- Difficulty: Class IV+
- Minimum Age: 14 years
- Season: April through mid-June
- Availability: Click here to view 2013 North Fork American River dates!
- 1-Day Trips: See below for a more detailed description of the trip.
- 2-Day Trips: Run the same exciting stretch two days in a row!
- Combo Trips: Add a South Fork or Middle Fork trip for a multi-day stay at Mother Lode River Center.
- River & Ropes: Challenge your group with a one-day program on the certified Ropes Course at Mother Lode River Center in addition to your North Fork American River rafting trip!
The excitement of whitewater rafting on the North Fork American River is surpassed only by its beauty. With no dams upstream, it is truly a wild river. Watch the rocks glistening below you in the crystal clear water. Between rapids let your eyes wander to the steep canyon walls formed millions of years ago by rushing rivers. Notice the streams rolling out of small side canyons, become one with the North Fork.
Free flowing and fed only by spring snow melt, the crystal clear whitewater of the North Fork American River zigzags down a narrow sluice box of a canyon through spectacular alpine scenery. The intense rafting action begins as house-sized boulders squeeze the river to a mere twenty feet to form Class IV+ “Chamberlain Falls” then the river accelerates into nearly continuous pool and drop Class IV rapids.
With the completion of the Class IV rapids, we stop for lunch. While your guides prepare the food, you have a chance to explore Shirttail or Indian Creeks, just two of the many wonders of the North Fork American River Canyon. After lunch, continue for more three miles of Class II and III rapids.
The North Fork American River is the most difficult of the three forks of the American. Due to the intensity of the river coupled with the cold springtime water we recommend this trip to experienced paddlers.
North Fork Trip Enhancements
We offer several additional options to help you create a full weekend adventure!
