I’m planning a summer road
trip in California for my family with as many outdoor activites as possible. While
enjoying the ocean is one of the benefits California has to offer, we are
looking for some real adventures and are considering trying our hands at a
couple of white water rafting adventures.
There are several rivers in
California that offer visitors and locals alike the white water rafting
experience of a lifetime. Here are some of these beautiful rivers and the types
of white water rafting that I’m considering for our road trip.
The American
The American River offers
white water rafting experiences for people of all white water rafting
experiences. The Tom Sawyer section of the river is the perfect place for
beginners to get their feet wet so to speak. It also provides a fun white water
rafting experience for the entire family. The South fork of the American River
is perfect for those beginner and immediate white water rafters who enjoy a
smaller challenge and a chance to get some experience before taking on more
exciting and challenging parts of the river. The middle fork of the river is
perfect for intermediate rafters with a bit of experience while the north fork
is for those with more experience at white water rafting.
Consider taking a rafting trip with a guide like O.A.R.S (http://www.oars.com/california).
At their River Park Adventure Campground on the South Fork, they have a store
for river essentials, nice platform tents with two beds in them, secluded
campsites, a very nice outdoor kitchen their guides use to prepare breakfast
and dinner for our overnight campers, a life-size chess board, volleyball and a
pool table. They prepare a deli-style lunch for their day trip rafters and rent
tents and sleep kits for those who don’t want to bring their own.
Another rafting company worth considering is White Water
Excitement (http://whitewaterexcitement.com/).
They specialize in family trips for all ages and have special family trips for
kids as young as 5 years of age. Their most popular trip for the younger
ones is their Young Rafters Overnight adventure. They get to camp
overnight at their private basecamp right on the river, have dinner and
breakfast, then spend a half day rafting the milder river section.
Stanislaus River
The North fork of the
Stanislaus River offers a great rafting experience for intermediate to advanced
white water rafters. Not only will you find exciting water to raft, but also
some pretty scenic views worth enjoying.
The Tuolume
Another advanced white water
rafting experience can be found on the Tuolume River. The Tuolume river runs
149 miles and the Cherry creek section is ideal for experts at this sport.. It
is advised that rafters trying their hand for the first time on this river and
Cherry Creek, take a guided tour before
thinking about traversing these waters alone.
Merced River
The Merced River is perfect
for those intermediate rafters who want a more exciting experience than what
the beginning white water trips have to offer. Located in central California
this 145 mile river has plenty to see and some exciting water to traverse for
those whose skills are somewhat more honed than a beginner, but not quite ready
to take on the more advanced rivers such as the Stanislaus or Tuolume.
Kaweah
For those looking for a real
challenging white water adventure the Kaweah River is an excellent choice. This
choice begins in the peaks of the Sequoia National park and descends an average
of 70 feet per minute. The entire upper section of the this river is marked by
a series of Class V rapids and is usually only tackled by experts at white water
rafting.
The lower section of the
river is somewhat less dangerous than the upper portion, but still offers
plenty of challenges for advanced rafters. This section of the river is fast
moving with lots of rocks and narrow channels. The county side is open and
beautiful if you can take your eyes off the water long enough to look around
you.
There are several other
white rafting rivers worth exploring around California. For those planning a
one or two day white water rafting trip with a guide, make sure that you plan
your trip in advance and make arrangements with your guide in advance. These
guides can give you good tips regarding how to dress and safety tips for your
adventures.
“As a child, one has that magical capacity to move among the many eras
of the earth; to see the land as an animal does; to experience the sky
from the perspective of a flower or a bee; to feel the earth quiver and
breathe beneath us; to know a hundred different smells of mud and listen
unselfconsciously to the soughing of the trees.”
-Valerie Andrews, A
Passion for this Earth
