It was our first time whitewater rafting experience and it went so smoothly. My husband and I were a bit nervous but Kyler made our experience fun and unforgettable. He was patient, and obviously very experienced so we felt very safe. He gave specific and clear instructions. He kept the vibe fun and lively throughout the whole ride. We also enjoyed the adrenaline rush we got while going through some pretty wild rapids on the half day trip, south fork. We are planning to return and ask for Kyler to be our guide, he's so awesome! read more

Had awesome experience. Our guide was awesome and very knowledgeable. Highly recommended to go with this company. This is my 4th year coming here, and I love it! read more

My party of four signed up to raft the full day south fork July 31, 2025. Three of us had at least some rafting experience prior to this "beginner" course. We were assigned a guide who, once we were in the raft and on the river, announced that he had limited white water experience and was mostly familiar with float trips. This raised some red flags but we brushed it off thinking Sierra would never put someone ill equipped in a raft, alone with guests. Wrong. We made it through the first few rapids mostly unscathed. We did end up running into other rafts accidentally (the guide admitted to this). He also inadvertently took us through rapids at the same time as other rafts; this happened twice. He also mentioned that he got the raft stuck on a rock the day prior and it took multiple guides and thirty minutes to free it. About an hour in we went through a rapid that all the other rafts traversed with no issue. We slammed into a rock and I went flying out of the raft a slammed into a rock, tumbling down the rapid and hitting multiple rocks along the way. I was able to grab my paddle AND the guide's paddle and swam my way back to the raft. I had multiple scrapes on my left leg and moderate pain in my right lower leg. The guide apologized and said he "forgot there was a rock there." We made it to camp about half an hour later for lunch. I could barely put any pressure on my right leg. I hobbled to a picnic table, hoping a brief rest period would stop the pain. Wrong again. The guide alerted Sierra leadership, who was present at camp, about the incident. NOT A SINGLE REPRESENTATIVE CAME BY TO ASK HOW I WAS FEELING. I could not continue with the trip and had to use a lawn chair found at camp as a make shift walker to get back to the parking lot. Once again, no assistance was offered from Sierra. I picked up a pair of crutches in Sacramento. After flying home and visiting the orthopedist, I was scheduled for surgery a week later because it turned out that the collision with the rock fractured my tibia. I was on crutches for three months, out of work for 7 weeks, and out thousands of dollars. At this point, about four months later, I can barely walk any sort of distance and still have to attend physical therapy. We called Sierra to let them now what happened. They offered to refund my trip but did not follow through until we called back a week later. I trusted Sierra to provide us a good experience with a qualified guide. Could this have happened even with a qualified guide? Yes, but not likely especially on this beginner course. No one else on the trip even fell out of a raft. No one from Sierra ever asked how I was or if I needed assistance. In fact, one gal was rude and indifferent when my husband told her I was injured. If you choose to raft with Sierra make sure you proactively request a seasoned guide. Ask the guide about their credentials BEFORE you get on the river. Do not accept someone with limited experience! It is dangerous and you could end up with a broken leg or worse... To add insult to injury, the lunch sucked. read more

Sierra Whitewater - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

We had a wonderful experience with Sierra Whitewater. Their entire operation was top notch. We had never done this before, and felt well informed, safe, and the guides were funny, patient, and incredibly supportive. We highly recommend Sierra Whitewater to others, and especially loved our Guide Zach. A great value and positive experience overall. read more

Sierra Whitewater is an outstanding operation. They've been running trips for decades, and it shows--they've refined every aspect of the experience. From check-in and transportation to the equipment, safety briefing, and guides, everything is organized, efficient, and thoughtfully designed. What impressed me most is that they seem genuinely committed to maximizing your time on the river. Every detail has been considered to make the day as enjoyable and seamless as possible, with unnecessary hassles removed so you can simply relax and focus on having fun. It's a company that's clearly passionate about delivering a first-class rafting experience. I will definitely go back! read more

We had a group of 9, our guide was Sean. We arrived late by our own fault in judging time. We could tell he was a little annoyed about us getting there late (as he should). We started off a bit rough and he gave us some tough love. At the end we made up all the time we were late! Even Sean said he had a great time with us and told us to please come back. Our team name was "team shady"....and we proved ourselves. This company is absolutely amazing from the bus driver, Jen, to the staff serving food and even meeting the owner Derek. AMAZING group/staff...cannot recommend this place enough. 8/9 of us this was our first experience. Will definitely be back, and for sure with Sean! Thank you all!! read more

Unforgettable day on the river! We had an absolute blast on our full-day rafting trip down the 22-mile stretch of the American River! The entire team at Sierra Whitewater Rafting Company runs an incredibly well-organized operation - from check-in to the end of the day, everything flowed seamlessly. A massive shoutout to our guide, Sage Low. She was a total pro! Navigating multiple Class 2 and 3 rapids can be intimidating, but Sage's direct, clear, and confident paddling commands kept us on track and feeling completely safe the entire time. If you are looking for a thrilling, perfectly executed whitewater adventure, book this trip and ask for Sage! read more

My group of 12 recently took a 1 day raft experience down the Middle Fork of the American River. Many weeks in advance, the folks at Sierra Whitewater made sure we were prepared and accommodated! They offered to keep us in 2 rafts of 6, and also accommodated our large group while camping on site. The trip was extremely fun! It was a good mix of exciting rapids mixed with relaxing floats down the river. Our guide, Lucas, did a great job of judging our excitement and experience, and made sure we had opportunities to have fun. He also made sure that we stayed safe, even when we tumbled from the raft. I would absolutely recommend taking the Middle Fork raft experience from Sierra Whitewater. read more

Awesome experience! Guides were enthusiastic, helpful, kind, and made sure of everyone's safety. Highly cecommend.

The raft trip was amazing! We did the Gorge route and most of us had no prior experience. Our guide, Lucas, was amazing and made sure we had a super fun trip. I would definitely recommend, super fun. Bring water, it's hot out there! read more

Excellent staff ! Experience and safety are the two attributes we held highly for our water rafting trip. Noah the oarsman in our group put safety first and foremost. His experience and how he managed the entire trip. Or just for our raft but the whole group was amazing! One of our most memorable activities we did on our summer vacation ! read more

If I could give more stars I would. We did the lower section with our two kids, ages six and seven. The rapids were exciting and so fun for all of us. Noah was our guide and we would request him again and again. He was extremely knowledgeable and kept the trip engaging. Can't wait to do it again! read more

Best day ever with Sierra Whitewater! All of the guides in our "Oreo formation" were fantastic, but a huge shoutout to Spencer--his skill, confidence, and outgoing personality made the whole experience unforgettable. He kept our "Big Daddy" running strong and had us girls going from a little nervous to full-on "Brave Girls" by the end of the day. Couldn't have asked for a better rafting adventure--highly recommend Sierra Whitewater! read more

We had an amazing time. Our guide Andrew was the best. He continuously checked in with the group to see how exciting we wanted the trip to be, he was very professional and positive. The entire trip was not only an adventure, but was an interesting way to glide through 8 miles of wilderness. It was an amazing way to spend a day in Gold Country. We saw a deer, enjoying the river and Redtail hawks as well as a multitude of ducks and other water birds. I highly recommend it. And if you want to get splashed and feel the adrenaline, they can easily make that happen or have a more relaxed trip down the river they can make that happen too., if you haven't tried whitewater rafting on the American River, I would definitely check out Sierra Whitewater. They were relaxed and easygoing, but very safety oriented and kind. read more

Sierra Whitewater - Enjoying the river during a break from the waves. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

This crew is professional !They make you feel safe and the experience is life changing. I recommend Tucker the guide and Sierra white water rafting if you want to enjoy an adventure with your family and have lots of laughs. Thank you to the cook who provided lunch !!!! That veggie rice stuff was bomb.com as well as the burgers hit the spot. read more

What a great overall experience. Our guide Spencer was great, very knowledgeable, great personality and was completely in control of the raft at all times. Will definitely be returning read more

Sierra Whitewater - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

I took four pre-teen boys out on the Middle Fork full day trip this past Saturday and it was nothing short of fantastic. The trip was very well organized, the staff went above and beyond and our guide, Lucas Uribe, was such a pro! We are very grateful for the memories and the experience. read more

Sierra Whitewater is outstanding! We only raft with them because they make each time memorable. Their guides are very experienced and safety is a priority. Shout out to Jaime who has been our guide on several occasions. He makes the day so fun and enjoyable! Plus the lunch is awesome! Looking forward to the next time! read more

Our all-day Middle Fork American River trip with Sierra Whitewater Rafting was fantastic! My husband and I were first-time Class V rafters, and The Chute definitely checked a bucket-list item for us. Spencer guided our raft of six, while Noah led a second raft, and both did an outstanding job keeping everyone safe while making the day exciting and fun. Spencer was experienced, funny, knowledgeable, and a great leader--we would definitely request him again. Lunch was delicious and well organized, and Ray expertly handled the winding mountain roads to and from the river, which honestly felt scarier than the rapids! One of the highlights was watching Spencer and Noah run Ruck-A-Chucky while we portaged around it. Best of all, nobody fell out of the raft, making for a very successful and unforgettable adventure! read more

Sierra Whitewater - Conquered The Chute! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

friendly, chill, professional, great guides, convenient, excellent lunch. wonderful hands on owner

Great day with our guide Zack who was fun and informative including some naturalist information

From the moment we pulled up to the camp tell the time we left the next day it was good times, friendly vibes, and fond memories... The rafting was off the hook too and our guide was the coolest... We will come again and of course we recommend everyone try it out and see for themselves how cool it really is read more