The All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting Blog

The South Fork of the American River valley has more to offer besides whitewater rafting: it is full of hiking trails, swimming holes, and amazing views. Check out a few of our favorite trails to explore before or after your trip.

The river classification system is based on an International Scale of River Difficulty and ranges from Class 1 to Class 6 rapids. Let’s look at the different white water rafting levels!

Gator is a Class IV river guide, working for AO since 2019. He is a skilled kite-boarder and skier on his days off. While he can’t pick a favorite California river, he points to the sense of community within the company as his true favorite reason to raft until he can’t anymore.

“Maybe you’ve rafted the South Fork before, but this year it’s different. Give it a shot!” Listen to some feedback from our guests about their rafting experience on a familiar river running at not-so-familiar flows.

There is no shortage of opportunities to play after your rafting trip on the Tuolumne or Merced rivers. As an alternative to visiting the nearby Yosemite National Park proper, check out our suggestions of hiking trails located just outside of the park.

Rowan has been guiding on California rivers since 2016. He thrives in the varied day-to-day lifestyle of a river guide. Rowan loves working with kids, both on the water and on the ski slopes. He recently co-founded a new business and is eager to keep growing.

Nestled just outside of Sequoia National Park, the Kaweah River is a must-visit for all adventure seekers. With a thrilling combination of Class IV rapids and lush scenery, this river is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Get educated about the most common whitewater rafting paddle commands you can expect to hear on your next river trip, and find out how to properly execute them in this helpful video.

Jack has been guiding with All-Outdoors since 2017. When the rafting season is over, he returns home to Utah and is routinely featured in ski films. Jack is always eager to find ways to use his environmental studies degree while out on the water.

One of the Armstrong family’s classic stories, this rafting tale is about the start of the youngest sibling’s river guiding career. You just have to read it to believe it!