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Zephyr Whitewater Rafting

4.9 (133 reviews)
Closed 7:30 am - 7:00 pm
Updated 1 month ago

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Mystica M.

Highly recommend!! My husband and I had so much fun! Was definitely a highlight of our trip. Dustin & Sage were awesome! So kind, friendly, and welcoming. 100% worth the price. It was super easy & convenient to reserve our rafting trip. Went to their online website the night before, booked & paid, went rafting the next day. So glad we were able to go even though we booked last minute.

Arlene E.

Came to Midpines to visit Bass lake for the week, saw this recommendation at our air b n b guest book and booked a half day trip and was the most fun we had our whole trip !! This experience was so much fun!! Views were breath taking, rapids were great and with a 10 year old it was a good combination of adrenaline fun yet calm enough to be safe plus the fun swimming and rock jumping! Perfect for our first time and excited to keep going! This opened our love for rafting and we plan to do many more! Our guide Skylar was hilarious, super cool, friendly and informative! Our family is a big beef jerkey person and Skylar expressed he made some and even gave us some at the end of the trip which was super sweet! And if he sees this--- let him know it was very good!! Nate and Gary were awesome as well! Nate was was a hilarious host and even tho not our guide he was very friendly as well and Gary our bus driver was very friendly! Everyone we encountered was! We loved the professional photographers following along and the package of tons and tons of photos of beautiful memories- so many to choose from . If you are in Midpines or near HIGHLY recommend this place!!!

David R.

One of the highlights of our trip to Yosemite was going rafting with Zephyr Whitewater Rafting. Our trip leader was Brian and he did a great job of capably guiding us down the river, while having a lot of fun, and also telling us a lot of information about the area while doing so. They also had a great photographer which kept traveling down the river by car and taking photos which were very high quality, and though I normally wouldn't buy photos after an event, these photos were numerous and high quality, which I thought was well worth the cost. They provided wet suits and the life vests, though I would recommend bringing some water shoes or sandals that have a strap on the back so they don't fall off which you'll need. Also, bringing a cap to wear under the helmet helps with the sun, as well as good sun screen. One of the best parts for are adult kids was there were a couple of places where it was safe for them to go into the water and float down next to the raft, which they did and really enjoyed that. All the staff were incredibly nice and welcoming as well. Overall, we had a great time, and will have to check them out next time we are back.

Yup! You're going to get wet!!
Jeffrey L.

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting is awesome! ...the gold standard of whitewater rafting companies!! I have been taking groups of friends on their tours for more than thirty years (hate to admit that part). Their guides are always fun and informative while staying constantly on top of their guiding responsibilities. We always have a blast and lots of laughs! Although, I will say I've probably heard the turtle joke enough times now... go and you will understand. I dare say I know a little bit about what I'm talking about since I have gone whitewater rafting since my early teens in places all over the world and even went through raft guide school and have even done some guiding (both decades ago). There are only a handful of rafting companies in the world as good as Zephyr Whitewater Rafting. And... No, I wasn't paid or even given a discount to say all this. If you're not sure who I am, search my name.

Absolutely fantastic -- one of the best outdoor experiences we've had as a family. The river was thrilling (but within the comfort levels of our 10 and 12 year old). The guide (Heather) was super experienced, friendly, and great in encouraging our kids. The Merced river scenery is awe inspiring -- what can beat watery excitement in natural beauty like this? I would wholeheartedly recommend Zephyr and I'd give them 10 stars out of 5 if Yelp allowed it. Worth every cent and the experience of a lifetime!

Alexey K.

Great experience, highly recommended! I like how organized everything was and that was really fun. We did a full day, which is a preferred option for me. Also, they do really great and affordable pictures!

Sun and fun on the Merced
Stephanie T.

This was our 3rd trip with Zephyr and it did not disappoint. The weather was beautiful and the rapids were perfect. We even took advantage of a free ice bath by jumping in the Merced. Thank you Adam and Nate for giving us a great send off from our Yosemite trip. We'll see you next year.

Nathan C.

My family and I were spending a week in Mariposa for vacation. With lots of planned days in Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks hiking, we needed a 'Laid Back' day. We found Zephyr Rafting and decided to book a 1/2 day trip. Best decision ever! The team at Zephyr is 1st class. They made us feel welcome and were very informative on what we needed to know before we hit the river. They had everything we needed so it was the most stress free excursion. Our guide Franz was the best. He was great at explaining what we needed to do and when and had safety at the forefront. He was insightful, knowledgeable and funny. He made the trip a great experience and we are now looking to book either rafting or snowmobile excursions with him in the future. The water was amazing, honestly I think late May is the perfect time of year for this. Adam the owner was super nice and welcoming. Just an overall great experience and I will recommend them to anyone heading to that area. Hope to be back soon and do a full day trip! Thank you, Zephyr!!!

Fun afternoon on the Merced River!

With two college daughters on different schedules, it's not often we get away on a family trip anymore, and after two days of driving and a day touring Yosemite, we were ready for a little exercise and excitement. Boy did we get it! The Zephyr Whitewater half-day trip on the Merced River was the highlight of our vacation. The water was fast, the rapids were big, and the experience was great! Our guide, Sage, expertly maneuvered us through the rapids, giving instructions on what to do as we went. She was very professional, personable, and fun (ask her to tell you her guide jokes:-) From beginning to end, the Zephyr experience was excellent - easy booking, responsive to pre-trip questions, quality equipment, professional guides, and great on-river photos. It was an experience we won't forget. The mandatory swim test was easy, assisted by the wet suit and life jacket (PFD). It gave us a chance to get used to being wet (with wet suit, river jacket and PFD, it wasn't as cold as expected). It also gave us a chance to practice pulling a person back into the raft. This was especially helpful when dad (that's me) flipped out of the raft and my daughter had to haul me back in. That was an exhilarating 15 seconds! Thanks to everyone at Zephyr for a great afternoon!!

Bailey W.

WOULD RAFT AGAIN!!! This was one of the greatest adventures of my life. Our guide, Sierra, was awesome. The water was super high (Class 4 rapids) and cold when we were there (May 2023). Wetsuits were required, and we were grateful to have them! I felt very safe with the experienced staff. This trip was the THRILL of a lifetime. Do not wait, book it now! Make sure you get the photo package too.

What a fun time!! These guys and gals were very professional and knew how to have a good time. Highly recommend!

Rafting Merced River

Great trip down the Merced. The white water guides were fun to go rafting down the river with. We felt safe and had an absolute fun time. Family of four, our teen kids had a blast. Price to purchase photos after rafting was affordable and quantity of photos was awesome. Great memories captured. Would go down the river with them again!

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An absolute blast! Trevor & the team are amazing. Definitely made the experience that much better.

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Ask the Community - Zephyr Whitewater Rafting

Review Highlights - Zephyr Whitewater Rafting

The half day tour down Merced River is fun and family friendly with some big rapids that my husband enjoyed too.

Mentioned in 20 reviews

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Sierra Nevada Adventure Co - Worry-free loading and unloading of 4 adult-sized kayaks (11.5 feet) in the back of our pickup truck.

Sierra Nevada Adventure Co

4.5(55 reviews)
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Great shop right on Hwy 4, in the middle of Arnold. They open at 8, and Bear Valley opens at 9…read more So get there at opening, and drive the 30 minutes. You can be first in line when the lifts open! There were several families there, but service was fast and efficient, and we were on our way in no time. The equipment was in decent shape. They have full Rossi rental packages. The boots were comfortable if not a little basic. The skis were in good condition. Everything looked fairly new. The poles were a little cheap, but who cares--they're just sticks right? We also got a demo package. Nicer Rossi boots plus Atomic skis. The previous week I tried the premium Rossi skis somewhere else, but these Atomics were hot. After I returned them, he offered to sell me a new pair that were on sale. Not this time, but I was tempted. The staff was friendly and knowledgable, without being overbearing or know it all. The were fast too. They sped us through our paperwork, we paid up front, and returned our stuff by 5:30 day of. Great experience overall!

SNAC is the best! They went absolutely out of their way to help us when we were in a tight spot…read moreduring the recent storms, going way above and beyond to make sure our family was safe. They have the best rental game in town, are so knowledgeable and friendly, and are locals. Hit them up in the winter -- or summer -- if you need gear or some local insight. Could not be more grateful for their whole team!

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Sierra Nevada Adventure Co - Worry-free loading and unloading of 4 adult kayaks in our pickup truck.

Worry-free loading and unloading of 4 adult kayaks in our pickup truck.

Sierra Nevada Adventure Co
Sierra Nevada Adventure Co

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Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - rafting - Updated May 2026

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