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    Whitewater Excitement

    4.9 (392 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Whitewater Excitement Photos

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    We had a great time rafting the South Fork of the American River with our guide, Charlie. Thanks for a great day on the river!

    Charlie was a great guide. She made sure we had a fun day on the river. Her suggestion of taking the small raft was a good idea because we really bounced around a lot in the rapids.

    What a rush! We had such an exhilarating time going down the rapids! Our guide, Esteban, was knowledgeable, professional, and got us through everything safely. Great trip - would definitely recommend to anyone!

    Audra R.

    We had an incredible experience with Whitewater Excitement! This was our first time white water rafting and we felt incredibly safe with their experienced guides (shoutout to Brice!). Our cabin tent was nice and reviews weren't kidding about the incredible food - we had fresh, delicious, wholesome meals during our two-day trip. This family-owned business was very accommodating - Phillip and Norm went out of their way to make sure their guests had a 5-star experience. We're already scheduling our next trip to visit in 2025!!

    Water rafting
    Magdalena R.

    I went water rafting with my coworkers, my first time water rafting and I loved it. It was a last minute getting in the group but it was well worth it. I enjoy every moment of it except the heat but with the cool water it was all good. Athen our guide on the raft was really informative about the surroundings. And the food was the best part because I feel like eating out doors the food tastes better than eating at home. It just I have one on one with nature and all my getting to know everyone was super great. The chef at this place cooks the best food, I loved his salmon and beef tri-tip with veggies was the best. The breakfast was the bomb too, blueberry pancakes were gone before I get to them. Will definitely recommend camping here, nothing but fun.

    I only write reviews if I really have something to rave about, and after our camping + rafting weekend with Whitewater Excitement, I am happy to rave! Campground: communication and booking with Patti was so nice and easy. Our campsite was beautiful! Right next to the river with clean bathrooms... even in 109 degrees it was perfectly shady and we could dip right in the water as many times as we needed. It would be a great place to camp even if you aren't rafting. We didn't stay in the cabin tents, but they were empty so we checked them out and they are lovely! With nice porches and views. I would stay there anytime Food: I can't say enough about the food. All the meals they prepared for us far exceeded anything I would ever expect to be eating at a campsite. Meals included fresh avocado, fresh fruit, fresh roasted veggies. Our tri-tip dinner especially was extremely impressive and delicious! Rafting and Guides: Day 1 - South Fork w/ Audrey The South Fork is class 2s and 3s. Audrey was extremely knowledgeable and confident plus a lot of fun! she made us feel so comfortable the entire day, she was really great with the young kids on our boat and we all had an absolute blast. I would strongly recommend her to anyone. She definitely got us perfectly prepped for day 2 and I would have felt very comfortable having her for the middle fork as well. Day 2 - Middle Fork with Brice Even though we loved the class 3s...I'm not going to lie, I was feeling very nervous for the step up to middle fork. I'm generally very adventurous, but I was freaked out about the Tunnel Shoot. Brice guided us down the class 4s like an absolute BOSS! He's been on that river for 10+ years and I knew from the second we got in the water that I had zero to worry about. As long as we did what he told us to do, he had our backs. He knows the river like the back of his hand and guides with complete confidence and skill. I felt so comfortable having my child in that boat and I would highly recommend him to anyone. He makes you feel completely SAFE, so you are free to focus on the fun! Tunnel shoot ended up being my favorite part of the whole weekend, it was AMAZING! The entire day is a great mix of thrilling rapids and beautiful, relaxing scenery.... with a delicious lunch! In summary...if you are shopping around for different companies to take you river rafting down the American River. Stop shopping and book the trip with Whitewater Excitement. They are a 10/10 across the board.

    Ee Vonn Y.

    Excellent experience with friendly, professional, and knowledgeable staff. Each raft holds up to 8 people with a tour guide. The tour guide gives lots of great information about the surrounding nature, species, and history of the Fork River. Our crew of water-rafting first-timers opted for Level 2-3 which lasted for about 4 hours, and we were blown away by how safe, fun, and exciting this was. All of us easily could come back for Level 4. There are opportunities to swim in the lake and there are photo-ops throughout. We definitely will be back for more!

    Geared up and ready to roll!  Wet suits required prior to Memorial Day weekend, thank goodness!
    Amy J.

    We just completed the South Fork 2 Day Package as a surprise trip for my son's 13th birthday. We arrived Friday afternoon and were greeted by the friendly camp hosts, Anthony and Jen, who showed us the campsite they had cleared for our arrival, and gave us the lay of the land (bathroom/shower locations, camp store, etc). We were perfectly located right next to the water, with a campfire pit and picnic table. First night, dinner isn't provided but it gave us an opportunity to check out the cute little town and eat some great pizza at Whitewater Pizza just about 5 minutes up the road (hats off to the crust makers there!). The next morning, the owner Philip's dad Norm prepared an amazing breakfast with fresh fruit, pancakes, two different kinds of eggs, sausage, potatoes, OJ, coffee... all the fixings! He was super friendly and shared history of the company and how it's been family owned for over 40 years! After a bit, we met THE AMAZING CHARLIE (how she will forever be named) who was our guide for the weekend and got us suited up. Being the first time we've rafted, our party of 4 was excited (some of us maybe a little nervous?) but ready to roll. We started with some safety tips, basic instructions, hopped into the raft and did some practice, then off we were, cruising down the river. We got warmed up with some Class 2 rapids, which helped familiarize us with the concepts of rafting, while also just appreciating the absolute beauty of the river and surrounding mountains. THE AMAZING CHARLIE was super knowledgeable about the areas and had interesting anecdotes along the way. Lunch was sandwiches with all the fixins, chips, cookies, water and lemonade. After lunch, we prepared for Class 3's and she did great explaining what we'd need to do upon entering into those more energetic rapids, and ensuring we were tucked in to avoid any unplanned swims lol, as well as giving clear instructions along the way. Class 3's were EPIC and so much fun! The day wound down, and we were transported back to camp for a delicious dinner w/ tri tip, potatoes, ravioli, grilled asparagus, fruit, bread and butter, and salad. All freshly prepared and as wonderful as the family and guides who work there. The evening was spent with a campfire, playing some games, reading some books, and relaxing after a great day. (To say we slept well is an understatement!) Sunday was a similar experience (french toast and bacon for breakfast, and all the other fixins, yum!) which was great! We truly had the best time and will 100000% be back. The trip was, to quote my now 13 year old, "Epic!". I can see this company being great for both super experienced rafters, as well as first timers. 10 out of 10 would recommend!

    Campsite
    Sareen B.

    What an incredible experience! All the guides were great, from Scottie & Bryce's sense of humor on the shuttle, to Bryce's informative and engaging pre-rafting safety talk, to our guide, Jill's awesome company and excellent maneuvering on the raft for the trip of a lifetime. My group and I had SO much fun spending the day on the water and tackling (or being attacked by) the roaring rapids. 10/10 would recommend to anyone I know!!! Fair warning to all, be in at least decent physical shape- it is TIRING but definitely worth every sore muscle! Sidenote: opt in for the meals if you're camping - so convenient and delicious!

    Campsite

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    Phillip S.

    Thanks so much Mark! It was great rafting with you!

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    Page 1 of 10

    Ask the Community - Whitewater Excitement

    How old do kidS have to be?

    Are they still open through end of September? We want to try for Sept 11 but were unable to book online.

    I'm pretty sure they are, are least on the weekends, but you need to call them. They were real good about returning my call.

    View All 3 Questions

    Review Highlights - Whitewater Excitement

    But basic lunches are best when going crazy on the class 4 rapids of the Middle Fork of the American!

    Mentioned in 61 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Sierra Whitewater

    Sierra Whitewater

    4.9(265 reviews)
    0.5 mi

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

    My party of four signed up to raft the full day south fork July 31, 2025. Three of us had at least…read moresome 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.

    Photos
    Sierra Whitewater
    Sierra Whitewater - Tunnel chute

    Tunnel chute

    Sierra Whitewater - Weeee!!

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    Weeee!!

    H2O Adventures - Chili bar

    H2O Adventures

    5.0(760 reviews)
    0.6 mi

    I'm so glad I found H20 Adventures! We had so much fun on the half day South Fork lower gorge run…read more This is rated class 2/3 and perfect for the beginner like myself. I was really nervous at first and honestly wanted lazy river rafting with zero rapids, but after the experience with H20, I'm excited to plan another trip with them. The scenery was amazing, the late March weather was warm and as expected freezing water. We were provided with helmets, wetsuits, and splash jackets, this kept us warm and comfortable. You should bring water bottles and sunblock on the raft. Your other belongings are safely locked up prior to launch. You can also bring waterproof cameras or phones, be sure they are securely strapped to you (like chest or wrist strap, or helmet mount) they do have a professional cameraman kayaker Kevin taking amazing shots along the way so don't worry about not bringing your own camera. Nico, our tour guide was skilled, knowledgeable, and entertaining, and incredibly nice. We also had the opportunity to interact with the other tour guides Kyla and Martina who led the other two rafts on our 3 craft convoy down the river. If you are looking for something to do with your family this summer, I highly recommend H20. Get your reservations asap.

    Went on a late April trip on the Yuba river and had a great time! Devin was an amazing raft guide…read moreand it was cool listening to him talk about the area and how to navigate each part of the river. The whole staff is really fun to be around and good at what they do would definitely recommend them and the Yuba trip

    Photos
    H2O Adventures - Rafting

    Rafting

    H2O Adventures - Rafting

    Rafting

    H2O Adventures - Lunch by the river

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    Lunch by the river

    Tributary Whitewater Tours - Cabins

    Tributary Whitewater Tours

    4.8(283 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    Good shit. Awesome…read moreguides, thrilling rapids, and stunning views. An unforgettable adventure! ‍

    WOW WOW WOW. There are not enough ways to express how awesome this entire trip was. Audrey (the…read moreguide who's raft I stayed on), Dustin (the Team Leader), Mcclure, and Roman will forever get my praise for how they exceeded my expectations. This was my first time going both whitewater rafting and camping, and the entire time I felt taken care of, safe, and catered to in ways I hadn't even expected. I don't know how many times I shouted "Team Audrey!" as she expertly navigated difficult rapids. Roman was the guide responsible for riding ahead of us with all our cargo and setting up camp, and every time I was more and more impressed with the breathtaking set up he did with all of our tents, eating areas, and shaded spots. Dustin was a worthy team leader who made sure our trip went smoothly and on time, and was awesome to talk to and joke around with. And McClure was a thorough teacher and guide who is clearly passionate about what he does! I've noticed some reviews of people complaining about things out of Tributary's control like the bathroom quality or the heat or the other parties that would camp nearby. And even though that is technically not Tributary's juriscdiction, I still felt as if the four guides with us did everything they could to anticipate these problems and lessen their impact on our trip. Like they had a handwashing station for us, and had plenty of shaded areas for us to rest in. Not to mention they really took care of the quality of food we ate, giving gluten free and healthy options as well as snacks and drinks for us. Audrey, Dustin, Roman, and Mcclure. You four have a forever client in me. It is because of you guys I have such memorable stories that I will be telling until I am old. I can not thank you guys enough.

    Photos
    Tributary Whitewater Tours - Tunnel Chute

    Tunnel Chute

    Tributary Whitewater Tours - Cabin side deck

    Cabin side deck

    Tributary Whitewater Tours - Tunnel Chute Rapids

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    Tunnel Chute Rapids

    OARS American River Outpost - Rafting on the South Fork American River

    OARS American River Outpost

    4.9(225 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    We had an amazing experience on the south fork of the American river. Our guide was knowledgeable…read moreand friendly, the weather was beautiful, and the river itself is gorgeous. They do a very good job of organizing the day, with a lunch spread that is surprisingly edible. I loved being able to swim a bit in the river, and wish there was more time to do that. The rafting itself was fun, the class 3 rapids were exciting and our group managed to not fall out of the raft due to the expert navigation of our guide. I am looking forward to going back and experiencing some class 4 rapids.

    My family of 3 booked a 2-day South Fork trip and it was absolutely fantastic. Alec, our guide, was…read moreinformative, professional, personable, friendly, and lots of fun. He had lots of knowledge about the California gold rush and it was nice to learn about it as an adult who didn't grow up in CA (I'm sure my 12yo loved learning about it too). While we camped at Earthtrek, it was super helpful that our trip included breakfast, 2 lunches (one lunch mid-rafting trip), and dinner. All meals were delicious and it was nice that there were gluten free options. The OARS site is spacious, with clean facilities, and a small shop for items. Now on to the rafting experience! For some background, my husband was the only one who had ever done it so my kiddo and I were newbies. Along with another kiddo and adult, we rafted through class 1-3 rapids and I never felt that we were not safe (despite me being the weakest swimmer in the family). Alec was truly a guide in every sense of the word. He prepped us before taking on the rapids - gave us the route we would take, what to expect in terms of how we were to paddle and what we had to do. We played some fun boat games and spent some time floating in the river which my husband and son loved. Also included were the always fun brain teaser riddles that had all of us entertained during the floating portions of our trip. After completing the class 3 rapids and all staying in the raft, we felt on top of the world and wanted to do more! If you have ever thought about trying white water rafting, do it - you won't regret it! It's truly an experience and a great time in nature with the family. OARS is a professional and inclusive company, with great guides!

    Photos
    OARS American River Outpost - Chili Bar rafting on the South Fork American River

    Chili Bar rafting on the South Fork American River

    OARS American River Outpost - Rafting on the South Fork American River

    Rafting on the South Fork American River

    OARS American River Outpost - Rafting on the North Fork American River

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    Rafting on the North Fork American River

    Raft California

    Raft California

    4.8(675 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    Sometimes you have an experience that you know will stick with you for the rest of your life. This…read morewas one of those times. We did a two day south fork trip, with a stop for the night on the river bank. Our guide Cryin' Bryan(just kidding Brian!!) and bonus gear guy Gator, were absolutely amazing. The were kind, helpful, had the best stories and cooked the best food. We did 21 miles of river over two days and it was unbelievable. Things we learned on this trip... -Gator taught me how to make a camping mocha(more like chocolate coffee when I made it!) with instant cocoa mix, coffee, creamer and water. -A tortilla wrap with PB&J and trail mix is the thing of dreams. -The front right seat of the raft is the 'hot' seat(or wet seat) and you will get hammered repeatedly. Haha. -Camping on the side of the river is magic. Pure. Magic. -Hospital bar has its name for a reason. -Composting toilets in the woods smell like a gerbil cage. -Brian's love of Star Wars and pineapple fried rice lead me to believe we could be real life friends. -You can make lifelong friends out of strangers you meet on a rafting trip. The meals they provided were amazing. Well beyond normal camping fare. For sure a perk with the trip. With things like chicken salad pitas, pancakes, sandwich wraps and fajitas, we were never hungry. We upgraded to the canvas tent they have at the campground for the first night and it was wonderful. The little front porch and getting to hear the river while we slept was magic. The newly upgraded bathrooms were probably the nicest I've seen at a rustic camp ground. The shower stalls are outside, but each one has a locking door with the shower stall and a little changing area with hooks and a bench(and the rain shower heads were great, but know the water pressure isn't the hardest, but not the worst either). When the 'Boss Man' picked us up from the river on the last day, it was really neat to get to chat with him. He asked for anything we think would add to the trip, and the only thing we can think of would be to bring along a yard game for the overnight trips, like ladder-ball or something for on the river. But there is absolutely nothing we would change. Enjoy my million pictures. I really couldn't pick and choose what to show, so I showed it all! We can't wait to go back!!

    We enjoyed the half day class II-III+ trip. Everything went smoothly from start to end. There were…read morechill about people being late: I think they might leave a buffer because people are always a bit late. I really appreciated they had a page linked after you book of all the things to know before the trip. Getting ready was smooth, and the guide was helpful on the way with paddling instructions and questions. We dropped into the water at two points and also got to switch seats so everyone tried being at the front. The water is extremely cold. There are two photo spots where they took pictures you can purchase. Lastly the bus to get back went great, but they kind of left us alone right after we got back to camp, even though we had some questions and were going to leave a tip (we left our wallets in the cars).

    Photos
    Raft California - Sans, Briana, Tessa, Casey, Corey, aubriana

    Sans, Briana, Tessa, Casey, Corey, aubriana

    Raft California - So much space to spread out with our tents.

    So much space to spread out with our tents.

    Raft California - Kitchen at camp. We ate breakfast and lunch here on day 1.

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    Kitchen at camp. We ate breakfast and lunch here on day 1.

    Whitewater Excitement - rafting - Updated May 2026

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