North Fork American

THE RAPIDS:
The thrill of Class IV+ drops in a narrow canyon

The action on this river starts immediately with a long quarter-mile stretch of technical whitewater. This rousing introduction ends in a hefty seven-foot drop called Chamberlain Falls. Continuing on, you'll blast through powerful hydraulics and maneuver through some solid Class IV rapids. After an intense morning, we'll break for lunch along the shoreline. You'll be glad when the river mellows out in the afternoon as we head toward take-out, giving you and your friends a well deserved chance to relax and enjoy the canyon.

THE RIVER SCENERY:
A sheer canyon filled with old oaks, alder, and pines

A narrow and steep canyon of blue-green rock corrals the azure waters of the North Fork. Lush greenery hangs from the cliffs above and wildflowers bloom. The canyon feels so secluded, you and your friends will feel as if you've wandered into your own personal wonderland.

LOCATION:
50 mins from Sacramento, 1.5hrs from Lake Tahoe

Three hours from San Francisco and one and a half hours from Lake Tahoe, the North Fork American is a short drive from major metropolitan cities. Nearby highways include 50, 80 and 49.

TYPICAL RAFTING SEASON:
April - May*

The North Fork is a free-flowing river. This means there are no upstream dams controlling its flow. So when the snow in the mountains begins to melt, the river begins to flow. Flows typically peak early-May.

* Season length and flows may vary. For this year's flow predictions and real-time water levels go to the River Flows page.

MEALS:
Freshly prepared riverside feasts

We provide a gourmet "build-your-own" sandwich lunch that includes all the fixings you’ll need to assemble the perfect sandwich along with kettle style potato chips, dried fruit, and chocolate. Enjoy your relaxing, riverside meal before heading back out on the water for more adventure.

If you have special dietary requirements, we encourage you to tell us at the time of your reservation so we can discuss options.

GUEST INVOLVEMENT:
How You Participate in Getting Down the River

During normal water flows, All-Outdoors runs paddle rafts on the North Fork American. In a paddle raft, each guest and a professional guide have a paddle and navigate the river working as a coordinated team. North Fork trips are highly participatory so guests need to be ready and willing to paddle. In high water situations, we may opt to run oar-paddle combination rafts (a professional guide steers the raft with oars while simultaneously calling commands to paddlers). All guests should be able to swim.