Trips For Young Kids
Rivers with Class I flat water interspersed with occasional Class II rapids: waves 1-2 feet high. Using a self-guided watercraft is an option.
*Best for young children and tentative adults.
NOTE: All-Outdoors Class I-II trips are designed for children aged 5-7 years old and their family.
Beginner - Intermediate
Rivers with Class I - II water interspersed with Class III rapids: waves usually 2-3 feet high, passageways contain some obstacles. Rapids are challenging but not overwhelming.
* Best introduction to rafting for the widest range of people.
Intermediate
Rivers with Class I - III water interspersed with occasional Class IV rapids: waves and drops 4 feet high and sometimes higher, difficult passageways containing some obstacles. Unintentionally falling out of the raft may mean an uncomfortable "swim".
* Best for those with previous Class III experience wanting to try-out Class IV whitewater, and for athletic, adventurous first-timers.
Intermediate-Advanced
Rivers with Class I - IV water and more difficult Class IV+ rapids: 4-5 foot waves and drops, complicated by difficult passages containing obstacles that require quick, precise maneuvering. Falling out of the raft and "swimming" in a rapid will be difficult.
* Best for those with previous Class III or Class IV experience wanting a more difficult whitewater challenge.
Advanced
Rivers with Class I - IV+ water interspersed with long, tumultuous Class V rapids: 5-8 foot drops and obstacles that must be avoided. Falling out of the raft means an extremely difficult and potentially hazardous "swim".
* Best for those with previous Class IV & IV+ experience seeking the ultimate whitewater challenge.
Unrunnable
Rivers containing rapids that are so difficult that safe passage is doubtful and chances of serious incident, injury and death are almost certain. If attempted and successful, luck deserves the largest portion of credit.
Shannon who was our river guide is amazing and very knowledgeable. Annika was with the raft behind us and Izzy was our chase boat. All were extremely professional and safety is the main priority of AO. Kids loved the interaction with the guides and Shannon was ready to answer any and all river and rafting questions. Will recommend AO to everyone who is looking to go on a rafting adventure.
We booked a group of four for our first rafting trip, and it was an incredible experience! Our guide, Annika, was absolutely awesome. She was knowledgeable, fun, and made us feel comfortable from the moment we got on the water. Her energy and enthusiasm made the trip even more memorable.
All of the other guides were friendly, informative, and created such a welcoming atmosphere. We all arrived as strangers, but by the end of the trip it felt like we were leaving with a whole new group of friends.
I highly recommend All-Outdoors to anyone looking for an unforgettable rafting adventure, and if you get the chance, definitely ask for Annika!
An amazing experience! The guides were professional and fun, we felt safe and thrilled at the excitement of the rapids, and the food was fantastic. Would recommend in a heart beat for anyone looking for a fun, adventurous time with serene beauty! The 3-day trip was a great option, allowing us to scout the rapids and to explore the magic of hikes to waterfalls beside the river!
As a couple of newbies, my 13 year-old daughter and I were excited but pretty nervous about hitting the Middle Fork. Michael, our guide was patient with us and got us to the point where we were confident (He totally cheered us on ) We thoroughly enjoyed the river, the views, the thrills, and his obvious love for the outdoors.
Our day was fantastic! Quinn was my first contact and is the reason I chose to book with this rafting company. She was kind and professional while providing me with appropriate information to fit our needs. Troy!!! Excellent guide and a genuinely nice person. He was so much fun! Troy's incredible knowledge of rafting, the river, the environment and the gold mining history was entertaining and educational. He addressed everyone in the raft, answered all of our questions and listened to our crazy comments (mostly of the cold water). Troy is a cool dude and honestly made our trip fantastic! The other guides on the second raft were also super nice and friendly. They offered their help too! Everyone was courteous, fun and professional. Definitely would book again. Thanks Troy and to everyone at All-Outdoors!
Overall great trip. Very proud that with Troy's guidance, we made through the two big rapids successfully. Troy provided really detailed and helpful guidance and made it feel easy and fun! Beautiful scenery all along. Appreciate the company prioritizing on safety. The pace can be faster and wish lunch was planned earlier - we had a whole stretch of almost an hour and half drifting on the water without much paddling, and didn't get to our lunch spot until 1pm - we were all starving - thank god for some small snacks guides brought one hour before lunch but very limited. Could have told us to bring more snacks on our own. After lunch there was another 45 minutes drifting until we got to another series of rapids. The photos captured great actions - just minor feedback that somehow the color/vividness of the photos and the angles were not as good as another company we went with before.
Hi Sherry! Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re so glad you had a great trip and that Troy’s guidance helped you feel confident and have fun through the big rapids - he’ll be happy to hear that. The scenery on the Middle Fork really does make the day on the river special. You’re right that this trip covers 16 miles (longer than most 1-Day trips) and has a natural rhythm to it: exciting whitewater in the first and last sections, with a more relaxed stretch in the middle. Lunch often comes later in the day because of that flow, and we do provide a snack, though bringing extra of your own is always a good idea too. We appreciate your feedback and are so glad you joined us for a Middle Fork adventure!
On photos - those are actually taken by an independent photography company that covers all rafting companies on the river. We are not affiliated with them, but it’s nice they’re there to capture the action so guests have the option to purchase if they’d like.
The last time we rafted this section was on a cold, gloomy, drizzling day in October 2019 - so we had to give it another go in warmer weather!
This time around was just as memorable. Two of us in the boat ended up falling out in the water at Tunnel Chute, which happened so fast that I barely knew what had happened - thankfully, there was a nice calmer stretch of water right after through the river tunnel, so we were easily able to get back into the raft. (Thank you to our guide, Troy, for hauling me back in, and for being an awesome guide in general!) Plus this was one of the photographer spots, so the action was all captured for us to laugh about later.
Later, after our tasty sandwich picnic lunch, we had a few unexpected events happen, starting from the portage down Ruck-a-Chucky Falls. Shout-out to all three guides in our group - Troy, Shea, and AJ - for handling things so calmly and getting us all back where we were supposed to be!
I'm glad we did this again with All-Outdoors. We'll be back again for another trip!
There are many rafting companies out there on the river, but there is none that can outshine the experience that has been consistently provided by AOrafting over the years. This is my fifth time rafting with this company over the last 25 years. I would go more if I lived a little closer than Florida, but I would never stray from ALL OUTDOORS, and what I find amazing is that surely the guides have changed and the front end staff has changed over the years, but every exchange on the phone or in person has been consistently the same: kind, courteous, professional, helpful, friendly, accommodating.... the list goes on and on. From start to finish they want to make sure you are prepared, informed, and ready to enjoy your rafting trip. This year our guides for the 2-day overnight trip were Troy, Ali, and Shea. They were so much fun, so chill, so friendly, open, engaging, but more importantly ---they took incredible care of us from keeping us fed with delicious fresh cooked food, to their knowledge about each and every rapid, and concern for our safety. Troy was on our raft and gave us so much information about the history of the river as we moved down the 16 mile stretch as well as each rapid and it's difficulty as we approached it, and what to expect. It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip and I can't thank these guides enough for all they did to give us this amazing incredible experience. They truly love what they are doing and made us feel like we were their best trip ever. What a thrill the entire 2 days was for me and my husband!
We’ve been rafting with this company for 3 years now, and every single trip has been outstanding. From start to finish, their customer service is unmatched—booking is simple, they’re always easy to reach, and they’re so patient and polite, even when we’ve had multiple questions or called more than once. They go above and beyond to accommodate our needs and make sure we feel safe and taken care of.
On our most recent Middle Fork 1-day trip, we had Mayra as our guide, and she is truly the best! She and Joe worked together seamlessly—professional, confident, and so genuine. You can tell they love what they do, and it made our day on the river even more memorable.
Our family absolutely loves All Outdoors, and there’s no doubt you will too. If you want a safe, fun, and unforgettable rafting experience, this is the company to book with
All Outdoors is the only rafting company you will ever need! The office staff is so kind, helpful, and communicative, and the guides are always top notch! This is the perfect getaway for anyone looking for an adventurous and fun outing. Our guides- Emma, Sam, and Wyatt- are so knowledgable, kind, personable, and made everyone feel so cared for and safe. I truly cannot recommend All Outdoors enough!
I went with my family and was lucky enough to raft with the owner. Learned how the business is family owned. Also got to learn a lot of history about the area. The meal provided was delicious and the day was thrilling. Highly recommend going with All Outdoors.
We were lucky to get a blue bird day for this trip. But even luckier was getting Emma as our guide! Fun, energetic, funny and great in controlling the raft and the direction for those of us on board. This trip is a great length with many different sections to enjoy. It starts out fast and strong up to a 4+ followed by a mix there after. Definitely a super fun intermediate section of the Middle Fork with some easy sections and some a few 'buckle up' moments! Not only do I recommend this great group of guides but we will be back to try more locations with them soon.
Thanks to Joey, who did an awesome job guiding us down the Middle Fork of the American River. He prepared us for every rapid and successfully guided us through them. Tunnel shoot was amazing and the other rapid that we accidentally surfed. LOL. We throughly enjoyed our day!
I’ve rafted rivers in the US,Costa Rica and Switzerland and this was the most fun and exciting! Sam was amazing. Very clear instructions, he made you feel safe and confident, telling us what was to be expected on every step not to mention he was adorable. Meagan was training to be a guide. She was so kind and attentive. I loved them both! I highly recommend the Middle Fork for the best day ever! Can’t wait to return!
The trip was amazing! Matilda is a professional, educational, and fun guide. She made the experience really enjoyable.
Staff were extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to spend time with. I appreciate being able to walk and look at Trouble Shoot before entering the rapid. They can prepared with so much equipment, I felt safe on the raft and prepared for how to ride the rapids.
What an amazing experience! I will definitely be doing this again soon.
It was super fun! The food was absolutely amazing and my guide was Landace he definitely knew what he was doing! No one fell out of our raft! The outdoors was amazing my cousin caught a fish and they gut it and cooked it! If you want to be outdoors and away from society and make good connections with your friends/family this is the trip for you!
There is no way to fully thank the guides and All Outdoors Team enough. What kind, fun, and enthusiastic people who run such a cohesive group. Me and my 5 person crew could not have been more pleased about going with them, and frankly I wouldn't go with any other company. They are people-focused and communicative while helping you to have fun (safely). Taking the 2 Day trip down the middle fork was definitely the way to go. Stopped off on some really scenic nature spots, tons of blackberry picking and eating (July), and a nice open campground for the night. I simply loved every part of the experience. Thank you so much! Your team is the best!
My family and I went on a 3 day rafting trip in the middle fork American river. It was one of the best weeks of my life, nothing can match it! The guides were so energetic and kind. Our group was guided by Michael, Sarah, Landis, Wyatt, and Carter. They were all so amazing to hang out with and very personal with our group, they fit right into our family. we had so much fun and hope to get to do it again with them!
I cannot express how great this trip was. I had so much and had no idea how much I would love white water rafting. Besides the rafting, the food was amazing and the views were breathtaking. Falling asleep to the stars and waking up to the rising sun was incredible. The guides may have been my favorite part of this past week though. Michael, Wyatt, Landis, Sarah and Carter are so friendly and personal. They make sure to remember your names really quickly and use them throughout the days. They encouraged us to connect with each other and had activities at camp like the boat slide and rock walk. We sat around at night and shared stories and played Mafia. We made friends with the other families and the guides. I felt really safe throughout the whole trip and had so much fun I really hope to go again!
What an amazing trip! It was my dad’s and my first time white water rafting, and we had an absolute blast.
Our guide, Bible, made the experience fantastic by guiding us through each rapid with clear instructions and useful tips. He also shared lots of cool facts about the river’s history, which made for great conversation between the more intense sections.
So how does one begin to describe one of the most amazing and memorable experience in a lifetime?
To answer.
A sounding verbose review of course, so hang tight.
I was reviewing multiple websites looking for a guide service to take my wife and I on a two day white water river rafting trip in celebration of our 34th wedding anniversary. I came across the ALL-OUTDOORS website and I do not recall exactly why but it captured me. Maybe it was the 50 years of experience in the industry, the family run business aspect, the over 300,000 persons, and now plus two more, down the California rivers; but fate could not have proven any more sublime than the decision to go with ALL-OUTDOORS.
With the dates chosen, the online registration was a breeze. ALL-OUTDOORS did an excellent job communicating with me every step of the initial process and sent all needed documents and we were set to go. We told ALL-OUTDOORS we were cool with whatever group they wanted to put us with. This would be another fortuitous decision with a group of seven amazing individuals along with Lisa and I. When we arrived at the meeting place, we were greeted with friendly faces full of energy and enthusiasm. Michael, Mary, Kyle, Fred and Phoenix ensured everyone were provided with mandatory and properly fitted gear and had everything we needed for the impending journey. Again, I can’t truly pen the significance of their professionalism and fun spirit setting us up for this adventure. With our gear stowed on the bus, Fred hopped into the drivers seat and set out upon a winding journey through a steep and picturesque mountainous road. With certain death looming should his driving skills fail, (obviously they did not, thanks Fred!!) we safely arrived at the launching site.
At the Middle Fork of the American River, Michael and Mary took charge and were very coordinated in directing and focusing our group in getting all the gear to the rivers edge. Kyle was strategic and methodically prepared the crafts for our two day journey. It was incredible how efficient this effort was and almost seamless in its performance. After a final inspection of gear and personal floatation devices and helmet fitting, we hit the River. The River experience in its written form has very little value to the reader and only going with ALL-OUTDOORS could one ever even begin to understand how incredible this experience was for Lisa and I. The river was cold, “DEADLY COLD” as the foreboding highway signs warned before our arrival but you get used to its shocking nature. After several hours on the river and numerous class 3 and 4 rapids we stopped for a relaxing lunch. The meals are entirely prepared by the guides and offered in abundance. Jokingly, I stated to Mary, during our morning trip, I liked my steak “medium rare” and knock me over with a feather, there we were that evening having steak and chicken fajitas and two pastas and salad and and and and (for emphasis) other assorted fare. Chefs kiss for a spread that was delicious, fulfilling, and after a strenuous day of paddling, side hiking and cliff jumping, was met with ravenous enthusiasm.
The true beauty of the two day itinerary are the side hikes and activities you get to participate in which are omitted due to time constraints on the one day outing. Cliff jumping into the “deadly cold” river was both exciting, exhilarating and literally breathtaking. The hiking, while challenging, led to hidden waterfalls of immense beauty and intrigue. True natural magnificence. Some minor rock climbing and even boulder jumping and stream crossings forward you on to secreted spots you miss on the one day excursion. I cannot overstate what wonders are missed on the one day outing when comparing them to our two day adventure.
The overnight camping on the river was astonishing. Being 20-30 feet from the rivers edge, inside a high cliffed canyon, clear skies, under the stars, only in a sleeping bag made for a peaceful and introspective experience and a peaceful nights sleep. A light duty sleeping bag and light jacket is adequate for the morning chill reaching down into the low 60’s. The rising suns warmth takes the colds edge off quickly enough. A well maintained park service bathroom made the overnight spot a blessing to everyone on the trek.
Early on the second morning, with only the sound of the river flowing, river trout hitting the surface and the sun peeking over the canyon walls there is an almost spiritual acknowledgment here few people get to experience. Back at camp, a giant pot of black coffee awaits served with a wonderful breakfast prelim of coffee cake (this was so freaking good) followed by a robust hot breakfast. The hard work of meal preparation, social interaction and customer satisfaction was evident in all the guides. Their approach to rules and best practices were not overbearing and posited with good will and safety in mind. The last hour or so of the trip was met with initial excitement as we had to portage
My two sons and I had a great time on our trip down the Middle Fork on Saturday. I had rafted with AO on a number of other rivers during the 1980's and wanted my sons to experience the excitement of whitewater rafting as well. Our guide, Brian, and the river did not disappoint. Their focus on a safe and fun customer experience is the same as always. And what a memorable experience rafting through the tunnel! We will most certainly be back!
Took the family of 4 for the 3 day trip in August and loved it.
Tilly gave us a great precis of the rivers history and the surrounding nature and she was just an awsome guide.
The food served was brilliant and the other guides were great hosts in general catering for all our needs.
If you are from the tropics like us, recommend wearing a thin wetsuit - even in August !
We had a great experience from the beginning. Contact with staff online was easy and quick response with information needed. Rafting staff was very nice and easy to check in. Our guide was just who we needed to enjoy the trip. Good stories and great experience going down the river. He directed commands easily and knew if we could try extra little stunts to entertain us and make the trip memorable. It was a great way to celebrate my husband who loves the outdoors. Definitely recommend it if you like some fun 3-4 rapids.
My family of 5 and 5 friends recently went on a 3 day. Our guide Wilder, Hayden and Courtney were our guides, All 3 were amazing and knew so much about nature plants and insects. Wilder was awesome, adventurous and taking us on some easy side trips to see more of the scenery. All and all the food was amazing and the area was gorgeous despite the fires that had burned prior. Thank you for an amazing time. Great memories of the crew and of an awesome friends and family vacation. You should be very proud of yourselves for doing an amazing job cooking and the amazing time down the tunnel Shute. Best wishes,
The Mclain’s
Dad,Mom Baby boy,Big head and baby Girl. Pentz family 👍
We had a wonderful day out on the Middle Fork adventure. We had Devin as our guide, and he made the trip so much fun for us! I felt prepared and safe with his instructions and communication about what was coming! I'll be bringing my whole family back to try the overnight experience next season.
I really appreciated the caution this company takes for everyone's safety, as we took the time to be precautious and watched the guides maneuver the boats through a dangerous area.
We a great lunch made by our guides. Everything tastes better on the river, when your expending so much energy!
I do wish the photos were a bit more affordable for us.
This is a great way to spend the day in the beautiful outdoors and make some new friends along the way!
We had so much fun! Everyting went perfect our guide Claudia made sure of it. From the clear instruction to the hike up slot canyon to the really nice lunch all i can say is "fun"
Our family had the most spectacular 3-day family trip this week!!! The rafting was so fun and exhilarating and the guides were outstanding- so professional and experienced. Their leadership kept us safe. We were so impressed by how hard-working and kind our guides were. They tirelessly loaded and unloaded supplies, prepped delicious fresh fruits and meals, and were just such a pleasure to spend time with. We camped underneath the stars, the home-cooked meals were delicious, kayaked in the baby rapids through the gorgeous scenery, and the day hikes to waterfalls were sooo beautiful. Our entire week was magical beyond words! Our guides were Lee, Brian, Chris, and Joey. Lee took us down Tunnelchute, Kanaka, and Chunder with no issues at all! He was so trustworthy and knowledgeable. All our guides were just sheer AWESOME and the nicest guys you could ever meet!
This was mine and my cousin first time on the Middle Fork with Class III-IV Rapids.
This trip was awesome, enough class 4 to enjoy but not too much where you feel overwhelmed.
The sites were stunning, you'll enjoy the towers of rocks and trees that surround you as you float through the river. The lunch they provided was awesome, and I can’t speak highly enough of our guide Garrett, he got us down safely was very experienced and very knowledgeable with all the animals in the area and was funny. Upon returning home, the next day I reviewed the photographer pics of "Tunnel Chute" and "Chunder" and I bought them all what Great pictures, way better than anything I could have taken. I can't wait to take more trips with AO.
The entire trip from start to finish was absolutely wonderful. We took the 3 day Middle Fork trip. Efficient and SO well organized. This All Outdoors organization knows what they are doing and I honestly don't see how something like this could have been done any better!!! There may be others out there that can provide the same experience but I would say it would be impossible to top the experience they gave us! Extremely knowledgeable guides that made me and my 14 year old son feel confident on the water (I was more nervous than he was as I have less experience). The food was another highlight of the trip. Fresh cut fruits and veggies and meals prepped for lunch with so many great fixings, on tables set up on rocks that these guides unpacked, set up, and packed to continue on the river. Amazing! Dinner was outstanding both nights as well, all freshly made and prepped full of flavor and variety. The rapids themselves were exhilarating but able to do, even for somebody like me with little experience and plenty of nerves! We camped literally under the stars. Many of our fellow campers had tents, but we just slept in sleeping bags on a pad and we were comfortable. Nice new experience and it made packing up easier each morning, so if you think your OK being in the elements don't bother with a tent. They bring chairs and activities to do while on the campsites as well. They have thought of every single detail! I really just can't say enough good things about it. Thank you to Reagan, Fisher, and Helen for being a great team and giving us such a terrific adventure!
This was probably my 4th or 5th trip with AO rafting. I’ve done one day and overnight trips with them and have equally enjoyed their superb customer service, excellent guides and delicious food! I brought my sister and nieces from NYC (13 and 15) this time for their first rafting trip on the Middle Fork and they can’t wait to go on another trip for their next visit! Thanks AO for all the hard work and planning you put in to provide us with a memorable day on the river. Our guide Trey was exceptional! He guided us safely down the river and indulged us with his incredible knowledge of the American River.
I've been rafting for 50 years. For the past 20, at least, my California Trips have been with All Outdoors. I'm sure there are other great companies out there, but I have never had any less than a superb experience with A.O. Rafting.
This was about my 9th trip on the Middle Fork but my first 2-day trip. It's a great mix of big rapids and a long stretch of tranquility with time to enjoy the river. On the two-day trips, they offer a chance to share an inflatable kayak with another rafter. Rafting in the IK offers a closer experience with the river. Since the IK section has no rapids over class 2, there is little danger in paddling your own boat. The 2-day trips also allow time for hikes, swims, and a cliff jump if you wish. I also love spending a night under the stars with the sounds from the moving river. The dinner and breakfast served on the 2-day trip were exceptional.
If you like: - getting wet - paddling hard to avoid boulders - several foot drops - getting tossed around - funny guides Then this trip is what you're looking for. I've rafted only once before on class II-III rapids in West Virginia and honestly I felt a little underwhelmed, I did not feel that after this trip. It felt approachable given my inexperience but definitely a trip I would be excited to take again. If you love sights, you'll enjoy the towers of rocks and trees that surround you as you drift through the river nestled inside a deep canyon. If you're taking the 2 or 3 day trip you can look forward to a peaceful night under an unfiltered view of the starry night sky while making friends, which honestly stapled this as an experience that I really enjoyed, hopefully you feel the same! Tips if you're interested: 1. Listen to your guides, if you listen to them, you'll have a great time 2. They have really good instructions on their website for how to prep and how to find their location. As long as you adhere to that, you should be great 3. If you're camping, don't worry about mosquitos, even if you're not in a tent, I didn't feel the need to use bug spray 4. Wear sunscreen 5. There are optional hiking trips to really cool hidden gems, but the rocks can be slippery on the way there, so follow the path your guide takes and wear appropriate shoes
This trip was awesome, enough class 4 to give you a taste, but a lot of lesser class and beautiful canyon. Overall a great day where you get some good rafting and some good time hanging out. Company provider killer lunch too! Beyond expectations, I'll be back again.
The trip is well organized by All Outdoors. Clear booking and refunds. Clear communication. There’s parking and transportation to the beginning of the rafting and return back to the parking bus, after rafting. In this trip I experienced the power of the pristine American River surrounded by hills full of pine trees at Middle Fork. Raft guide, Steve, was an awesome guide, very experienced and kept us safe. It is thrilling in some parts and relaxed in other parts, this trip is for adrenaline junkie beginners and people who want some challenge with breaks in between. I definitely enjoyed the trip, felt safe and was able to jump from a rock (optional) and jump in the river (optional) a few times. The rapids at middle fork, when it seemed like the boat could flip over at times. Great trip
Everything was done very well, from booking to communications, to rafting, to the food and guides. This company does it right, does it safe and does it well. Thank you! The rapids were not really crazy, its enough to get excited and experience something more than a small Class III, but nothing that most people couldn't handle. Great for people with a sense of adventure who want to try this kind of thing out, more experienced people may not get the thrill they are looking for, but it is still a great time either way. Recommend the the 2 day trip, there is time for cliff jumping, waterfalls, swimming and down time.
Great customer service from beginning until end. Scenery was beautiful. Rapids were great. Definitely gets your adrenaline going.
This was my 2nd trip in 2 weeks with AO. I posted a review for the South Fork American River which was my first ever trip with AO. Despite the different logistics for put-in and take-out between the two rivers, AO shows a consistent excellence in how they manage each of their trips. As a repeat rafter this season, I took advantage of the associated discount without hiccups. It required a phone booking rather than online, but the booking person easily pulled up our information from the first trip. Just like the South Fork trip, a guide met us at our car upon parking to check us in and instruct us on how to get geared up (life jackets, helmets). There was a bus ride to the put-in which was both beautiful and harrowing (narrow, winding cliff-edge roads) and a group effort to get rafts and equipment off the trailer and into the water, but nothing too strenuous. Once in the water it's a long day of fun, combining exciting rapids with amazing and beautiful scenery. The chips and make-yourself-a-sandwich spread is great. Take-out was simple: Rafted up to the lot where the buses awaited to take us back to the AO site. The guides needed less help than at put-in for getting rafts and equipment onto the buses which was a relief considering how long the day was. It was a shorter bus ride back from the take-out spot. AO conveniently offers changing rooms upon return. We were probably the last customers to leave the lot around 5:30 so the day ends at really good time. Upon returning home, the next day I reviewed the photographer pics of "Tunnel Chute" and "Chunder" and like I did with the South Fork trip, I bought these as well. Great pics, way better than anything I could have taken. I'm looking forward to trips next year with AO.
It was my sister’s first time, second trip for me. Always a positive fun experience. The guides are friendly, knowledgeable, safety was their priority’s. I only have good things to say about this company. Thank you for such a great experience.
My family of five, ages 14 through 65, did the one day trip and we all got plenty of exercise and exhilaration. Our guide, Steve, was excellent and I thanked him for getting us through it safely. There were some tough rapids, including the Grade 4+ Tunnel Chute. All I can say is, wow, I'm glad Steve knows what he's doing! It's a pretty great feeling to jump in the river on a really hot day, too. I'm biased, because I love rafting, but I'd say you should do this unless you can't swim or you have a serious heart condition!
We've been doing rivers with AO for years and love it! The two-day Middle Fork trip we did last weekend was fantastic and really so much better than the one-day trip we did over the same stretch of river the year before. Having that extra time to slow down and enjoy, take day hikes up some small creeks and to relax on the river in the evening sharing stories and meeting new people - those experiences made the great river trip all the better! Tetting to know the stories of some of the outstanding young guides is always fun in itself! We highly recommend the two-day, if possible - a whole different experience! Either way, AO rocks it!
OUR GROUP OF 6 HAD SUCH AN AMAZING DAY. WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TRIP TO ALL. GUIDES WERE GREAT, LUNCH WAS GREAT! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!!!
This company is very customer focused and was evident from the moment my son and I parked our vehicle. Someone came right out and welcomed us and provided guidance on getting started. Our guide did a superb job at giving instruction and controlling our boat. Also, really appreciated the lunch that was provided. Fresh fruit and vegetables and all the fixings to make great sandwiches, and more. I would highly recommend this company as well as a one day middle fork trip.
The rafting trip was great. My girlfriend was a first timer and she really enjoyed it. Our guide (Regan, I hope I spelled that right) and all of the other guides were friendly and experienced. There were a lot of exciting class III - IV rapids before lunch and then there were several miles of smaller rapids. After lunch we hit quite a few more class IV's and everyone had fun. My only negative comment is that we almost had a what could have been a serious accident. On the last big rapid, we made it through fine. But at the end the raft spun around. My girlfriend and one of the other rafters hit a giant boulder very hard. Luckily no one was really hurt. They hit the boulder with their hips and shoulders. But if they would have hit with their head or elbow they could have been pretty badly injured. I guess it happens though.
We had a fantastic day with Steve, our amazingly knowledgeable guide. The river was beautiful and exciting. The tunnel chute is a unique experience that should not be missed by anyone wanting a thrill. The trip was well organized and exceeded my expectations. Our group of 6 filled out one boat so that was fun to all be together as friends and family.
My 15-yoa son loves rafting since we experienced the Merced in Yosemite and so we took him on a 3-day on the Middle Fork of the American. (I had rafted the Kern with your company over 20 years ago.) Our guide Hayden was THE BEST! He was extremely knowledgeable with a great sense of humor, attentive to our questions/needs, ensured we had an exhilarating time whilst making us feel safe with clear direction. In fact, the entire Team: Lee, Helen and Chloe (and even Shelby our fearless driver) were AMAZING! They were All warm, helpful and generous. From the informative email on what to bring, to the telephone operators who answered additional questions, to our 1st meeting/prep of the dry bags at Carpenter's Point and throughout the entire trip, our 3-day rafting and camping adventure was seamless, which speaks to the mountains of preparation ahead of time. The food was DELISH and offered variety, always accompanied with fresh veggies/fruit and desert, lovingly prepared and always timely, and your Team even asked about and accommodated my lactose intolerance. Sleeping underneath the stars was beautiful, disconnecting from our devices and living in nature for a few days was rejuvenating, and but for the spiders (at camp 6), we LOVED every minute. The water was chilling at first, but a respite from the sunshine. I have already raved about Hayden and your company to co-workers and friends and my son wants to experience the Tuolumne with you All next year. Maybe we'll have to make this an annual adventure for our family... A heartfelt and sincere THANK YOU to your entire Team!!!
We had such a great time! The rapids were fun, our guide was great and the meals and campsite were wonderful!
We went on the Middle Fork on the 10th of June. Claudia, our guide, instilled confidence in us even during scary rapids. We would highly recommend her and the rest of the professional staff. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful. Thanks for a great trip. Jurgen and Maria
We had a great time! My partner and I went for the two day trip. We had Steve as our guide, he did amazing and kept us going steady through all the class IV and III. Food was amazing aswell. They have little side treks you do which was a blast. They also let you go in your own kayak (2people) through some of the smaller rapids. Would do it all again!
I have been rafting for several years with the company and continue to be impressed with level of knowledge and customer service that All Outdoors employee display. EACH and EVERY guide is awesome. All levels of the experience and each interaction is just seamless. Hayden, the guide I was fortunate to enough to raft with did a wonderful job, though four of the six had never rafted before. He answered all questions while providing guidance to make everyone comfortable allowing for all to have a great day on the river. THANKS ALL OUTDOOR. You make everyone feel welcome almost to the point of feeling like family.
We had a great time on our guided tour with Hayden. He was knowledgeable about the river, friendly, and you can tell he cares a lot about the river and his job guiding us through the experience. We were out on a hazy day with not much sun and heat. At one point after getting surfed on one of the bigger rapids, I was freezing cold and soaked. While I was putting on a splash jacket to get warm, Helen, who wasn’t even our guide, tossed her beannie hat into our raft to help warm me up. The guides all work together so well, you can tell they really have a lot of integrity in keeping the experience positive. Spectacular green scenery , too!
The guides were amazing. By far, one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Great customer service and we even got to meet the owner. Without question, I will be back next year.
The team at All-Outdoors did an amazing job on our 2-day rafting trip on the Middle Fork of the American River. We were a group of three families with kids ranging in age from 12-15 years old. Everyone had a great time!! We will definitely be back for more!
We had a fantastic day on the Middle Fork of the American River with Jack as our guide. We had a boat all to ourselves (4 of us family members) and Jack was amazing. He was confident, friendly, knowledgeable, and made our trip one we will never forget. At one point our 13-year old bounced out of the boat on a Class iV and followed the instructions Jack had given him early in the trip. Jack calmly instructed our son to swim to the side and picked him out of the water. We will definitely use All-Outdoors again and if you have the option to choose Jack as your guide, we highly recommend him.
Well, what can I say about rafting with All Outdoor? I can say that this was my 3rd rafting trip on the Middle Fork of the American river with this amazing company on the Middle Fork (yes, it is that good) and my wife's first trip. This was something we wanted to do together for a long time and were finally able to coordinate our schedules to make it happen.
I can also say that there is no other company that should be considered to take a day trip or over-night trip with. They are absolutely the BEST! Hands down. Have I rafted with other companies? Nope! Don't need to. As my dad always said, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and this is so true with All Outdoors Rafting.
First of all, they prep the trip beforehand with confirmation emails and links to prep you on what to bring. Their customer service is also very responsive when you have a question.
When you arrive the staff welcomes you and introduces themselves with next steps about getting your gear ready and the bus ride to follow.
After about a 25-30 min shuttle ride you arrive where you will start your journey on the river. The guides give some brief directions and you are off! The first major rapid is very early into the journey (20 min?) and to first timers can seem intimidating but as I mentioned, I have done this trip with this company 3x and no one has fallen out....ever. Not to say that it can't happen but the guides are top notch. Our guide was Ryan (an 11 yr veteran) who was very personable and made the trip for all in our raft memorable.
Oh, and did I mention the food? No hotdogs and PB&J here. The meals (4 total) were all AMAZING with fresh fruits and vegetables as well as delicious dinner and breakfast. I knew I would like the trip but it really impressed my wife and we are already talking about plans for our trip next year.
And by the way, the also have a loyalty program called Frequent Floater where you can get free rafting days with multiple trips (which I was able to use on this trip!).
All in all, I HIGHLY recommend this company. You will not regret it. ✌�
-Aaron
This was our 3rd trip with All-Outdoors and our first time rafting on Middle Fork. We had 3 couples, 3 teenagers and 1 kid. We loved both our guides (Helen and Lina) and had an epic day. Everyone loved it! Scenery was beautiful, rapids were fun and challenging (there was a lot of screaming in our lady boat) and we will have the best memories from this day. We are already looking for our next adventure!
It was AWESOME, we went with our 14 and 16 yr old kids for a 2 day trip and it was beyond our expectations, we loved it! We have done these a few times in other countries and this one has been our favorite experience, the river is beautiful, the over night sleeping under the stars was a first for the 4 of us, it was a great suggestion not to bring tent! The rapids are exactly what was described to us: good for adventurous beginners, for our children it was their first time, and as their mom I was a bit nervous.
We had the best guide: Stella! A very intrepid, expert and natural born leader 19 yr old, it was amazing to watch her in action!
Would highly recommend and would love to go back and do more rivers with this company!
Lina
My husband and I enjoyed a ditch day rafting the Middle Fork River. It was the best decision of the summer! Our guide, Kira, was amazing. She explained every rapid and made us feel comfortable and safe. The team provided a great lunch and snacks when we stopped at the mid-way point. We had a great time and can't wait to take our kids someday.
Everything was explained along the way. The snacks, exquisite lunch, cold drinks, and other small details made for a fun time. Our guide, Trey, gauged our group and set the pace accordingly. I felt comfortable bringing my family along with All Outdoors.
My family loved it! Rhea is an awesome coordinator who customized the adventure to bring in more fun for our young adults, even a stop for a rope swing on the river and stops for pictures and swim anytime we wanted, knowledgeable guides who provide snacks and water, a gorgeous beautiful part of the river, this made for the favorite activity for our family reunion! Definitely would do again! This company is top-notch on professional skill and customer service!
We want to thank AO for finding such wonderful Guides to travel with down this Majestic River - The Middle Fork American . Jaylyn, Annica and Jack were the Best . They are true CAPTAINS of there boats and I would trust them with my family again on a river trip anywhere. They were knowledgeable, congenial, and were the best outdoor cooks I have had the pleasure to travel with. AO itinerary, along with the rafting up to Class 4 exhilarating rapids provides Days Hikes to Water Falls , Kayaking, Inner Tubing, Cliff Jumping for the brave at heart - it was amazing , the only problem is we wanted it to last longer, i could talk all day about our trip and how great it was but its best that you just book your own and get ready for an awesome time. Remember to bring extra drinks for summer trips because they allow you to fill a cooler which is awesome. Dont forget a comfortable Mat to sleep on and some good hiking shoes along with the rest of your gear, an extra personal dry bag is helpful.
We are planning another trip soon with this group .
The Rich Family Crew
This was my 3rd rafting trip with AO, including my bachelorette party a couple of years ago! The guides are fabulous, the staff are conscientious and responsive, and the experience is awesome! I recommend rafting with All Outdoors 100%.
We had our group of (8) do the Middle fork
It was outstanding!
The Office/ Guides/Staff were Very Good!
They worked like a well oiled machine - Like they had worked together on 100 trips
Food was great & plentiful
They explained everything about each day in detail
and gave great direction for each rapid prior to entering
I would recommend this trip to anyone looking for a positive adventure!
Blaine
We booked a family trip with All Outdoors Rafting (6 of us) on the Middle Fork of the American River. We had a great experience! Bryon was an excellent guide. The pre-trip information and communication was thorough and accurate. Logistics and equipment was top flight - including the "bucket" lunch for re-energizing. Highly recommend this outfitter and this stretch of river.
Without question this was an exceptional experience. From the moment we arrived until the moment we left our family felt taken care of at the highest level. I truly cannot say enough about how much this experience meant to our family. Kent, Dave an Gator went out of their way to show us a safe and fun time on the river. Every meal was well thought out and perfectly executed respecting our needs and tastes. It was as if they had called my 12 year old son to ask what his favorite things were to eat and made that. We were able to see and learn about the river and the area, camp out, hike, swim, inner tube, kayak and of course raft. Our guides were friendly, knowledgeable, confident, respectful and talented. My only regret was that the trip was only 3 days.
Our guide, Helen, was great. All of the guides were knowledgeable, experienced, and fun. The food was even better than expected.
Welp, we picked the right rafting company. I looked at a lot of rafting companies' reviews beforehand and picked All Outdoors on the strength of those reviews (and the weakness of some of the reviews from other companies), and I'm glad to have picked All Outdoors. We had a great time. We also saw other groups with other companies on the river; the reviews were affirmed.
We were a group of parents, including my not-very-coordinated (and first-time rafter) wife, and our second-year Scouts--most of whom were first-time rafters. I was looking for something outdoors and fun that involved camping. We go camping pretty regularly, and I have to say, having food prepared for you is pretty cool. You can chillax, play games, skip stones and bond with the family and others instead of stressing to cook and clean everything before the sun goes down. And the food is solid! I never felt hungry, which, considering the energy expended, is impressive. I recommend the overnight trips!
Anyways, we went first trip of the season on the Middle Fork of the American. I thought that it might be challenging with the drought (and the fact that we had a bunch of first timers), but as the water is dam-released, it just means that you got to time your put in and take out.
Our guide, Helen, was awesome. Not sure if they matched us up with her because we had a lot of first-timers and kids who were around the minimum suggested age, but I was very happy to have her as a guide as she was extremely experienced, patient (necessary when dealing with a few pre-teens) and knowledgeable.
After our trip concluded, my son proclaimed that it was "a great trip. Definitely a top 20 trip of all time." (although I don't know if we've done a ton of trips in his lifetime, but whatever.) In any event, I am hoping that we will get a chance to go again soon, perhaps on a different river, and perhaps we'll do a 3-day trip next time. Whatever the case, we'll do it through AO. And we'll ask for Helen!
From start to finish, this was the best and most thrilling weekend we’ve had in some time in a long time. If you want your first experience to exceed memorable do the Middle Fork.
It’s been about 3 years or so since our trip on the river, but it’s our most exhilarating in and of memory.
Not only was the river amazing, but the outfitters were superior. Professional. Fun. Informative. Skilled.
The list could go on.
The Middle Fork is just enough action to make you want more. With a seasoned guide on the back paddle, Trey, provided a running stream of context and color to our surroundings and the challenge. We had two 12 year olds up front who are not shy about ""going for it."" They were loving it. Soaked, then sun dried, in nature, totally hooked. Nature's Roller Coaster! The ride home was a continuous playback of GoPro footage and laughs. All Outdoors is the experienced hand to take you on this journey...not only in the water, but in the connection that comes through a shared experience. In one day, this has become ""Our Thing"" and we will be back next year to take it to the next level. Trey, get ready.
We go rafting every 1-2 years and we ALWAYS go with All Outdoors. A great family owned company, AMAZING food on the river, knowledgeable and fun guides, and an all around fantastic experience. Your raft guide can make or break the experience, and in 10+ trips (on Middle Fork American, South Fork American, and Tuolomne) we have LOVED every single guide we've had. This year, the COVID protocols made everyone feel very safe and socially distanced, even on a 2 day camping trip on the Middle Fork. During other years, we're always on the river with other companies, and it is easy to tell that All Outdoors groups have more fun, get better food, and have a safer experience. Thank you Helen, Garrett, Skye and Jack for another great year on the river!
My crew had a fantastic time, was very impressed with the guides and the team was a well-oiled machine in terms of food prep and setting up camp, etc. We will be back!
The Middle Fork trip is exciting and challenging, even for those who have experience rafting. Our guide Trey was great, explained the surroundings and the routes. Could not have asked for a better time.
From the parking lot greeting as we wondered how to wrestle our duffel bags into the dry bags, the AO outfit and guides provided an exceptional 3 day trip. My sons and I joined two other groups of friends and truly enjoyed about every aspect of the river trip. Somehow the guides really gelled with our group, always providing info and opportunities for fun, whether the rapids themselves, smaller rapids on innertubes and SUP, side hikes to slot canyons, 20 foot leaps and flips into the cold turquoise. I was surprised how little we had to do (as a parent I'd been expecting to do more of the cooking, cleaning, etc, but it was all taken care of by our friendly guide crew, laid back but attentive). The camping food was excellent, multi-course meals, appetizers, dessert, etc. felt very special and beyond expectations. With no bugs, sleeping under the stars, spotting wildlife (Stella's bear!), camp games, and more it was just a special, perfect trip. On top of this, I think a lot of it working so well comes down to our guides: from Jesse's knowledge and organization, Stella's adroit river skills and role-modeling for our younger group members, Cole's humor and Brian's stalwart gear piloting, they really set the tone for a safe but always fun time. Both exhilerating and serene, matching the river's flows and moods. From Last Chance and Tunnel Chute down through Chunder and the circus raft wrestling of our guides at Ruck A Chucky portage -- can't wait to go again and recapture this magic. Thank you Jesse, Stella, Cole, Brian!
I was excited to go rafting with friends and family, and this trip was even better than expected. Our group was already planning the next A-O adventure on the shuttle ride back. The perfect balance between exciting and relaxing. Our guides made us feel welcome and safe, they kept us fed and entertained, and guided us through exciting rapids, interesting hikes, blackberry picking, naps on the boats, keeping it all loose and casual but still organized. Lots of extras done to keep the teenagers and the adults happy along the way. Sleeping under the stars was wonderful! It was obvious that our crew cared genuinely about our experience, and they succeeded in making it a great one. We won't ever forget them -- Jessie, Stella, Brian and Cole -- you are awesome!
This was a company/close friend trip with experienced and non-experienced rafters. Dane was fantastic! He was very personable, very knowledgeable of the river and it's history. His main goal was to keep us safe but have a great time. He took the best lines into the rapids, worked with us as we stumbled a bit with our paddling. He absolutely made the trip as fun as it was! Thank you Dane! We'll be back...
I completed the 2-day overnight camping rafting trip down the middle fork american river. Our tour guide was Dane and he was awesome and SO knowledgeable. I was nervous as this was my second time rafting and he made me feel comfortable and safe the whole time. After the first 15 minutes, i felt like i could accomplish any rapid! Dane shared with my group the geology of the river and was able to let us explore various geology outlooks from the river. These included two hikes that took us to amazing waterfalls! The overnight camping trip couldn't have been better. There was a lot of space at campsite 6, which made it each to social distance from the other groups, there were also sustainable compostable toilets at our location. The guides provided amazing meals (lunch, dinner, breakfast, dinner) and the food exceeded my expectations. 12/10 recommend!!!
My 2 friends and I wanted a party trip to get out of the house during covid. The guides always had masks on around guests and while preparing food. The food was beyond expectations! We had starters, delish full dinner and desert! The company provided a cooler for our drinks, we hung out with our amazing guide Dane that pointed out constellations and the comet as we drifted off to sleep under the stars (I brought a tent but it was so nice I stayed under the stars) The trip included side hikes to beautiful waterfalls and swimming holes as our amazing guide Dane ensured we made it up and back safely. Most importantly the rafting was beyond expectations. Dane was so good at mixing in fun, historical stories of the river, and a easy to follow guidance on the river. My friends were nervous for their first time on a rafting trip and after Dane got us through the first rapid they were excited for the rest. I 1000% recommend this company and our guide Dane.
As a first time whitewater rafter, this was an excellent experience for those who are capable and driven! My group felt very comfortable with our highly experienced guides, Kent and Sophie. They were both friendly, informative, and knowledgeable of the area and the rapids themselves. The two day trip provided delicious meals as well as enough time to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. My group enjoyed the clear night skies complete with shooting stars and tranquil sounds of the river at night. During the day, our guides led us on waterfall hikes into the woods and ensured our safety by teaching about the plants and what to look out for. The rapids themselves were truly thrilling and challenging for first time rafters, but also provided calm areas where swimming and inflatable kayaks were an option. This trip has made my group whitewater fanatics and I can't wait to do it again soon! Thank you so much!
My guide Roger was amazing. Great stories and memorable. Needed a good dose of fun and scenic views!
We are a group of 4 friends all in our 50's who'd never been white water rafting before, so our guide Jesse had his work cut out for sure! That said, what a great job Jesse did! He was cool, calm and collected at all times and very clear with his tuition and instructions. Jesse's only failing was his jokes but that can be fixed, maybe??? The whole experience was awesome, starting with the Class 4 Tunnel Shute a couple of minutes in to the trip, the incredible scenery, the lunch break and yet more Class 4 rapids to finish. A fantastic day was had by all, i would definitely recommend 'All-Outdoors' to anyone and everyone. Thanks Jesse, Top Man!
Great day trip river with excellent lunch provided. Scenic canyon, knowledgeable guide, beautiful river, and exciting rapids.
I had been on this stretch of the South Fork about 30 years ago. I was hooked on rafting after that! The most recent run had even more Class III rapids than I remember, which made for some happy rafters. The only issue the kids on the boat had was that they got pretty cold, even in the sunshine...the water was still very cold for being late in the summer.
This was a fantastic trip for our group of 15 friends from college - all just over 50. We had a range of experience from first time rafters to people who raft pretty regularly. The trip was intense enough to keep even the experienced people interested, but not so technical that it was a problem for people on their first trip. Everyone had a great time. The guides were great - very focused on safety while also friendly and fun to raft with.
Great trip all around!
What a great trip! Scott and his team of guides did a wonderful job. We had a great experience, wonderful food, and were treated like royalty. We look forward to taking our next trip with All Outdoors!
Our guide Dave was awesome,shared alot.of fun historical info. He had great river knowledge and we all had a blast. Thanks for a really fun filled day
Extremely well organized, affordable, amazing guides, challenging at times but relaxing at others, great lunch, and more importantly safe. There are some Class 4 rapids that the guides ensure you understand before even going over them, a lot of fun overall and never an issue on safety even though you are terrified at times as you're bouncing around on the rapids. Highly recommend for those individuals that are not expert level but looking for a challenge with some calmness in between.
What an amazing experience! This was our first time going rafting and we went to celebrate my birthday and the trip exceeded all of our expectations! Our guide was Garret, he was knowledgeable and great at what he does. He took the time to explain everything and along the way outlined the different approaches we were going to take for the different rapids. On the way back to our cars Jesse did a great job of explaining the different trips that AO offers and which would best fit what we're looking for next. I can't say enough about the experience we all had! Cannot wait to go back!
We had such an amazing time! The guides were friendly, professional and very experienced.
I raft almost every year with All Outdoors, and can just about use the same review because everything about the trip is top-notch. This year only 5 people signed up for a midweek trip. Whereas it would have been legal for them to use just one guide and one boat, a second guide for safety was provided paddling his own oar boat. This extra measure of safety was appreciated.
This was my second trip with All Outdoors, and both have been incredible experiences! We went as a group from my work, and had four boats between the 30 or so of us. All of the guides were fantastic, such fun and super engaging. Our boat was guided by Luis, who did an amazing job!! Best guide ever. So much fun, super knowledgeable, full of jokes and sarcasm and riddles and fun facts about the area around where we adventured. Well done, Luis, and All Outdoors! You have fantastic guides and take very good care of your clients! Will definitely be back, and continue to refer others to your company :)
I was really concerned about taking my 11-year-old autistic son rafting for his first time. All outdoors did an exceptional job making us feel comfortable and welcome on the river. They bent over backwards to assign us a guide and boat that was appropriate for us, and addressed every doubt! My son had an amazing time, and so did his neurotic Mom!
Dear Sheri, thank you for your nice review and kind words. It really means a lot to all of us. We just wanted to clarify for others that your family joined us on the South Fork of the American River, which is our Beginner-Intermediate Class III river. This review was submitted for the Middle Fork American River option which is a more challenging Class III-IV Intermediate level. We hope to see your family back soon!
We had done the middle fork one time before and it did not dissapoint. I am very confident using AO as our company and will do so again and again. They have been doing it a long time, and make it fun, while the river provides the excitement.
Again another great trip. This time with my niece for her graduation. We had a great time and learned a wonderful lesson of teamwork and how it pays to work together through difficult times. The star did a wonderful job during the trip to ensure everyone was involved and the day went well. Though some difficult rapid transitions they did a great job and knew their business. THANKS.
We were a group of two families with teenagers aged 12-17, some of whom had been rafting before. Everyone had a great time, even the experienced rafters who had done much more challenging rivers. AO is VERY organized, extremely helpful from the booking side (thanks, Beth) to getting everyone suited and booted and in the water. AO's decades of experience was clear throughout. Guides were experienced and great company (thank you Noni and Dylan). You guys run a tight ship üö¢!!
This is my second trip with All Outdoors.
The guide was sexy and intelligent about the river. He did a really nice job of entertaining the group while we went down the river.
Great trip with allot of rapids and not too much calm (paddling) - Sophie was our guide and she was very knowledgeable of the history throughout the canyon. We some river otters and deer. Lunch was really good - especially the river nachos! We had 10 men for a business team build and there was plenty of fun and fear...more fun though! Transportation down to river and back was great - AO made the trip seamless- will do it again!
Jack, Captain Jack as I was told his real name is Jack Captain, was awesome. Very cool rover guide. Knowledgeable, safe and looked out for my older mom who almost fell out several times. Awesome trip!!!
Better than expected. Luis was charismatic, friendly, entertaining. Hoping to arrange an outing next year. I believe it was Mike (reservations) who gave us the tip to stay at Miner's Camp (awesome) & visit Pinecrest Lake (beautiful). Unforgettable!
A well organized adventure from the start. The overnight trip stretched out the experience of being on an incredibly beautiful wild and scenic river. There was ample dry bag storage for all of our gear. The food was plentiful, enjoyable and met the needs of our parties dietary restrictions. I had time in the evening and morning to fly-fish the river, which yielded wild rainbow trout. Safety was always paramount, so one should expect to adhere to the guides requests, commands, etc. This is a gem of a trip, one will find it hard to believe that your meeting point is only an hour away from Sacramento. If your looking for something more that a long day trip, this trip will not disappoint. To have the ability to float down a river canyon filled with blue sky, clear water, smooth granite rock, class IV rapids, river otter, warm weather and historical remnants of the gold rush era, will not be found in any other place.
Overall great experience. Pros: Cole, Brian and Mikey were great. Loved the side hikes and relaxed pace of 2-day trip. Food was good. Cons: Ground equipment old and unreliable and yellow bus broke down and we had to wait for a ride back to our cars. Also, made us on the 2-day trip wait for the 1-day trip rafters to get a ride back to the car. Should consider the guest's convenience before the company efficiency needs. Please supply napkins. It was odd that none were available.
We had a great time. We had a group of 13, all boys and dads on one raft, the other girls and moms. Guides were great, rapids were fun, all and all we had a great experience.
It was my 3 teenage boys first rafting trip and they loved it so much they want to now do Class 5!! Enzo was our guide who is extremely experienced and made it fun for all of us!!! Definitely worth doing again!!
Das war wirklich ein toller TagesTrip für mich und meinen 13 Jahre alten Sohn Jonas. Nach diversen Flüssen in Österreich und America, hier die nächste Herausforderung für uns. Wir hatten viel Spaß und eine super Zeit. Unser Guide Carlos war großartig: immer auf die Sicherheit bedacht, alles super erklärt und sehr lustig. Wir kommen wieder wenn wir mal wieder in der Gegend sind! ### englisch ### Perfect raft day for me and my 13 year old son Jonas! We had so much fun and thrill! AWESOME! Our guide Carlos made a real good job: Always secure and always fun! See you next time we are in the area!
our guide Helen was awesome and great with the GoPro!
Our guide Otto appeared very knowledgeable regarding the river & surroundings (nature/history). He added some extras (going backwards down rapids with eyes closed, jumping off huge rock into the river, surfing a couple of the 'eddy' pools). The duckies (2-person inflatable kayaks) were a huge hit.
My daughter and I had a great time. Carlos, our very humble guide is an experienced and skilled rafter. He has good knowledge of the rapids and how to tackle them. He taught us & pushed us hard on paddling when needed. He is a good conversationalist and made the trip exciting and fun while keeping us safe.
Carlos made everybody feel comfortable and helped create some incredible memories. I will be personally requesting him next trip, if it's an option
This trip was organized for a few of us at work to get away. Every single one of us had an amazing time. We were all on such a high that we were still talking about it 4 days later. We could not have asked for a better rafting guide (Luis). Luis was a perfect fit for our group, cracked jokes and fitted right in with us. The food was great for a quick pop up on the river. The rapids were awesome, tunnel chute is absolutely insane. The side hikes were amazing (watch out for poison oak), with an awesome old miners cave and two fantastic waterfall hikes. I highly recommend this trip to ANYONE!!!!!!
Please paper towels or napkins for lunch a must.. cleaning without that is not right
Carlos was an exceptional guide!!
I had a great time, but I didn't know you could bring your own Coke, Pepsi, Sports Drinks, Gatorade, PowerAid? They had a cooler for that but I didn't know. I was stuck with drinking water with lemon - flavored crystal light powder flavoring, which was better than nothing. Maybe advertise ""Bring your own beverages?""
Super fun outing with our teens-without their phones! Short drive from the Bay Area and so so worth it! Enzo was awesome!
We had the best guide Trey. He was knowledgeable, fun, easy to hang out with and made us feel safe.
We had a great time with All-Outdoors. Our guide is very experienced and knowledgeable about the rapids and the scenery. The rapids are exciting and just-right for the adventurous first-time rafters! The food is fresh and good quality. We are definitely going back again next year!
This trip was definitely worth the money. Not only was it 6 hours of beautiful views and exciting rapids but they fed us snacks, a solid lunch and drinks! Otto, our guide, told us about the history of the area as we floated down the river, pointing things out and explaining their other over night trips and locations of where the hikes and camping spots are. Otto was a wonderful guide and we felt safe the whole time during the thrilling adventure! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! Don't forget your gopro like we did!!
This was a company team building event and we couldn't be more pleased. EVERYONE had a great time and the river was just the right rating for the whole group; many who have never been rafting before. We would highly recommend All Outdoors for your next company event or just getting together with family and friends for a GREAT time on the water.
Amazing experience! This was our groups first time white water rafting and the staff answered all of our questions and concerns both prior and during this trip. Our guide was friendly and very knowledgeable about the rapids and history of the area and provided guidance throughout our trip. The meals were gourmet (lunch/dinner and breakfast/lunch) and the rapids were everything from calming/relaxing to thrilling. We also did two nice small side waterfall hikes. The weather was perfect and we saw so many stars! Surprisingly no bugs and no animals where we camped! We jumped in the water during the calming parts of the rapids and the water temperature felt so refreshing. Our group is ready to plan our next trip! A++++ thank you All Outdoors!!
Great trip. Beautiful scenery with great overnight camping. Knowledgeable guides and Mauricio and Dane were enthusiastic friendly guides with amazing camp culinary skills. Lots of off river exploring providing variety and views of the valleys natural wonders.
Sivi was a great guide.
Both Siviany and Dave were outstanding throughout the trip. They were hospitable, and made sure we got the history on the area as well as exposed us to hidden treasures off the river with hikes, caves and waterfalls. Siviany provided clear direction and had our safety at the forefront. We'd like to do this trip again next summer and will absolutely request both of these guides again!
Love these guys
We had a lot of fun
This was a very fun trip with my wife and 2 teenage daughters. Exciting rapids, beautiful scenery, sleeping under the stars with a stomach filled with great food. Enough time to Kayak, hike to waterfalls, relax, and stay off cellphones! Our guides were fun and knowledgeable.
We've been rafting on the American River in the past with other rafting companies. This year we decided to take it up a notch and try out the Class III-IV tour. I connected with All-Outdoors Rafting and they were very helpful with my reservation and checking up on us as our trip came closer. Sivi was our guide and we could tell he was very experienced. Although he was a little quiet at first he quickly became one of the family and was very knowledgeable about rafting and the surrounding area. He added some extra excited to our trip by letting us surf some rapids. It was awesome! He helped our group learn rafting techniques and made sure we understood how to recover if we happened to get tossed from the raft (we never had a problem). We can't wait to go again and possibly move up to the next level!
Spent my 50th birthday on the middle fork American River had a great time with the family our guide Dave was great would definitely recommend it.
My grandson and I had a great time together!
Great experience in general. The Rapids were exciting and beautiful. In particular our guide, Noni, was incredible, he went above and beyond to make sure our trip was fun, thrilling, and above all, safe. He was always in command of the boat and knew what he was doing. He also did some ""tricks"" other boats did not seem to do. We had plenty of food and water. The trip is pricey but it is worth the price. The company that does the photos could have done a better job, though.
The trip was fun and the guide was great!
The guides were personable, knowledgeable, and very professional. We had a great time and will definitely be rafting again with All Outdoors.
My husband and I rafted with our 21 y/o son and 19 y/o daughter. I was nervous about class IV rapids but am very glad we chose this trip. We had a blast. Gavin, our guide, was engaging and friendly but also directive and specific when it came to navigating us through the rapids. He took our safety seriously and gave us a fun, fun experience. He and Amber (guiding the boat behind us), whipped up an excellent lunch and then had us back on the river efficiently. All of us were energized by the beauty and excitement of the Middle Fork.
Excellent trip. I've done this same trip 2x with these guys. Great guides, great organization, lots of fun, lots of white water....
We had an amazing family experience. We were lucky. Our guide (Dave) gave us just the right combination of explaining the history of the area and the challenges and status of river protection and most importantly a safe and thrilling rafting day. During the food break we were served healthy and tasty food. Highly recommended to anyone.
I felt bad that I didn't have a tip for Fletcher (our guide) so we wanted to acknowledge him in some way. Had a great time with my son. Thanks for the experience and knowledge.
Took myself and 3 friends on this trip. Going into the day, three of us had never been rafting before and had no real idea of what to expect. We had an absolute blast! Our guide Amber was knowledgeable, fun, and kept us safe the entire time. All of us want to go again soon and we'll definitely be using All Outdoors!
Our group of 9 did a two day trip, the Upper South Fork and then the Middle Fork. This is the third year in a row that my family has rafted with All Outdoors. By the way, I'm in a wheelchair, and although I'm very active, canoeing, rock climbing, kayaking, etc, it is tough for a company to know my capabilities. AO and the owner Scott have been super cool about taking my word about my capabilities and working with us on trips even with portages. The first year it was just my family of four. AO actually took two rafts, one for the family and the other for lunch and my wheelchair. The second year we brought 36 of us, my sons Scout troop. We had a large group with a lot of 10 to 17 year olds. The guides did a fantastic job handling the kids showing them a great time. This year we brought 9 of us for a two day trip. I would like to make it really clear that all of the kids (13 to 19 years old) were in one raft and us parents were in the other. The guides are just so professional and obviously well trained that we felt perfectly safe with our kids in the other raft. Their guide, Kiki, is young, but amazing. She is so good at her job that we just knew that the kids were completely safe. With all of the times we have been rafting with AO they simply offer a great experience. It is always exciting and the scenery is absolutely beautiful. I will go back to raft other rivers and will ALWAYS raft with All Outdoors! If you are reading this please go rafting with AO, you will have a great time!!
Went with our family including our 12 and 14 year old boys, had originally scheduled for the South Fork because it is milder but we were all super glad we did the middle fork. There are maybe 3 or 4 really intense parts for first time rafters, but you are instructed how to get through them and they end up being your favorite parts. All Outdoors was great all the way around, highly recommend.
Everyone had a wonderful time. The guides were courteous.
My wife and I had a fantastic time on our rafting trip with All Outdoors! The middle fork of the American river is a fun trip with great scenery and some wild white water!
We were a group of 12 as a company outing and had so much fun with our guides. The rapids had enough excitement but not too much for beginners and safety was always a top priority. Highly recommend and plan to be back again next year.
Fantastic guides
Thank you all for your help and making this trip the best experience we had. Our guides Mauricio and Enzo were the best and very patient with us. Dave for helping with our groups stuff in a raft all on his own. Jack our new buddy had a great time i know my kids thought you were so chill i agree. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner were off the hook the fresh fruit was amazing and delicious. The Middle fork 2day trip was just perfect not to rough not to boaring just right, especially for us beginners. We will definitely be doing this again. Amazing experience. Water was very cold but so fresh. The night was breathtaking all those star you get to experience, i miss that. Thank you once again.
We rafted the Middle Fork of the American with our kids and my Mom. Siviani was our guide and I would highly recommend him. Safety was his priority, but he made sure we had lots of fun! Sophie and Dane were also guides in other boats in our group and were equally professional. Siviani gave excellent instruction and was concerned about our well being on the trip. The side hikes were fantastic - DO NOT MISS!!! The scenery is wonderful, and much more isolated than that of the South Fork. We were pleasantly surprised at the delicious (over the top) meals we had for dinner and breakfast. I would completely recommend this trip with these guides. Thanks to Siviani, Sophie and Dane.
Honestly, AO is probably the best rafting company in California. Our guide informed us that it is one of the last family owned rafting companies, and it truly shows. We ran into some other rafts on the river and they were really disrespectful and unprofessional and our guides handled it like pros. They had a great sense of humor and kept us on task without making it feel like a chore. This was the best trip for my best friend's bachelorette party!
Well done
My husband and daughters ages eight and 10 went on the trip. We had a fantastic guide Kelly who was incredibly knowledgeable and skilled at her job. We would definitely go back. I probably wouldn't recommend the intermediate skill level for any children who are not strong swimmers.
Had a super fun trip down the river with our amazing guide, Garrett. He was well versed in safety and river lore and was extremely friendly and personable all day long. The rapids were so exciting and the scenery was gorgeous. Cannot wait to do it again.
It was my very first time rafting and I loved the experience. If you're looking for adventure and thrill, good at following directions and love a bit of a challenge... just do it! I thought our guide Blake was great, too.
Siviany, our guide, was top notch. Years of experience obviously paid off with a guide who know what he was doing and could communicate that knowledge superbly. Thank you for a great trip on a great river.
Our Guide, Fletcher, was steeped in the history of the Middlefork which made the trip much more memorable. All the guides were very qualified and professional. All the meals and snacks were excellent and we always had more than enough for all the rafters to enjoy. Overall the experience exceeded my expectations as a first time rafter. I'll be back again with AO Rafting to enjoy some of the other rivers they operate on.
Everything went well. We got wet, and there were no injuries.
WOW!! What and amazing trip we had. The river is beautiful and exciting!! Our guides were Maurizio (Mow) and Enzo. They did a great job and had some good stories for us. They took care of us and Dave in the storage boat kept our belongings safe and sound. Dave did a fantastic job with the food!! Everything was delicious and he even cared that we had a vegetarian in our group. Dave noticed the details of taste when making our food. Mow and Enzo made the trip exciting and fun. Great atmosphere and a great company to have an experience with. We did the overnight trip on the river and it was a fun experience sleeping under the stars. I would definitely recommend this trip with All-Outdoors!!!!! Thank you to Mow, Enzo, Dave and All-Outdoors for making this a great trip!!
Good trip
Great fun. Scenery was great. If I go again I will wear a thin layer of synthetic tights(like bike pants) and probably bring an extra thin long sleeve shirt for warmth. Thin protective gloves might be useful too as, periodically, I struck my hands on the edge of the boat while paddling hard.
Everything I expected from a professional organisation from all aspects of safety to the excellent guide (Dylan), the fabulous scenery and the exciting white water. Highly recommended.
Awesome trip. But we were not experienced enough to take this level. Also we have bad knees and it was extremely painful so that should be noted in advertisements. Awesome value. Awesome guide. Awesome lunch. We would do it again but south fork beginners to intermediate.
I was really nervous about taking my rafting to the next level, but was having a blast soon into the trip. My guide Dave was awesome! Thanks All Outdoors!
Brian was our guide and it was his first real weekend here in California (he's from Virginia) and for someone so new he knew so much of the history of this river and the mining. It was pretty awesome to get a history lesson on this trip. He was super sweet and always kept our safety as a priority. He was very kind and polite. Even though I fell out at tunnel chute it was an amazing experience and I would do it all over again as long as Brian is my guide! He was so awesome!!!! This was my first trip and I have a lot of anxiety especially after I fell but he kept reassuring me and just reminded me of what I need to do. Seriously one of the best experiences of my life.
We loved everything about the trip except on the 2nd day there needs to be one or more stops before lunch to allow rafters to use bathroom. From 9: am we launched the boat at Middefork until we finally ate lunch at 1:30 pm, we kept rowing. Everyone on my boat (4 of us) all had to pee, yet we didn't stop anywhere. We passed by at least 5 small beaches with bathroom facilities. I was worried that I might get a bladder infection. Also, lunch took too long. There are plenty of places to stop. Why wait until 1:30 pm? Also, the lunch place we stopped is too small and crowded. There were two more boats from another company. Five boats (3 of ours plus two of theirs) at that small creek outlet is UNACCEPTABLE. Kudos to Otto and Enzel. They were awesome on the 1st day. The guides in the 2nd day were great too except they need to be more understanding and compassionate about customer's needs.
Had a phenomenal time our guid derrick was outstanding would recommend him anytime very entertaining and knowledgeable guide we will book again for the upper river and request Derrick thanks bud woodland rocks lol üòÅ
I always have a great time but this year was amazing. Our guide was outstanding and the water was fast and high. I brought my buddy who has never been rafting. I was a little concerned when we scouted the chute. It was intense this year. My buddy chose to go down it and had a great time. Can't wait till next year.
I liked how Caerron (sp?) our guide always said what to do if you fall-out. This was my second year in a row, same river, same distance . . . but the rapids had shifted and Camerron knew that. The water seemed faster. We went down Tunnel-Chute backwards which made that segment of the trip even more thrilling!
We had a great day. The guides were great, Cameron was leading our raft and was really good fun and very clear with instructions and safety points. Beautiful scenery and a really good mix of rapids for beginners to intermediates Lovely lunch, well organised with plenty to eat. No complaints at all, would definitely recommend this trip
Need more guides that are outgoing, more talkative and give more training. The #6 fall was cool to watch however very rough rocky terrain to get back down onto our raft, actually kind of dangerous.
It was my first time, very exiting and scary at times. I wish our guide Joe would of communicated more with us during the rafting, but sometimes the less you know the better! he kept us afloat, didn't loose any one, Over all it was great! I really recommend it....
We love A.O.R.! We try to ride the rapids with them every year. Such an all around great experience. The guides are super cool and the rapids are hella fun!
Zack was our guide , safety was priority. But he was personable and knowledgeable and skilled he made it fun. Loved our lunch , and the while experience! Hope you had a Happy Birthday Zack!
This trip was amazing. I went with my sister and it was our first time ever. We both were very nervous and scared of what to expect. Our tour guide was Franny and she was amazing. She was patient and explained everything that was going to happen. Also David, also a guide was in charge of the food. Yummy! I was expecting burgers and hot dogs but we got steak and chicken Omg it was so good. The whole experience was awesome and I would totally do this again. My sister and I want to thank everyone for all your time and patience with us :)
This trip was amazing! I cannot say enough about the wonderful Guides on our trip. Messa was our guide but we had interactions with several others who were both professional and fun. The food is absolutely amazing. The toilets at the campsites were a happy surprise and were well maintained. The tunnelshoot rapid was much more complicated than it looked in the video, so a couple of us opted to walk instead of take the rapid. I recommend this trip to thrillseekers and people who find the Class 3 rapids a bit underwhelming.
American River Middle Fork was fun. I think that overall it starts off with a bang with the Class 4 Tunnel, but then after a couple more rapids, it peters out and after the first hour, you remove your help and the next 2 hours are kind of boring comparatively. After the 9:30-12:30 stretch, we had a nice lunch at a lovely waterfall coming out of a forest. There were blackberries to pick if you were careful climbing the slippery rocks. After we got into the boat, we had another 30' of fun rapids along with a short hike around an almost impassable Class 6. Then the last 30' were lighter Class 2's and time for a short swim. So it was 4 hours of rafting total. Clancy, our guide, was a pretty knowledgeable guide and a cool guy. My main feedback was that our guide Clancy had some interesting commands. He would say ""Paddle Forward"" then ""Relax"" then immediately ""Paddle Forward"" again immediately. I don't think ""Relax"" is the appropriate word if you want your rowers to be ready. Also, I think we should've trained ""Left Turn"" and ""Right Turn"" more and not shuffled everyone around (at least keep people on the same sides of the raft) so they don't get confused during crucial spots where we need to turn.
Our group was comprised of teens and their moms- it was a team building experience as well as fun. The food was exceptional. The guides were informative and instilled confidence in a situation where fear could have been a negative factor in the outcome of our trip. I would highly recommend this company .
We had a group of 12 family and friends and traveled down the river with another group of 6. The head guide Packard, had the group of six between us all day. Even after I asked him if we could be together since I was videoing the trip. Other than that I wouldn't change a thing.
Tthird time, each time with a different combination of family and friends
Perfect one day trip, lots of rapids for excitement and enough time in slower water to take in the river.
I went with a small group that included teenage boys from 13-18. This is a great river for adventurous firs timers as well as experienced rafters. The rapids had changed, especially Tunnel Chute, since the last time I'd been down this river. We had a great time and our guide, Mary Lee, was great! I highly recommend All Outdoors. The experience from booking through the bus ride back is terrific
We were a group of 16 family members hoping for a getaway before summer was over. We never expected to have the thrill, joy and excitement of this trip. Our guide Trey was simply the best! From the first phone call to inquire about a trip to the end of the last ride, AO was exceptional. We will definitely return. Thank you for a most memorable summer of 2017!
We were very glad to have chosen the two day trip. It gave us an opportunity to see sights along the American River that we wouldn't otherwise have. The guides were friendly and the trip was organized. A fun time for the husband, myself, our teenagers and their friends.
The trip was so much fun! Went with my husband, two high school children and one college child. They all slept under the stars, while I brought a one-person tent for the night. Guides were friendly and always watched out for us.
This company is amazing. Our guides were so skilled, professional, humble and fun! Whenever we said that they were awesome, they replied that we were awesome. Lol They never stopped working (except to sleep, I'm assuming). Food was great as well. Will definitely do this again - with this company!!
I love the time that we were there for and the amazing Guide that we had - Cameron (I believe - he was the lead guide). Our raft performed very well. Event was well organized. We had plenty of food to eat and my girlfriend and I loved every single moment. We had an amazing time during our vacation and would highly recommend this to other people.
AO employ experienced raft guides with great local knowledge of the river features and the area. Our guide, Aaron, was excellent. He was articulate with the adults and chatty with the kids. He made the trip an all round full day experience rather than just a thrill ride. The river features were exciting and well managed will clear description and instruction as to what was expected from the guests. The lunch was well prepared and received with close consideration to the environment, no littering. An all round memorable day for the whole family.
Our entire bachelor party was able to ride in the same raft. AO supplied the coolers to keep our beers cold. Our guide, Dan, keep us (mostly) out of the water. Overall, a successful trip!!
Amazing experience. This was the second time I've rafted with this company and they've always been beyond exceptional. Our guide Wyatt was amazing and kept us involved and entertained the entire time. The rapids were awesome and the hikes were beautiful and fun. The food was amazing as well and I loved the BBQ session at night. It was such a beautiful experience to sleep under the stars and the moonlight. Overall I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone considering getting away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
A thoughtful and caring crew. My wife twisted her knee at one the portage sites and was unable to walk on her own on less than ideal terrain. However, that did not deter AO from continuing. It was remarkable how they rallied together to CARRY my wife to the next put in location. An incredible display of community! They did this without making her feel like she was a burden to them or the rest of the rafters on this trip. Kudos to our guides Dave and Beth (unfortunately I did not get the names of the other guides who assisted) for their leadership and compassion.
An awesome trip!!! Mary Lee was fantastic as a guide. The trip was well organized, the meals were delicious and the staff was awesome. Some members of the group were inexperienced rafters but everyone felt safe at all times. We even had a travel issue where one of our group missed the first day and they were super accommodating. Will definitely be on a trip again
I was nervous about rafting for the first time, but our guide, Cam, was very knowledgeable and made sure we had fun and were safe the whole time. The scenery was beautiful and water was spectacular!
Great time rafting the middle fork. Guides were great -- especially Garrett who took great care of us (me and two boys, 13 and 15). Would definitely go again.
My wife and I along with adult daughter and boyfriend (all first timers) went on 2nd day of commercial rafting season (July 2) on the Middle Fork. For us, the 1-day was the perfect choice, but I could see why others would want to go 2-day. We were worried about flow levels based on the dam release prior to July 1, return time for our flight out of town, and other first-timer questions so I called a few times in advance of our trip and got great feedback and caring service from Matt and Lenka. Without exception, the guides (Matt, Beth, Dillon, etc.) on the trip had multiple years of experience and were all great fun, efficient, extremely knowledgeable with safety their first priority. Our raft guide was Dillon and he was the best! We had opportunity to see other rafting outfits at launch, at take-out, and at the two portages. Other rafters who used different outfits in their prior experience said that AO was way better than their prior experiences. Without a doubt, my observation was that AO had the best rafts and especially the best guides. I even got a follow-up thank-you email from Matt wanting to confirm we enjoyed the trip and hoping that we caught our flight (we did).
Great time with my family. Exciting, relaxing. Our guide Beth was awesome!
2016 was my second year rafting with all outdoors rafting. Into thousand 15 I started on the Middlefork and had Wyatt as my guide. This year I did the two day trip including the South Fork and Middlefork trips and had Camille as my Southfork guide and again, ironically, Wyatt as the Middle Fork instructor. My family had been mentioning requesting Wyatt as a guide and it was to our surprise that possibly the word travel down the grapevine and he was assigned our group. Both traps have been incredibly thrilling, pushing the boundaries of my own personal expectations as far as adventure seeking. I have been looking forward to my rafting trip all your long and anticipated such a amazing experience that I still cannot wait for the next one. Camille, who is currently training to be a Middlefork instructor should without a doubt become a verified Middlefork instructor. She was absolutely amazing and incredibly friendly. Her patients was helpful considering the amount of children we personally had on our trip. It felt like we were already Friends before we had initially met on the trip. Wyatt, is such an interesting individual. I believe my family and I are always looking forward to seeing him guide us on the rivers. Although he is very quiet, he is a very funny guy and we enjoy his company during our adventures. I hope that we can again see him the next year or sooner than that rafting on All Outdoors!
This trip exceeded any of my expectations! Great food and well organized. Rapids were really fun especially ""hospital bar"". Tour guide was awesome and very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend the 2 day trip!
The guide was awesome and definitely made our experience. The first rapid was terrifying (in a good way). Got a little slow in the middle and would have liked to have a few more rapids but overall a great trip.
I've rafted with AO for two seasons and twice on the Middle Fork 1 day trip. Each time AO has provided excellent customer service from booking to end of trip. Their guides (I've had three different ones) all were very attentive, knowledgeable, and fun (this one is quite important as the 1 day trip is very long).
My son (12) and I wanted to spend sometime bonding in nature on an adventure, and this is exactly what was provided. All Outdoors was well organized, provided excellent food, thrilling rapids, adventurous hikes, and a lifelong special memory to my family. I highly recommend this company for anyone wanting to enjoy a well planned outdoor adventure.
This place was beautiful and amazing! I still think about it every day. I regret I did not bring some sort of water-proof camera. ""Mikey"" for President! Garrett and Tyler were were very skilled and knowledgeable rafting guides. They knew the river very well and how to safely navigate every challenge. Most impressive was their transportation and preparation of food/ meals over the course of 2-days down the river. ""Camp Site 6"" was beautiful. The dry-bag for what you could bring was much bigger than what I had pictured. This was not a river for new beginners or persons whose arms are not in-shape. The waterfall on the hike on the second-day was awesome. Again, wish I had a camera. I've told many people about it since I got back to Minnesota.
What a perfect day for rafting! ""Mo"", our guide, was great getting us set up for the trip. She is definitely an asset. Couple of points though; it is definitely a nice workout (6hrs paddling) for any age. Also, being an out of towner, I would have liked to learn more on the history of the area (Gold rush region) from our guide, during the down periods. Overall, an A+ experience and highly recommended!!!
My husband and I had the most fantastic time. We were a bit nervous of the class IV rapids but they were so much fun. Our guide Nick was the BEST! Great guidance on what to do and when. He had so much knowledge about the river. He even found some wild grapes for us to eat. We can not wait to go again!
Excitement starts right away with fun rapids. Never a dull moment.
This trip was incredible! The Middle Fork is so beautiful, there are some scary (but super fun) rapids, and chill rapids too. I swam one of the calm rapids, that was an experience I definitely recommend. I'm down to do the overnight next time!
I went with my 12 year old son on a two day trip and we had an amazing time, the rapids were a mix of class 3 and 4 and whilst some of them looked daunting at first always felt safe . Guides (Mary Lee and Dave) were excellent and good company, particularly loved sleeping under the stars
Great rafting trip. The Middle Fork of the American is great for first time rafters who want a bit more thrill. Mikey and Dane were the best guides. Would ask for them personally next time we go, which we will. The 3 day trip only covers a little more river but camping out two nights along the river and the hikes to waterfalls are well worth the extra time and money.
This was an amazing trip. We all had such a great time and memories to last us a lifetime. I'll definitely be back next year to try the next level of Rapids. Everyone we met was friendly, fun and knowledgeable. Nick our guide was excellent! Great fun for all ages.
It was our second rafting experience and I was with two kids aged 12 and 16. The guide was very competent and gave clear directions so that we always felt secure as well as enjoyed the thrill of the impressive class 4 rapids.
This 1-day tour was really fantastic from start to end. Very well organised, lots of fun and the possibility to talk and socialize. we where a family of four with (two kids 21 and 15) and we all had a fantistic day. After 3 weeks in USA with a lot of unforgettable highlights from New York, Los Angeles, Las vegas, grand Canyon, Yosemite, this river trip on Middle Fork is definitely one of the highlights we will not forget. GO GO . TRY IT!
This was a very nice 1 day outing. I do like seeing new sights so next time we will try another river that AO supports.
The trip was my favorite rafting trip by far. We are gonna work our way up to the more difficult rivers with aorafting. Our guide, Tyler, was awesome and made the experience all the more worthwhile.
I have been on the middle and south fork before. Took my 12 year old Grand daughter this time. She loved it. Our guide Cameron had to be the best guide I have ever meant. This guide knew about the river and surrounding area better then me a local! Loved the way he handled everyone and his personality. Would definitely book another trip. Many class 4 rapids to go down, lots of water. great trip!
We wish we would've had time to do the overnight, two day trip! It was that fun!!
We are a famliy of four with children 15 & 20. This was our first expereince white water rafting. We loved everything about our trip - only wishing it were longer and that we had time this summer to do more rafting. Guides were stellar. This trip was perfect as an introduction - and we look forward to doing other trips with more Class IV rapids.
Excellent experience all the way. All Outdoors is very organized and efficient. Top notch folks. The trip was as described on the website and was very exciting. Our guide, Dane, is a fine young man. Very knowledgeable about the river. The food was good and plentiful. We plan to return in the future
This was my 9th time rafting with All Outdoors. I try to go every year. I think its time I try out guide school! My husband and I are going to try to do Goodwin again this year. I hope to do Cherry Creek as well. The guides are exceptional, rafting is amazing with All Outdoors.
My 23 year old son and i road tripped northern California for a week this last week, and this was definitely the HIGHLIGHT of our trip! we both love adventure - he has canoed most of his life in Missouri with our family, but had never whitewater rafted. i grew up in California years ago, and had rafted the South fork a couple times with a different outfitter over 20 years ago, so i suggested we do a trip on the Middle fork while there - we are both glad we did! Ryan was our guide, and he was excellent! very polite, knowledgeable, friendly, and obviously very experienced :) his younger sister Amber accompanied us as a guide trainee, and was quite enjoyable as well - she will do a great job! My son and i were the most experienced floaters, so we got the front of the boat, and had a total blast! What a beautiful canyon that stretch of the river travels through - I had forgotten how much i loved the foothills of California. The food was great, company was fun, and the river was BEAUTIFUL! I have three other sons, and we will definitely be back soon with the rest of them, and it will be with AO for sure! thanks so much for the great experience :)
First of all- NO complaints at all this trip was amazing! We went on this trip with 4 adults and 2 kids. Booking the trip is a piece of cake, a twelve year old figured it out :D and finding the All Outdoors parking is very simple. The ride down to the river is an adventure in itself, the scenery is glorious with beautiful views at every angle. All the equipment (helmets, life jackets etc..) were in great condition and if you have a gopro there are some helmets with an adhesive mount already attached. The river immediately starts with a level 2 rapid and the rapids escalate from there. Our guide Wyatt seemed like just about the best guide there was- he was so calm even if things were to get out of hand -which they never did :P everyone & everything would be alright cause our safety was important. He was funny and explained a lot about the river and the surrounding areaüå≤, overall a great guide and we highly recommend him. Just 15 minutes on the river and you'll have gone through some pretty fun rapids including tunnel chute :) it looks pretty intimidating but its just about the funnest rapid on the whole river! Some spots in the river its nice and calm and you can swim and jump off the boats which is super refreshing... yes it may be chilly but after baking in 90 degree weather its great ;) the guides certainly keep you entertained with history of the area and jokes during longer streches of slower moving water. Lunch is pretty tasty though: make your own sandwich, fruit & chips+salsa. We especially loved chunder falls and the portage- it was crazy watching the guides leap into the boats! :D Overall I'm super sad the trip is over and I'm sure everyone else in my family is :( but we'll be back for Tuolumne River next year! This river is a must do I'd say for adventurous beginners (like us) haha, I hope this review inspires you to go!!!!!! ;D ps- danay wrote this- I'll lock my arms next time and I'll succeed at getting in the boat :D
This was our first time rafting for my husband and I and we both had an amazing two day trip. The guides were super fun and knowledgeable, the food was amazing (for being camping food), we paddled an inflatable kayak, but over all, the scenery was breath taking.
This trip was absolutely perfect for my family of four (parents, two kids 12-15). The rapids were great, the staff was exceptional, the food was delicious (not only because I didn't have to buy, prep and clean up - but that helped!) the pace was relaxed, the side hikes were fun the fishing was good..... We were paired with other families, so that worked out great. Just from stories from others, see if you can match with similar folks (bachelor parties with bachelor parties, families with families).
Rafting trip was fantastic! The tunnel shoot and Chunder whitewater were exciting and fun. Dave, our guide was fantastic - very knowledgeable, kept us entertained with rafting games during the stretch between the whitewater rapids and a great conversationalist. The check-in process was efficient and informative and the bus ride from the check-in to water was enjoyable as well. Lunch sandwich spread was was good with a wide variety of sandwich toppings and condiments. We left Yosemite late the night before and arrived into Foresthill about 3 am with 7 scouts who had spent the prior day hiking Half Dome. They were not happy with the late arrival and stated it had better be worth it. Within 10 minutes of being on the river they were all smiling and pumped stating it was definitely worth it. Thank you Susan for all your help in booking this trip. It made our 2016 Trek memorable.
Our dual your guides were awesome! They helped in adding excitement and fun to the whole experience! Cameron and Dillion were awesome people to be grouped up with! When I go again...! And there will be a next time this summer, I will personally request them for my groups next trip. I totally felt confident in Cameron's knowledge of the layout. We are going to step it up and tell everyone about it! Can't wait for the next time! You guys are lucky to have such great, and I say great employees in Cameron and Dillion. I know how valuable employees are because i too run my own business. It was a memorable experience and we will be back!
AO goes above and beyond to provide the best rafting experience.
Had a wonderful time.
Nik and the guides were efficient, knowledgeable and fun. We felt safe, excited and appropriately challenged on this, our second trip on the Middle Fork with All Outdoors.
We had a near perfect day on this river. Learned so much about the history of the area from our guides and had an awesome time on the rapids. The lunch they provided was excellent, it included lots of delicious fresh fruit and everything you could want to construct your own sandwich. We will definitely be back for more adventures with aorafting!
Great food, awesome Rapids, and great spots for camping.
I loved our guide, the food, and the exciting rapids! The only negative thing I had to say, and this is no fault of AO's, is the slow middle portion of the excursion. This is purely a fact of the river's geology--a big chunk of the day is spend on calm waters. It was a nice break and allowed time for looking at the beautiful canyon, but it went on for so long! I am definitely going to check out AO's other adventure packages later.
The river guides at AORafting are absolutely outstanding. I have been sending my Girl's Camp 16 year old group for three years, and this year one of the girls had an anxiety attack on the river. The staff was quick to respond to her every need, and I am told they literally carried her when she was unable to walk. The guide group went way over, above and beyond to ensure the safety of our girls. And as a result, they provided a great day even in the face of unexpected events. We hope to continue to use their services for years to come.
Great day out. Probably need to do a harder river next time to have more higher level Rapids during the trip but that was my error - I know for next time! Otherwise a spectacular day with great people and service!
The rafting was awesome and our guide Nikolas was a blast!
Our family of five, two adults with adult children ages 25, 21, and a teen, age16, enjoyed the 2 Day trip with 1 night camping. Our guides, Jason and Dane, were very experienced, cool, and fun to be with. The rapids were exciting with a mild run in the middle. Amazing supply raft brought our 4 meals and all the camping gear we had rented. Everything was very clean and in excellent condition. We had the canyon beach camp area all to ourselves which was close to a very clean compostable outhouse. No artificial lights and a beautiful clear night. Healthy, gourmet dinner and breakfast were cooked/grilled for us right on the beach. Enjoyed a campfire too. Had guided hikes to explore small waterfalls along the way. The two person kayak was great fun in the smaller rapids. Felt AO is the best outfit around. The guides are trained so well and the rafts seemed much heavier duty that some of the other outfits out there. So glad we had this experience with AO.
I took my 11 year old and and 2 15 year olds on this trip and it was great. They all had a really good time. Did 2 short hikes which were awesome extras. Food was ""smack"" per the kids -- they ate and ate and ate. Guide was Wiatt -- who the kids though was ""cool"". Wiatt was very knowledgeable but quiet. Wiatt did not interact much at the camp site which was a little disappointing but Gavin the gear boat guy was entertaining. Amory was really friendly and outgoing. It was a really nice trip for all. Recommendation -- if you don't bring a tent, at least bring a ground cover -- it is very dusty and dirty.
Really easy to book. Excellent instruction on the river. Guide was super friendly and knowledgeable. One person in our boat was a complete novice, and under our guide's fantastic instructions, he did really well and had a great time.
We had such a great weekend. Our guides were awesome. The food was amazing. Loved it!! I'm ready for another rafting trip. :)
We had a blast on the middle fork of the American River. The water levels were great and the Class IV segments were thrilling. Our guide Spencer was very knowledgeable and did a great job handling the raft. Highly recommended!!
Our group of 5 people, with varying degrees of experience, had lots of fun going down Middle Fork! Perfect day, refreshing water, ample safety and protection, fun instructors, and nice spot for lunch too. I highly recommend for first-timers and for group outings, this was a blast event. Next time, we'll go on more difficult ones led by All Outdoors!
We had a great trip with AO. Our trip consisted of 12 people. We were lucky to go down the river with just our two boats making it more of a private outing. The rapids were great. One guide, Jason, was very knowledgeable about the area providing interesting facts and information during the slower times on the river. Roger was our other guide who was great at allowing us to surf the boats and get the most excitement out of the rapids. The guides also took us on a short hike and showed us beautiful waterfall. I highly recommend AO for your next raft trip. I'm already planning next year's trip.
We traveled from Virginia and making this trip was a top priority. We would travel again for it - it was that good!! The guide was awesome and incorporated himself perfectly into our group. The weather was great, scenery picturesque, the food was abundant and delicious. All of these reasons made for a perfect day!
I was real nervous about doing this trip. My husband and I took our daughters 14 and 15. All our first time. Dane was our guide, very calm and that helped a great deal. I would definitely take our family again and do the 2 day trip next time around
My 16 year old son and I were looking to do something outdoorsy together this was a great opportunity for us to have a memory that we can share for a life time. The trip used all our senses and was a really full day. We made new friends in the raft and you really come out having a feeling of accomplishment. I had gone rafting once in high school and my son had never been. Our guide Gavin was the best, he was knowledgeable, funny, kept us going and safe throughout the whole trip, we quote him now when we want to chuckle and remember what we learned together. PS the food was awesome for lunch.
Really enjoyed the rafting trip
We loved our guide, High-Five Steve! Great experience.
Spencer was a great guide. He made us feel safe and he was patient and gave good instructions. This was my first Class 4 trip. The water is chilly. It was definitely more challenging than the South fork and I do not recommend this for a first time rafter unless you are very adventurous as the rapids are more technical and there is more paddling instructions. I didn't fall out but came close twice. If you do this river Tunnel Shoot is not as scary as it looks. It is exciting tho and you will have great bragging rights to share with your friends and family. My only suggestion is to find a way to serve drinks and snacks before lunch without having to set the food on the ground.
Spencer was a great guide and was very charismatic, always keeping our safety a top priority.
This was a great trip - took my 14 yo grandson - it was his first rafting experience - he really loved it - wants to go back.
Best rafting trip I've been on, loved sleeping under the stars, loved the cool hikes, loved the great food, the guides were great and kept us safe and tunnel chute was my favorite rapid!
I came into the trip with some reservations from my priors, but left with my mind blown! I organized the trip for a group of 5 and all of us unanimously agree that this was one of the best trips we've taken together. Everything from the first phone call to the company, to the goodbyes at the end was definitely over the top. The preparation, the organization, the knowledge, the food (yes, really... I was amazed at the food they brought on this trip) , and the delightful guides were top notch. This was all on top of the wonderful scenery, weather, and super fun rapids! If you can take a 2 day or more trip I would suggest it. This leaves a lot of time to explore your surroundings. The guides took us on excursions, many of which I would describe as 'Indiana Jones' like, along the river. This trip was amazing! You want negatives? What negatives? I got none.
We have used AO on the Middle American Fork River one-day trip for the last two years for groups of girls from our Girl's Camp. The girls LOVE this day, and everyone looks forward to it. The company and experience is so well run that I don't need to do anything more than book the trip. As the Camp Director, I am happy to keep booking with AO. They do a fantastic job every time.
AO prioritizes safety above all else, so I feel comfortable bringing friends who are a bit hesitant about safety. Middle Fork has a nice mix of Class III and IV rapids. So far I have rafted Middle Fork with AO on guy-trips to Tahoe 3 times. Have not brought my kids yet, but plan to in the future!
My husband and I had an amazing time rafting the Middlefork of the American River. I was a little nervous at first since it was my first time rafting, however I felt safe the whole time. If you are debating on going ... just do it! You will have a great time. Our guide Mike made sure that we all were safe and had a good time! He was awesome! I definitely recommend taking the trip with All Outdoors.
My college friends and I decided to forgo the traditional 4th of July BBQs and fireworks and opted for a weekend with All-Outdoors instead. I had rafted with All-Outdoors a few times as a teenager, and ten years later, I still remember the wonderful times I had on the Middle Fork trip. On our most recent trip, my friends and I had a blast! Our guide, Sage, was fun and made us feel confident that our safety was her first priority. Not only did we love the thrilling rapids, we also loved the mini hikes along the river. Our 4th of July was spent rafting and enjoying the nature on the beautiful American River--there's no better way to honor and celebrate your country!
The trip was a blast. The guides were great, knowledgeable, and safe. There were plenty of exciting rapids. The time flew by. Lunch was wonderful and had very yummy condiments that I would not have expected on a rafting trip. I was pleasantly surprised. When I'm in the area again I'll definitely be doing it again!
We had a great time rafting the Middle Fork. Ryan was our guide, and he was excellent. He was extremely knowledgeable about everything, so we felt blessed to have him as a guide. I would definitely do another trip with All-Outdoors.
Good Fun, good guide, and the time we spend on the river was suitable. You can't bring a camera and take pictures, and in that perspective they really take advantage of the situation. The price of the pictures you can buy afterwords are outrageous, and make you leave somewhat disappointed.
Thank you for taking the time to review your trip with us, Sj! We are happy you rated the experience so highly, but want to address your feedback about cameras and pictures: Our guests are allowed to bring waterproof cameras on the rafts and take pictures when not paddling. Independent photo companies take pictures of rafters from the shore and sell them at prices we have no control over. Hope to see you back on the river soon!
Over all the trip was pretty exciting. I was hoping for a little more thrill but as a first time rafter I am very satisfied. I got a chance to experience some interesting rapids, guide our raft and swim the river. Our guide was super awesome and relaxed (Shout out to Cassandra!). Will definitely do it again but will probably opt for the more challenging rapids. Thanks
Our guide was awesome, the scenery breathtaking, the food great. Overall a wonderful first time experience..Definately booking again
This was my first experience rafting. The trip was the right combination of activity and leisure. Our guide Beth was HILARIOUS and very experienced! I loved how beautiful the scenery was, the river was crisp but refreshing. Lunch spread was so IMPRESSIVE! Overall I had fun and and rafting was definitely the highlight of my week long trip. I saw other rafting companies out on the river from what I gathered All Outdoors was the best company to raft with. Get out and raft the Middle Fork, I promise you won't regret it!
We had an awesome time on our trip this past Labor Day weekend. Kate was our guide and she was amazing!! The trip was super fun and exciting, but we felt safe and well cared for at all times. Lunch was simple and delicious and overall it was pretty perfect! I cannot recommend All Outdoors enough!!
Dane was a wonderful, experienced guide. He was helpful and fun and made the day a great success! Can't wait to go again!
Carson was fantastic! We really wanted to thank him afterward but weren't able to find him before we left. So Carson, from the Leone family, sorry we couldn't catch you. You were amazing and provided non-stop entertainment. You were clearly extremely experienced, so we always felt safe. I don't think I've ever met someone so excited about rafting. I wish there were more rapids like Tunnel Chute! Thank you so much for everything. We really appreciate the experience.
We loved the entire experience! The drive, the river, and lunch were more than we ever expected. The rapids were exciting with enough down time just rafting. Sage, our guide was full of energy, knowledgeable of nature, and very friendly throughout our 18 mile ride. She showed off her rafting skills when our group was struggling to paddle together and then again when she safely rescued one of us who was tossed overboard.
I highly recommend All-Outdoors and the Middle Fork American 1-day trip. From the exciting class IV rapids to the serene middle section, the river was perfect from beginning to end. The All-Outdoors guides were professional, friendly, and did a great job making sure everyone was a part of the action but very safe at the same time. And lunch was unbelievable!! You won't get PB&J with this company. :) Nothing negative to say - All-Outdoors was the best.
I had a great experience with AO! I was able to book my trip 48 he's before the actual trip with no problems whatsoever. On the day of, the pre-rafting orientation and info session was useful and the guides were super helpful. We had Drew and the other two guides were Steve and Gavin. All were super knowledgeable, friendly, and allowed us to jump in the water when it was safe. Overall, I recommend this trip to anyone looking for an adventure! This company is the best when it comes to preparing you, they even stop before and walk you to the rapid and show you the layout of it so you know exactly what you're getting into lol. I raved about them so much my cousins went ahead and booked their own trip the week after with AO. Thanks for a great experience. I can't wait to book my second trip!!
Sammie our guide was great fun, experienced and oozed charm and charisma. She was good at her job and made the whole day exciting but still safe. Loved this day out and whould highly recommend it. Plenty of other companies on the water but AO seemed to get the right balance of excitement without compromising safety. Great job. One minor improvement - getting photos after the event was a little tricky. I'm sure if they invested in a phto printer they'd sell so many more.
This was both my son's (21) and my (51) first time rafting, and we both had a great time. Louis was a great guide and really made the trip lots of fun. His instructions were clear and precise, so we knew what to do at all times. Some of the more challenging (Class IV) rapids come early in the trip, so you learn pretty quickly what to do. After that, it's just a matter of following the guide's instructions, and you can't help but have a great time. There aren't really any challenging rapids during the middle portion of the trip, and this is where having very personable guides to stimulate conversation in and among the boats is really helpful. Louis, Carson and Sage were all great at this. The lunch they prepared for us at the break was fresh and delicious. After lunch, we finished off the day with more Class III and IV rapids and a (voluntary) swim in the current where it was safe, which was unexpected fun. All in all, a great introduction to river rafting for my son and me.
This was a beautiful and fun way to spend a day. Everything was taken care of and the guide knew the river like the back of his hand, so he was able to tell us what to expect. It's a great value for a full day of fun.
Customer service was great. Thanks to Emily, Sage and Dane for a great day on the river :)
Reassurance by the guide was great as I felt apprehensive initially.Good interaction among the group made for a fun day.with the result it was one of the best experiences ever.
Wonderful day with a great guide (Carson) who was extremely knowledgeable, professional, friendly, and fun. My two daughters and I had a great time and would highly recommend this trip and AO.
We had a group of 8 adults in their 20's and 30's and we had a great time. We had to be split into groups of four and four since there was only 6 to a raft, but we knew that ahead of time. We were all first time rafters. We felt safe at all times, and our guide Joe was awesome. All the guides are great and I like how they work together and always had each others back. Safety was always the number one concern throughout the day. I also really liked that all the guides seemed to really enjoy working together. It's just a positive environment that adds to the customer experience. The only thing I didn't like was that the level two rapids in the middle of the day ran a bit long and I was expecting more rapids after lunch than we actually had. But tunnelchute and Chunder were awesome rapids. Wish there were more of those in succession. Watching the guides relay the boats around the waterfall was cool. The guides work really hard and be sure to tip them well. It's not easy being up at 5am to get things ready and raft for 9 hrs.
Great day on the river! All Outdoors took great care of us and we felt safe despite some pretty crazy rapids. The lunch was super yummy and our guide was capable and fun. Thumbs up!
Everything was great and a perfect day on the water. Lunch just what we needed and plenty of food. Only bad part is that we had a head wind in the slow sections and had to paddle more than I wanted to. ""High 5"" Steve was great as our guide. Would for sure do it again.
THis was my 3rd time. I am 55 and athletic. I'd love a slightly more adventurous trip next time but, on the other hand, I am happy to have stayed in the raft. We were two 55 year olds and two older teens. THere was also a mom and a 10 year old. The guide was excellent but I don't remember his name. Everyone had a wonderful time.
Drew was a fantastic guide, very knowledgeable about the area and explained things very well. We will definitely request him as a guide next time we go. I have rafted with AO several times and am never disappointed!
I was impressed and pleasantly surprised, the meals were included so I expected cheap hurried meals but what was served was freshly prepared food by the guides with a nice variety and more than enough to have seconds. The rafting guides displayed the perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness, they were experienced and I felt in good hands throughout the trip. I would recommend the 2 day trip, the camping was remote and relaxing. And with the 2 day trip we had the chance to stop along the way and explore the scenery. The waterfalls were easy to hike to and well worth the time to stop. Thanks Connor and chris.
Knowledgeable staff, good fun and beautiful. Tunnel chute is a blast! Big High 5 for our guide Steve(the high 5 king)Ben was another guide that we talked with ( the backwards king) and was also very cool. Heck, all the staff was great!
It was one of the most exciting experiences of my life for sure! We had so much fun and the scenery was breathtaking. It all felt like a dream. Our guide Dave was awesome, I highly recommend him. Very knowledgeable of the area and the river, and fun to be around as well. I diffidently wanna go again in August before the season ends.
Spectacular nature views along the river. Saw deer, distant snake on river bed and a variety of birds. The guides are super people. Down to earth folks. Fun trip overall. Looking forward to the more advanced runs.
Guides were great, we all had an excellent time!
Dave was a great guide with lots of knowledge of the area. The day flew by with so much excitement and beauty!
This was our 1st time ever rafting. My husband & I Loved it. The rapids were so exciting with calm down time to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Our guide Dave was awesome! He was super fun, great at rafting & really knowledgeable about the rapids & the area. Since this was our 1st time rafting I was hesitant to sign up the 3&4 rapids. But they were perfect for us, adrenaline pumping excitement. We also really bonded with the other family we were with & it is a trip that we will remember for a lifetime. Thank you so much AO.
We had a great time! We had total confidence in Matt, our guide and the leader of the group. He made sure everyone was well informed so we could all stay safe and have fun. If you have a sense of adventure and can listen to instructions, even a first time rafter would enjoy the Middle Fork. I don't know if I would bring kids younger than about 14 even though the usual minimum age is 12. Each parent would know best whether their younger child could handle it. Our 16-year-old son had a blast. All the guides worked well together and they made a delicious lunch. We've lived in Gold Country for 15 years, and we only just went on our first rafting trip(lower half of the South Fork with All Outdoors)four weeks before this trip. Rafting is going to become a habit. I highly recommend rafting with All-Outdoors! Next time, Middle Fork in the spring!
It was unacceptable that we had to help with loading and unloading gear. Also we were told that we didn't need pads for the overnight because we would be on sand, but we definitely needed pads and even the guides had very thick pads they brought. Also, it didn't seem to make sense at all that this was a two day trip. The second day felt like a wasted day and the hike was actually kind of dangerous without proper equipment (including hiking shoes). Two people in our group got hurt on the hike (none in the rafting portion).
All Outdoors was very helpful in changing our trip at the last minute due to the fires. Our group really appreciated that. We had a terrific time on our rafting adventure and Carson was a great guide! The only suggestion I have is it would have been easier to eat our lunches if plates were provided. Also, it was odd that the chips and salsa were placed on the ground. Another table would of been better. Other than that, we would come back for sure!
Joe was an excellent guide and leader of the group. He and the other two guides worked well together and safety was their priority. I was very interested in the Goodwin Canyon run in October but we have a scheduling conflict and won't be able to do it this year. I will certainly plan trips in the future with All~Outdoors.
I took my husband on the two day Middle Fork trip on Aug 24th. I can't tell you what we were expecting but it was more than anything we could have imagined. All the AO guides were not only knowledgeable, they had good charisma, and work very well together - this is what team work should be and their stories kept the entire group laughing. They treated us like family starting with the first night's dinner selection (if you want to know what it was you'll just have to take a trip with them). Who would have thought it possible to have tri-tip and brownies while camping under the night's star-filled skies. Our guides were the first one's up and the last one's down. They made sure we didn't go without anything, they provided snacks and drinks between meals. And this group of guys made this the most memorable weekend we've had rafting yet. They not only baked us brownies but they took the time to light candles and sing happy birthday to my husband. Oh and the rapids were exciting too... the views were breathtaking. We have been rafting with two different companies in the past, but NO more... We will always come back to AO!!
We did a two-day trip on the middle fork of the American with four exceptional guides: Kohner, Carson, Steve and Pete. Ask for them. They were excellent, strong oarsmen who ensured not only our safety but also our comfort and fun. They cooked us delicious meals, led us on adventurous hikes to waterfalls and regaled us with the history of the gorgeous canyon. They were the perfect hosts-organized, intelligent and charming. We will definitely use this company again.-- M.S. M. Mermaid
Our guide Carson was outstanding. He made everyone feel safe and comfortable and therefore able to enjoy the fun of the rapids and the beauty of the surroundings. The day was a great get away. The experience of the company felt important and apparent.
Our tour guide was absolutely phenomenal. Connor was patient, friendly, knowledagable and overall a outstanding person to spend a day with. The rafting trip itself was unparalleled and the scenery was breathtaking. Highly likely to come back and refer others.
Great family trip! Our guides were great ( Beth and Matt). Loved the hikes in addition to the rapids. Food was fabulous and plentiful! Our guides worked so hard to make sure we were safe and enjoying our trip....almost made us feel guilty! My teenage boys loved it and look forward to going back!
Drew was an unbelievable guide. We had a great day and really enjoyed it. I would only say two things: (1) the day is maybe a little too long and (2) the flatter section in the middle is pretty quiet which would have been good to know about. I don't think we would have picked a different trip but it was a little tamer than I was expecting, rapids-wise.
We appreciated our guide, Tom, b/c he was so experienced and knowledgable. The camaraderie and humor among all the guides was nice to see, too. Diana in Reservations treated us like family--making our every concern or need her own. (She stayed in great touch with us via email and phone.) AO Rafting provided a very rewarding experience from start to finish!
Our Guide (Steve (Nickname: Blue Donkey) was Awesome.
My friends and I booked this trip as a celebration for turning 50. We wanted to be outdoors together, doing something fun and exciting. The trip was perfect - fun, challenging, and safe. We had lots of time to hang out other than the rafting, so that was a great bonus, too. The guides were super - so well trained, personable, exuding confidence in their rafting, while having fun with us and each other. We are ready to book again for next year. I couldn't recommend it any higher!
Family had an awesome time, last year we went to trinity river and they thought this river was way more better, they were very pleases with this company because of the safety guidelines, they are wanting to do this again so next year you will see us again. I recommend families and children to do this. This company is awesome and well prepared.
I want to said thank you to the all outdoors middle fork tunnei chute company doing a great job on are 1 day trip. We can as a company trip there was 12 boats. I'm writing to day to let you guys know you have a great employee name kate. She was are guide and she was a wonderful guide on the water and off. She really care about her people that is in the boatand how we are all are working together. Plus I fill out of the boat I pinic and she was there on top it and got me in the boat as fast she can and made sure I was ok and more ok. Plus my husband fill out 3 times she was on it all the time. Plus when we where going down the river she was in back of me when she new it wasnt looking good for me she grab a hold my life jacket to keep me in the boat. I want to thank her for a great job and making sure I was good and keeping eye on all of us and me to. I had a great trip and it was fun and I will do it again I would love to have Kate to be are guide again. I like to say your guys lunch was wonderful to and very good. I would give Kate a 10 and the company a 10 to. Thank you again for are trip on Aug 2 2013.
This was a trip filled with great memories! I am amazed that my husband and I (both in our mid 50's) together with our kids (26, 21 & 15) could have such a great time all together! I wanted a trip that we would remember and that's what I got! We laughed, we joked, we rested and enjoyed being a family along with a group of nice people. Our guides were the absolute best!! Thank you All-Outdoors!
DAVE WAS A GREAT GUIDE.
Great experience and do recommend this company. Went with 3 teen boys and we had a blast. Fun rafting is really all up front and toward the end as descriptions on website say. Drive to river and back not too long Lunch was good. Would like to see different drinking water method other than sharing 1 big bottle on raft. Strongly suggest bring your own Nalgene water bottle with a caribiner or clip to solve this (not suggested in supplies list).
Our guides, Kelsey and Pete, were adorable and fun! They kept safety as a priority which allowed the rest of us to just have fun. We spent two days with 14 friends for my husband's 40th and I could not have dreamt of a better way to spend his special day. Everything was done for us - food prep, etc.We had one job - enjoy our time! Easy! Loved every minute of it and I'm ready to book our next trip!
First place there are only two rapids which are worth excitement for the whole day trip. Food was lacking quality.. food is served on ground and on Trash Cans. A lot of people are touching food with bare hands as there were no spoons or knives. No plates were provided to hold the food.. hence the reason some folks are dropping the food all around. Guide don't know or did not recommend about the pictures being taken.. a small heads up and posing position would have got a memorable picture for us with family.
I just had a great time learning how to raft while relaxing and enjoying the views, The guides were awesome and made it enjoyable. The food was great and even though our trip was not as planed due to the horse race and the water level the first day it worked out great for me because we did south fork on Saturday and it gave me an idea what rafting was about so on Sunday when we did Middle fork I was prepared and excited ready to go! I can not wait for next years trip thanks guys
Matt was a great lead guide and everyone had fun
All Outdoors did a good job organizing this trip. Our guide, Steve, was knowledgeable and a pleasure to be with. Lunch was better than I expected with plenty of food for all of us. There is no shade during this trip, so come prepared. Highly recommend leggings and other sun protection as the sun is brutal and lotion won't always work in wet environments. Steve recommended we jump in rapids during last 1/4 mile of trip and it was an excellent suggestion. He tried to keep young kids entertained when the river was slow.
This was an amazing trip! Our guide Matt was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. The river was fun and exciting and the prepared cuisine was both surprising and delicious!
We were an inexperienced bunch, but eager to learn. The middle fork of the American river was perfect for us. The trip was captivating from the incredible adrenalim rushes of the class IV rapids to the serenity of the river. We saw lots of deer, hawks, geese, ducks, fish and inspiring scenery. The guides were terrific. The food was amazing. It was controlled just enough to keep everyone safe and relaxed enough to let folks have fun. My two boys (13 & 16) loved every minute & I never worried. My thoughts: DO THIS!! Tips: bring lots of sunscreen, a decent pad to sleep on (in hindsight, I'd trade the tent for better pads), go minimal on clothes (1 wet/dry change of clothes is all you need)... PS: We had Amy for 2 days--she's great; Chris, Drew & Sam were with us for all 3 days--they were all amazing. We learned a lot from them all. Absolutely stellar.
Six of us on my brother's bachelor party trip. Our guide K8 took this experience to a whole 'nother level. She was so calm, cool, collected and skilled. Request her if you can!!! I plan on doing the Tuolomne and Cherry Creek next with this company. My only dis': Wish lunch had been served about 2 hours earlier. We were ravenous! But the deli spread was really good and filling. Also, love the surprise side trip up to the waterfall cave.
The rafting trip was just great, one of the highlights of my time here, in California. We had a great guide that steered the boat safely across all the rapids. He wasn't very talkative (as others) and I appreciated that very much. Still, all the answers he would give were full and satisfactory, moreover, together (on crew request) we could try what happens when the boat hits a reversal and other features that you would steer away from. There were only few exciting rapids, but Middle fork is just perfect if you are first-time rafter (not for small children though). It happened for me that in our crew characters match, so I enjoyed the trip even more, but if you are alone or in a pair, then it might not happen for you. It is a bit expensive, but worth the price (esp. if you can get a discount). If you want take pictures (using waterproof camera), better sit in the front. Bottom line: I highly recommend it!
To me this is one of the greatest family bonding adventures around. At various time the trip is scenic, exciting, peaceful, adventurous and relaxing. It also gets everyone working together as a ""team"" in order to conquer various rapids.
The reps on the phone were very helpful in setting up the trip and the guides were great. The scenery is nice but not drop-dead stunning and it was great to spend two days with friends on the water. It was also fantastic to camp and have someone else deal with cooking and cleaning! The mild disappointments: - snack food provided is just candy bars. AO, please consider upgrading to Clif bars, nuts, or some healthier options. - the food at dinner was so-so. I was hoping for a little better given we are in Bay Area where food standards tend to be pretty high. - the rapids are fun but overall not many truly exciting moments (other than the Tunnel Chute, which is fantastic). There is a lot of time paddling non-rapid water. Overall, if you are looking for thrills, I would consider one of the harder trips. If you want to have lots of relaxed time to talk with friends however, this is a good trip to take.
We had 4 boats in our party. All the guides were interesting in their own way and provided plenty of information and entertainment as we made our way through the lulls in rapids. The Middlefork American is great even for first time rafters because the guides do an exceptional job of keeping everyone in the boats. Also, the rapids are just challenging enough to get your adrenalin going but not scare you into walking rather than staying in the boat. This was personally my second time on the MF and I'm ready for other rivers, but I'll definitely come back and raft this one with AO again in a couple of years. I plan to raft other rivers with AO in the future.
All the guides are AWESOME!!! Steve was ours and what a gem he is. So personable, friendly and fun, responsible, and experienced! And the bus drivers - thank you for keeping us safe! I don't know how you drive a bus on that road! It really was a fun day overall! We loved it. The rafting and rapids, conversation, quite time viewing scenery, the hike up the waterfall!, lunch was great, viewing the tunnel before running it, and watching the guides getting the rafts through the Class 6... fun. All Outdoors does a fantastic job. Your website it really informative too!
The instruction we received and the knowledge and skill of our guides were beyond my expectations. Rapids can be intimidating for beginners, but our guides set the tone with a perfect balance of seriousness and ease. After seeing a number of other company's rafts capsize in the tunnel chute, our entire group appreciated the expertise and thoughtfulness that went into planning our trip. Our guides knew every inch of the course very well. One person from our group had a minor injury which was attended to with great care. Another part of our group decided not to continue and they were shuttled off the course without incident. My family did just fine, but I saw firsthand how well equipped this company is in dealing with unexpected situations. Next rafting trip we book will definitely be with this company. Thank you!!
My first time rafting--fun! Good trip for moderately adventurous teens. My teen girls would have been bored if there were fewer/smaller rapids. This was just right, fun but not scary, fine for first-time rafters (not small kids) as long as you like getting wet and can scramble on rocks a bit. Guide Brian was knowledgeable, laid-back, just right. Make-it-yourself sandwiches were tasty with veggie options. Everything was well-organized and ran smoothly.
Please provide decent energy bars/jerky/dried fruit/trail mix for snack. The candy bars were a disappointment. The communal water jugs also were a bit strange. All guides were great. We had lots of cool side excursions as we were allowing for some late-comers to catch up. Will aim for the Toulemne next time for more excitement! Thanks!
This trip would be perfect for a first time rafter or families. The only thing that I had a problem with was that the majority of the rapids are at the beginning and end and not a whole lot of rapids in between the 16 mile stretch.I would not recommend the trip to adventure paddlers becuase they may be bored after the first stretch. However, Tunnel Chute is really fun and there's nothing like it on any other river you will paddle.I did enjoy the scenery and getting to talk to the other people in my boat.My guide, Ryan, was a lot of fun and made the trip better.
Was a great time! The river was beautiful and it was overall a really pleasant and wonderful day. The exciting rapids were really fun and a unique experience! The guides were also great and I felt like I was in very competent hands.
Having had other experiences to compare this to, this trip was certainly one of the best. The guide kept us engaged and safety was always priority over everything else. Lots of snippets about area history. Fun tirp overall. Will certainly recommend othewr friends to try this out.
One thing I really liked at my first communication is ""Working on Saturdays"". I think other organizations providing similar or same services are not working on Saturdays. And there will be at least 25% of people who would be planning for a quick trip in last two days before the trip (Before calling AO rafting, we called few others and they were not working on Saturday). This is how we also ended up in the hands of All-outdoors last time (And we are happy that we were with AO rafting). I think this is a added benefit for your organization:-). Next time we would not even do a search. We will directly engage with AO Rafting. We really enjoyed the trip. Especially the gauides were awesome and they are very friendly. Great team!!!
Carson was phenomenal! He was fun, safety oriented and got the job done. Plenty of good stories to tell and very knowledgeable about the river.
The Class IV rapids were the best with my favorite being Tunnel Chute. I had gone rafting twice before and my boyfriend was a beginner, but we both really enjoyed the trip. We had sandwiches and chips with salsa for lunch--it was all very tasty. The guides were very easy-going and professional. No one fell out of the rafts. I only wish there were more Class IV rapids!
Really just a great time. Some guides seemed more knowledgeable than others, but I lucked out. Lunch was overflowing of food. The rapids are glorious. Thanks for a wonderful day! See you on the Tuolomne!
They say it's not how many breaths you take but what takes your breath away. This is a long list of breathtaking,the ride to the river,how clear the water was,how cold the water was(good times)etc...After all the perfect rapids with clever names very professional and knowledgeable guides, they had something up their sleeve.Who wants to bailout into a rapid,I have no regrets you won't either.I know the hand of horse was with us.
This company is so committed to having fun, safety, and being there for the BEST experience you will EVER have! I have tried other companies and I have to say it doesn't even compare! The 2 day trip is so relaxing and the extra time hiking to amazing waterfalls, picking ripe blackberries,and not rushing is worth it. Plus, the food they serve is HOT & DELICIOUS. All I have to say is you will not have any regrets! Do it. NOW.
We had the BEST time ever for a family trip are guide was GREAT his name was dave and mark and joe who had all are stuff. The food was awesome the camp great. Everyone looked out for the smaller people. Would i do it again. YES Thanks for the time of are life. Amy Mueller
Our guides were Chris, Brian and Mark and they were awesome. They knew what they were doing and even though they were WAY younger than us, they were always professional, kept us paddling hard, and kept us safe. They also made it FUN. I really think All Outdoors was the best company to go with. They seemed to have a bit more safety going for them than some other companies we saw. Downside - zero cell service on the river which could be a good or bad thing depending on the situation. Also I wouldn't really recommend this trip for kids under 14- some rapids were a bit hairy. Would definitely go again and I probably will.
Awesome company! Great guides! Healthy food! Safe Safe safe! Educational! Beautiful Scenery! Camping at night(?)- Starry starry night. Cool water, white rapids!
Besides the negative of the long drive to the meeting point, which does contain some great scenery, the overall trip was fantastic. If you can bring more people and have 2-3 boats it's even better. They could do more for/with lunch and more water breaks too. A little too cautious for experienced rafters but better safe than sorry on this part of the river. Getting dumped for a swim on a class III or II+ would have been fun. Will absolutely do again and bring more friends too. Our guide Chris was the BEST.
Excellent trip.
Wow, what a fantastic day! Sam was such a fun and kind guide, and really made sure we were ready to hit every class IV that we did! Yummy fruit and sammies at lunch, great humor throughout, and a beautiful canyon. Can't ask for much more for a 1-day trip. We'll be back!
This was our second trip with All-Outdoors. Every aspect of the day was wonderful. We always felt the guests' experience was the guides' top priority. Chris prepared us for the challenges so we felt confident and in control. Lunch was great, the pacing of the day was perfect, the scenery was gorgeous. Thank you, we'll be back.
We had a mixed group between the ages of 12 and 40, all had rafted before, and all had an excellent time with AO Rafting. Great river, scenery, food, service and an excellent and knowledgable guide in Brian. Would recommend this trip and company to anyone and everone interested in rafting.
This was my first time ever rafting and not only am I glad that I decided to do this, but I am so pleased that I went with All Outdoors. With all the other companies there are out that I believe they were the most knowledgable, organized and trustworthy company.
This huge trip was fantastic mostly due to our awesome guides! The food was delicious! Did not realize that we can have home made cooking that tasted this good out in the wilderness. The scenery was amazing and the hidden waterfall was amazing!
Me and my boyfriend are thrill seekers always doing something exciting! I thought about something different and wanted to give this a shot. Let me tell you... it is really hard to impress him and AO did! He was laughing, smiling, screaming when we would go down every fun spot on the river. Now we want tp get our own raft! Our guide Sam was amazing and told us to try Cherry Creek and we are as soon as possible. Chris and Nick were great as well and made us yummy lunch. Thank you so much AO. We will be back soon.
First off, I was looking forward to being outdoors but a little nervous about taking on class IV rapids. The rapids were intense, but very fun! I felt total confidence in our river guides to be skilled and knowledgable about each rapid. They'd be doing this river for 5-6 years. Once I got over my nerves, I was able to enjoy the trip thoroughly. The guides were friendly and helpful. They did a wonderful job with the meals and keeping the day moving (no rush, but no lulls). It was a great adventure, with out the hassle of lugging our own gear or having to worry about meals.
I was nervous as we descended into the river valley and our guide reviewed safety precautions. I had rafted years ago and this was my first family trip with my husband, 13 year old son and 17 year old exchange student. But I could see that the guides had safety upper most in their minds - and I continued to get this through out the day. I was a little tense getting in the water but almost immediately that tenseness turned to exhiliration and confidence as we cleared our first big rapid. We had a great group - with one other family - and we just had an awesome time rafting the Middle Fork, taking in the scenery and the river and wildlife. It was a great bonding experience, too and I have to thank the staff at All Outdoors for making it happen!
First time for our group. Right from the start safety was a priority. The guides were friendly and knowledgable. Some of us were "" not too sure"" if we wanted to do it but the entire staff put us at ease and reassured us that we would have fun and be safe. My daughter was paranoid but soon became relaxed when she made it through the Tunnel. She can't wait to return and do this again. In fact our whole group wants to return. A nice healthy lunch was served which was a treat. Our guide Sam was fantastic and made it an enjoyable and memorable experience. Do not pass on the opportunity to try this adventure-you will be glad you did it!!!!
Our trip on the Middle Fork of the American River was a complete blast! Erica, Nick, and Drew were all outstanding and took great care of us. This stretch of the river is a lot of fun. There are some really cool rapids where you can get the adrenaline pumping. The scenery is breathtaking. The water is a bit chilly, but heck that is part of the fun. Lunch was tasty and plentiful. Safety was focused on without becoming super an*l retentive. The wait for pick-up was a bit longer than expected, but that is really the only thing close to a complaint. In hindsight, our group realized that a 2-day trip would probably of been a better choice. We really didn't want to be done when the trip was over. We will be back!
Had an amazing trip with two new colleagues and a friend of theirs- can't think of a better way to bond with new friends or co-workers. Had the most amazing guide Ryan - not only was he an expert at handling the raft he was also a very knowledgeable historian and naturalist. The trip is a great combo of exciting rapids and slower moving water where we could swim to cool off from the 100+ weather! Can't wait to try another river (preferably with Ryan again!)
We had a great time for my bachelor party. We rafted the middle fork. We had Sam, Lou, and Brit as our guides. They really made it feel like it was our own trip. They shared their knowledge and experience with us. We can't wait to go on the next trip. We will for sure request these guides again.
Could not have been better arrengements, guides and crew. Fantastic!
The All Outdoors guides are fantastic.
Guide was great!
I was in a group of 10 and we were split in two rafts, but both groups had a wonderful time. Our guides were knowledgable and a lot of fun, while still making sure to convey the safety procedure that needed to be followed. There was a girl in a different raft who fell out and forgot to swim the way her guide told her to swim. Our guide directed us straight and was able to pull her out of the water within seconds keeping her safe. We had a wonderful trip and by the end we were already planning to make another one.
I had a great time and really enjoyed the scenery. The guides were lots of fun and very knowledgable. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting and relaxing weekend away from home.
I had a wonderful time during my first rapids experience. The guides were personable and fun while keeping us safe. Lunch was amazing - from fresh fruit to hummus and avocados - I was impressed!
Overall the trip was great. Downside, restrooms....not available except at lunch area.
Great Trip!
Had lots of fun
The trip was awesome. We had some hitches along the way, but the experience was relaxing and exciting at the same time.
This was my first time doing Class 3-4 rapids. I was so terrified! The leader on my raft was JP and he was so nice and helped calm me down and walked us threw everything. The rapids look a lot scarier then they actually are. I opt. out of a few which I regret because the the trails you had to walk were a lot scarier and harder then the rapids were. Had a great time!
It was so cool and way better than Disneyland. It was so much fun. Our guide was excellent (Cory or Cody). This is coming from a 13 year old I really don't know how you could make this better! The food was tasty and nutritious.I had a great day with my family out on the river.
My overall experience with All-Outdoors was great. The rapids were fun and exciting and it did not take long to learn the paddle commands. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about the river and all things having to do with white river rafting. The meals they prepared were delicious and the campsite was a nice landing right along the river. Having a campfire was a blast and I really enjoyed sleeping underneath the stars. What I also really enjoyed about All-Outdoors were the hiking trips that we took during our adventure. I had no idea we were going to do this and the tour guides took us up to amazing spots like waterfalls that almost seemed hidden away.
A great experience from start to finish. The guides were professional, the rapids were exciting and the food was the best we've ever ate while camping. The part I really enjoyed were the side hikes during the day up the small side canyons. We're already planning another family get together next year and it will be on another rafting trip with All Outdoors.
Brilliant
Cant wait for another trip next year.
My friends had warned me that the worst part of doing this rafting trip was that my family and I would be addicted immediately. They were absolutely right. The guide we had was really fun and energetic, really knew how to maneuver the boat, and had lots of information about the history and flora and fauna of the area. The rapids were extremely fun and exciting, but we never felt that we were in any danger. The pre-launch briefing was thorough and effective for when needed on the river, and safety was always a priority without putting a damper on the fun. Lunch that was provided was amazing and there was plenty to go around. Really great trip, can't say enough about how someone considering whether or not to try it should take the plunge. We have older teenagers and were looking for something that the whole family could do together and have fun, and this hit it right on the head. After one run, we are truly addicted and are already planning next year's trip.
The trip was extremely well-organized and the guides were fantastic. They had quite a knack for making us feel at ease and keeping everyone entertained and well-fed. The food was out-of-this-world! I highly recommend the 3-day trip as a way to reconnect with family and friends, get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and get back to nature. I'll never forget it!
It was an exciting trip with great rapids an scenery. Our guides were were great and made it fun for everyone.
It was totally awesome!
This was an amazing experience!! I went with my family about a month ago - the scenery was absolutely amazing and the rapids were AWESOME. Our guide, Kohner, was hilarious and made the day a lot of fun. Even the food was great! Easily the best, coolest thing we've ever done. We're already planning another trip!
This was a great trip
Besides the abudance of excellent food, scenery and thrills, the guides added the perfect personal touch integrating with the group. Our guides took the time to pull of the river and hike us to breath taking areas that and average adveturer would never find. They ensured we relaxed and enjoyed ourselves. Our raft guide went way out of his way to make the most of the experience for my 12 year old son.
Cannot fault the experience. Everything was great including the weather. Great job for organising that! Will definitely be back for more.
The rapids were alot of fun and the guide was great, she was experienced and helped us manage through each rapid. we had a great time and will be back.
Joe was a very fun guide who matched the trip to our skill level and desire for excitement well. He was full of fun stories and the trip never got boring. For a group of 7 young men, some points of the river were a little dull, but we overall had a very good time. The lunch was better than expected, and we could tell AO was the best put together outfit at the river, but the trip was a little pricey.
First off, if you book with AO (and you should) make sure to ask for Bryan, Kate, and Cory. They are by far the best guides you could ever ask for and truly made the trip even better! A little back story on myself - I am 28 and work in sales. So I am in the office or on the road for 50-60 hours a week and when I'm not in the office I am on my phone.... Being in a place where you get absolutely no phone reception was critical. My best man set up this trip for my bachelor party trip and it was one of the best weekends of my life. The were a mixture of rapids from easy to very challenging made for an enjoyable time and being able to hope out of the boat and float over some of the rapids was amazing! Besides the rafting, the food was top notch and the camping / lunch spots couldn't have been better. If you are looking for a rafting trip, give AO a shot because you will not be disappointed. Make sure to ask for Bryan, Kate, & Cory! (Thanks guys for adding so much to our trip)
I was so happy that All Outdoors accepted myself and my friend Amy at last minute. Our guide K8 was absolutely AWESOME! We will always request her in the future.
We were traveling with our daughter who had recently had knee surgery and the guides were great about watching out for her and making sure that she didn't do anything to injure her kee
My son and I had a great time rafting Middle Fork with All Outdoors. We would highly recommend this trip! We got a great price by being on their email list and knowing about trips that were on sale.
We've rafted the Middle Fork American River 4 times, twice with AO and we're just very satisfied with the professionalism, knowledge and friendliness of the staff. The guides always keep our safety into consideration, preparing us for the more challenging rapids while always ensuring that our group is having a good time. We appreciate how knowledgeable the guides also are on the history of the river. Other: The food was great and the mid-morning snack was a nice treat and re-energizer.
Awesome Trip, Enjoyed J.P very much!
Always a great time!!! I love this river and All Outdoors.
This was the best! I felt safe with my guide, Kyland. We did the first day at South Fork, and this was much more challenging. We love it!
The guides were very capable plus quite hospitable. Kudos to Erica who was our raft's guide. Wildly fun adventure. Will look to do more rafting!
I rafted the Middle Fork/American with AO on Aug. 20th with my wife and four of our best friends. The entire experience was amazing, from start to finish. I wanna be sure to give props to all the crew that deserve it. I'll begin with booking the trip, and the really nice people in the AO office that I spoke to and exchanged emails with in getting the trip planned. I should also mention that I didn't do due diligence in making reservations well ahead of time, which I'd recommend. That said, and although I frantically called only a week and a half out, Lenka was AWESOME and got us on the river on the only day that would work for our group. Too cool. As for our whitewater adventure, it was all that it was cracked up to be and more. Our guides name was Kevin, a real American River O.G. as it turned out. Many of our group had a good deal of rafting experience under their belts, but a couple although really fit and capable did not. So the fact that Kevin knew that river in the freakish way that he did really put every body's mind at ease. I mean that too, that guy knew every line and every rapid so well that we were able to get everything we could out of our runs and from that beautiful river. Everyone wants to feel safe, but you gotta have fun and rip it up a bit too! We did plenty of ripping. There are still a few mellow spots along the way, and it's the perfect opportunity to take in some pretty incredible scenery, or learn a few things about the area and it's rich history. Our guide Kevin knew plenty about all of that, and even threw down some hilarious jokes. All I can say is that if your lucky enough to get Kevin steering you down river, ask him to tell you a few. It was the only point on the trip that I almost fell out of the raft, laughing that is. Seriously... request Kevin if you can. As for the food, it was a really pleasant surprise. I didn't expect anything fancy or over the top, needless to say. But the spread was killer; really fresh deli meats, cheeses, veggies, fresh fruit, and every sandwich fixin' you can think of. I was stoked. And like any hard earned lunch that comes on the heels of a long, exciting, exhilarating morning, it tastes like the best sando you've ever had. Everyone at AO was really the best, hopefully... if you're lucky you'll meet Kate, she led the expedition, so to speak, and was totally cool. And perhaps the most upbeat and bubbly person I've ever met in my life. But that's what you need to get you amped-up and ready to hit the river. Kate... you're awesome! There's no doubt in my mind that I'll be back to take another adventure with AO, the only question is how soon, and whether or not I have the huevos to run Cherry Creek. There's only so much time in a season, and way too many rivers to hit. I think I've found my new passion.......
FABULOUS FUN! The guides are great and knowledgeable. The rapids were just right for beginners and the 2 11 year olds who were with us. I would have liked to start earlier in the a.m on the second day, but I don't think it's possible due to water levels.... Thanks for helping to create wonderful family memories!
From the moment I called up for information until the point at which our group packed up our cars to leave, breathless and thrilled from our day, my experience with All Outdoors Rafting was wonderful. All of the pros mentioned above neatly sum up how perfect the trip was. This is my favorite quote from my coworker after the trip: It was the first time I've been rafting, and definitely won't be the last ;)
We (mum, dad and 2 teenage boys) just loved this trip. We'd been dithering about whether to start cautiously, with a South Fork trip (our 2 boys hadn't rafted before, and we had only been once, 25 years ago!), but we were very glad to have gone straight in with Middle Fork. We didn't honestly feel we were in danger at any time (well done to our guide!), though someone on one of the other rafts did end up in the water. Speaking personally (mum), I would have liked a bit more history and background info about the river, but we all thought our guide was great fun.
I must say that the thing that impressed me the most about this experience was the guides. They were very professional and offered such great service before, on, and after the trip. Safety was always a priority and the guides were well-prepared. Before we even arrived at the meeting point, our guide (Joe) was so friendly. My friend and I had the misfortune of getting lost in Sacramento. We thought we were continuing on 80, but discovered far too late that we were on 50 and was within minutes of South Lake Tahoe. Panicked, we headed back to Placerville and up 49 to get back on track. Meanwhile, we frantically tried to get a hold of someone at AO Rafting for some kind of guidance. That whole area had spotty reception so we had a difficult time contacting anyone. *The only thing that needs improvement is that AO Rafting should give a phone number that can contact your guides on the day of because the reservations automated machine phone was the only number provided. Anyways, luckily, our guide, Joe, called us to check if we were still coming when we were 15 minutes away and almost an hour late. What he said after confirming with us that we were still attending was not what I expected: ""That's fine. Just remember, there's a 35 mph speed limit up Foresthill; please respect that."" Talk about safety first!? Even before the trip started. The trip down the Middle Fork American River was spectacular. The sights were so beautiful and peaceful. The rapids were exciting and challenging (especially for a raft of all females; the Parallel Parking rapid was tough!). A feature of the trip included having the guides show us a couple of the rapids that we were about to face to ensure that we were up for it and knew what we were getting into. I don't know why anyone would want to sit out a rapid, but it's nice that that option was available; something other companies might want to consider since we saw another company have one person tumble out of the raft. Go TEAM! Our guides were superb. Thank you to Cory, Connor, Kyland, Maureen and Joe (our guide and leader). The communication and athleticism of this group of guides was best illustrated when we reached Ruck-a-Chucky Falls and the guides had to catch rafts and paddle against the flow (alone by the way) with other rafts attached to it. Their endurance and strength helped, but it was a group effort. Overall, others may go for the adventure, but they'll stick with AO Rafting because of the people.
We thoroughly enjoyed our experience and give credit to the river and to AO Rafting. Our guides were excellent and the service was second to none. We will use AO again. I would like to up the ante and try a class 5 next time. This Middle Fork American run had a good number of rapids and my only negative criticism would be that I would have liked a little less calm water. I am a long time rafter, so take my critic with a grain of salt.
Guides were great, however, there were people on this trip that have never rafted before, and our guide did not explain/teach them a lot. The other guide however, did a good job at teaching the other people how to raft and sit properly. Our guide was very concerned about safety, which is great, but he should trust in the people in the raft to do their part. However, it was still a great trip due to not rafting a lot
Trip was well organized, guides were excellent - informative about the river and instructive in paddling technique. Food was delicious and there was plenty of it. The side trips were an added bonus - definitely enjoyed the two-day trip. We are already talking about where we'll go next year.
several beginners really had a great time. more challenges next time!
We'll be adding rafting rapids to our yearly adventures. Looking forward to next year's river run.
Absolutely love All Outdoors. Staff is great, guide was amazing and rapids are a blast.
We organized a large corporate group to raft down the Middle Fork of the American River. The guides and organizers managed our large group very well - they were professional, focused on safety, yet also very fun and upbeat.
This was simply a really fun trip. The guides were top notch professionals in every sense of the word. Always concerned about safety and the wellbeing of the guests. And really fun to be around. All had a good sense of humor, knowledgable about rafting and the location and best of all very well educated. I really liked the two day trip. It offered excitement but also the ability to wind down and enjoy the river and the beauty of the canyon. I also have to mention the front office. They were alway friendly and courteous. Very informative about the river, current and future conditions. If they didn't know the answer they took the time to find the answer and get back to you, no BS or guessing. All Outdoors to a top notch organization. Erika, Cory and Kelly were top guides.
I was a bit apprehensive at the onset. Nevertheless with John as a guide all my apprehensions were laid to rest and I had an amazing day. I'm ready to go again!!