Located between San Francisco and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada's, Sacramento is rich with California's history and convenient for whitewater rafting trips. The three forks of the American River and the North Fork Yuba River are available April-September, these rivers provide something for everyone, from mild to wild, from kids from 4 yrs to some of the toughest whitewater to be found.

See below for the location of trips in the Sacramento area, or check out Choosing your American River Rafting trip or Rafting on North Fork Yuba River for more adventurous options.

Rafting near Placerville:

The South Fork of the American River runs for over 21 miles through the beautiful gold and green foothills of the Sierra Nevada and ends in Folsom Lake. It is 1 hour from Sacramento and accessible near Placerville, towards Lake Tahoe. It serves as an introduction for many beginners and rafting trip options include just a couple of hours to multi-day camp outs where all meals are provided. The South Fork American River provides some of the most reliable rafting in California, still running at full flows even into September, when other options have dried up.

Rafting near Auburn and Colfax:

The Middle Fork American River’s secluded wilderness runs for 25 miles, getting its water from the mountain snow melt on the west side of Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe National Forest. The river flows south east into the Auburn State Recreation Area, past Foresthill towards Auburn, about 45 minutes from Sacramento. Rafting trips are available from ½ day on the Lower Middle Fork class 2 section (suitable for kids as young as 4) to 2 days on the class 4 Middle Fork or 3 days for all 25 miles. The Middle Fork American River provides reliable river rafting well into September. Combine with the South Fork American (25 mins south) or North Fork American (20 mins east) for even longer trips.

The North Fork American River begins in the Granite Chief Wilderness between the ski areas of Sugar Bowl and Squaw Valley. The North Fork American flows freely through steep gorges on the Tahoe National Forest and into Lake Clementine in Auburn. The Chamberlain Falls Run is a class 4 run with challenging boulder slalom rapids, previous experience is required. Trips meet right off I-80 in Auburn (1 hour east of Sacramento) or in Colfax (20 mins east of Auburn). Add a day on the North Fork Yuba River (between Camptonville and Downieville, about 2 hours from Sacramento) to your North Fork American for a class 4-5 multi-day rafting and camping adventure.

Planning a rafting trip near Sacramento:

Whitewater rafting trips in the Sacramento region can be combined with other many other activities to make a great get away for many occasions. California's capitol has so much to offer visitors and locals. The area information page for each of the rivers provides links to visitor information for accommodations, camping, wineries, mountain biking, hiking, restaurants and other places of interest. You can also access these area information resource pages through the site map.

Consider a Sacramento rafting trip for the following:

• A Romantic weekend for a couple, with overnight options ranging from luxury hotels to cozy B&B's, theater, wine tasting and plentiful restaurants with world class cuisine.
• A family vacation with camping and additional activities for kids including sporting events, fun historical sites galore, and the Sacramento Zoo.
• Active singles seeking some real adventure and culture; rafting, museums, galleries, and nightlife.
• A quick get away from the Bay Area or Lake Tahoe for just a few hours or for a few days.

A rafting trip in the Sacramento is also easily accessible for trips to the Gold Country (1– 2 hrs), Lake Tahoe (2-3 hrs) and Mt. Shasta / Redding (from 3 hrs).