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SOUTH FORK SUPER 1-DAY

Splashy good times, comfy cabin tents, and delicious prepared meals at our riverside campground make this the best rafting trip on the American River.

Looking for a no-hassle adventure for your whole family or group? Our American River whitewater rafting Super 1-Day trip includes a two-night stay (cabin tents and river tents are an additional charge) at our private, riverside campground with a full day of adrenaline-inducing rafting on the South Fork Lower Gorge.

The day before your rafting adventure, you’ll have the chance to settle in and enjoy a fun-filled evening in camp with your crew, anticipating the big thrills to come. Please note, dinner is not provided the first night, you will need to eat before you arrive or grab a bite to eat at a local restaurant. After a restful night’s sleep, we’ll serve you a warm and hearty breakfast so you don’t have to worry about anything, other than gearing up for the river. Once on the rafts, you’ll spend the day working as a team to push through exciting Class II-III rapids such as Barking Dog, Scissors, Satan’s Cesspool, and Hospital Bar. The splashes are big, and the fun is next level. Then, it’s back to camp where you can relax while we make dinner for you (and do the dishes, too!). We’ll even prepare breakfast for you in the morning so those low-stress vibes can continue before you head back home.

A quick drive from the Bay Area and Sacramento, the Super 1-Day is perfect for families who want a first-timer-friendly outdoor adventure or large groups and organizations looking for a memorable team bonding experience. Hey, it’s such an easy adventure to pull off, this might just be the start of an annual tradition.

DATES & PRICES

DATES & PRICES

May – September 2025: Mondays, Thursdays & Saturdays (other departure days may be available for groups of 12+)

For the best experience, we’ve limited seats each day. Weekend trips often sell out, so book now!


Most Days - $393
Memorial Day Weekend - $463
Saturdays, June 21 – August 9 - $433
Labor Day Weekend - $463

NO HIDDEN FEES

Group discounts available!

TRIP DETAILS

TRIP DETAILS

Included in Your Trip Cost

  • Skilled, professional guide service

  • Full access to campground amenities including hot showers and flush toilets for two nights (cabin tent rentals required at an additional charge)

  • Meals from breakfast on Day 1 through breakfast on Day 2

  • High-quality inflatable rafts and related river equipment including paddle, helmet, personal flotation device, and wetsuits and splash tops (included on early and late season trips, cold weather trips, and by advance request)

  • Transfers from the meeting place to the river and back to our campground

 

Not Included in Your Trip Cost

  • Cabin Tent or River Tent Rental(s)

  • Sleeping bags/bed linens or pillows

  • Transportation to and from our meeting location at the EarthTrek Camp

  • River access fees

  • Pre- and post-trip accommodations and meals

  • Wetsuit booties or shoes of any kind

  • Insurance of any kind, including a travel protection plan

  • Gratuities

This trip includes all meals from breakfast the morning of your river trip to breakfast the following morning. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs that we’ll need to consider in planning your trip. With advance notice, we can typically accommodate vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free/etc. options.

  • Breakfast – Our warm breakfasts typically feature classic options like pancakes, scrambled eggs, or a make-your-own breakfast burrito bar with all the fixings. Pork sausage, and fruit, as well as a selection of cold cereals, oatmeal, and bagels, are also provided along with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and milk/fruit juices.

  • Lunch – Picnic lunches on the river are often an abundant spread of cold cuts, cheeses, veggies, and breads, or perhaps a fresh Caesar salad wrap or tasty taco salad for roll-your-own burritos. Fruit, cookies, cold water, and lemonade are also provided. 

  • Dinner – Our dinner menu varies depending on the size of groups and other factors but may feature a BBQ entree like tri-trp or teriyaki chicken with a green salad, and several sides like oven-roasted mini garlic potatoes, stir-fry vegetables, or similar. Water, lemonade, and occasionally iced tea are available. 

Pre-Trip Requirements

  • Physical Requirements: Your outdoor adventure will be an active participatory trip. Please inform us of any physical limitations you may have as soon as possible. If you exceed 260 pounds, please give us a call. Make sure you are exercising frequently in the months leading up to your trip and can meet our Essential Eligibility Criteria.

  • Whitewater Orientation: To increase your safety, we expect everyone to watch our Whitewater Orientation video before joining us.

  • Trip Forms: Each participant will need to complete the required trip forms online and submit them no later than 30 days prior to your trip, or immediately if booking within 30 days.

Average Air & Water Temperatures

                Air (Day) °F      Air (Night) °F      Water °F

June             85-100               58-70                    58

July              90-102               65-78                    62

Aug               85-95                61-65                    65

Sept              65-85                57-61                    65

CANCELLATION POLICY

CANCELLATION POLICY
 

Reservations and Payments

Full payment is required at the time of booking.

Payments can be made by check, money order, eCheck, wire transfer, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover. Prices are in US Dollars, and all payments must be made in US Dollars. Payment of the deposit establishes your acceptance of our complete Terms and Conditions. Individual departures and trip capacity are strictly limited by the managing agency. Your payment is fully refundable for 48 hours, less a 3% processing fee, after making a reservation when you reserve a trip 7 days or more prior to departure.

Cancellations and Refunds

Canceling your trip after your deposit is processed will incur cancellation fees because OARS has absorbed costs on your behalf and will turn others away who would like to book the spaces we’re holding for you. If you must cancel your reservation after the rescission period described above, your cancellation fee will be determined according to the schedule below.

Payments for glamping tents at the American River Outpost and cabin tents at EarthTrek are refundable if canceled at least 7 calendar days prior to scheduled arrival; cancellations made 6 days or less prior to scheduled arrival are non-refundable.

We regret that we cannot make exceptions to the cancellation policy for any reason, including foul weather, poor air quality, wildfire activity, acts of terrorism, civil unrest, or personal emergencies. For these reasons, we strongly urge you to consider purchasing a travel protection plan.

Canceled Trips

OARS reserves the right to cancel any trip due to insufficient registration or other factors that make the trip impractical to operate. In such instances, we will inform you at least 7 days prior to departure. Do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until you have verified with OARS that your trip is confirmed.

If a trip must be canceled or postponed due to force majeure (factors outside the control of OARS), OARS will provide full credit for payments made toward future travel, or a refund less a $30/person service fee and any non-refundable payments made on your behalf to 3rd-party suppliers. OARS will make good faith efforts to recover deposits made on your behalf to 3rd-party suppliers; however, we cannot guarantee recovery of any or all of the advance payments made. OARS is not responsible for expenses incurred by participants in preparation for a canceled trip.

Transfers

If you need to move your reservation to a different trip during the same year, or to a credit account for the following year, there is a $15/person fee up until 30 days prior to departure for a one-time transfer of your payment. If we are 29-7 days prior to your trip departure, there is a $50/person fee to transfer to another trip, within the same year or to a credit account for the following year. If we are 6 days or less prior to departure, 50% of your trip cost can be credited to another trip within the same year only.

Date of Cancellation

Please note that different deposit/cancellation policies may apply for special large groups or charter groups. Refer to the group organizer’s confirmation email for details.

$30 per person cancellation fee

MEDIA
South Fork American River Rafting | OARS
00:56

South Fork American River Rafting | OARS

Splash, swim, paddle and make the best memories with your crew on a South Fork American River rafting trip with OARS. https://www.oars.com/adventures/south-fork-american-river-rafting/ This favorite stretch of California whitewater offers up 21 miles of big, splashy fun, including wild rapids like Meatgrinder, Troublemaker, Satan’s Cesspool and Hospital Bar. Choose your own adventure! Tackle the short and sweet ½-day Chili Bar trip, spend a full day in the Gorge, or combine both stretches for the ultimate South Fork of the American River rafting trip. An easy drive from Sacramento or the Bay Area, this is a California whitewater rafting adventure that’s well-suited for families, first-timers and big groups. Let's go rafting! You might also like some of our other videos: Guiding Life’s Greatest Adventures: OARS California Rafting: https://youtu.be/JRHY--jhP3E Middle Fork American River Rafting: https://youtu.be/s9e3wV_uG2o How to Pack for a 1-day Rafting Trip: https://youtu.be/CffJhk0oZe8 OARS has been providing whitewater rafting, hiking & multi-sport adventures since 1969 and we learned from decades of experience how to create extraordinary nature-based experiences for you, your family, or your friends—the beauty of a pristine wilderness setting, combined with real-life adventure and thrills, captivating companionship and the chance to get away from it all. Follow us! Like our page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OARS.rafting Are you on Instagram? We are: https://www.instagram.com/oars_rafting Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/OARS_rafting
South Fork of the American River | OARS California Rafting
00:55

South Fork of the American River | OARS California Rafting

Rafting the South Fork of the American River with OARS is California's most popular river. http://goo.gl/GES5e Whether you decide to do the half-day Chili Bar rafting stretch or spend a full day in the Gorge, you'll see why so many people love whitewater rafting on the South Fork. http://www.oars.com Just a short drive away from Sacramento and the Bay Area, the South Fork of the American River is a great trip for beginners and veterans alike. With a mix of calm pools, beautiful scenery and thrilling Class III rapids, it's perfect for all ages and abilities. If you like it, tweet this video! http://goo.gl/5y5hC Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://ow.ly/axXrh You might also like our other trips. Check out: Wine trips In Idaho: http://goo.gl/JcpmD Rafting in Utah: http://goo.gl/GwDsc Whitewater rafting in Grand Canyon National Park: http://goo.gl/oCrsF OARS has been providing whitewater rafting vacations since 1969 and we learned from decades of experience how to create magical white water rafting trips for you, your family, your friends or your business—stellar and diverse scenery, the beauty of a raft floating downstream, exciting whitewater rapids and captivating companionship. Please visit our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/oarsweb You can also find out more at our website: http://www.oars.com Like our page on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/OARS.rafting Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/OARS_rafting Are you on Google+ ? We are: http://ow.ly/axXXw Tags "Great American Weekend" "National Parks" "California Rivers" "American River" "South Fork American" "Middle Fork American" "white water rafting" "multi-day rafting" "multi-day whitewater rafting" "overnight white water rafting" "overnight whitewater rafting" "rafting" "National Park vacations" "California whitewater rafting" "OARS" "American River white water rafting" "American River Rafting" adventure "California rafting" "California whitewater rafting" boating rivers travel vacation camping "national park rafting" "national parks" "O.A.R.S" "national park adventures" "OARS rafting" rafting "adventure" "whitewater rafting"
Middle Fork of the American River | OARS California Rafting
00:50

Middle Fork of the American River | OARS California Rafting

Rafting the Middle Fork of the American River is not only a pristine wilderness adventure, it is one of the most unique rivers in the world. http://goo.gl/2D7eS No where else will you be able to enjoy amazing scenery and thrilling rapids ...and float through a tunnel after one of the largest rapids of the day. http://www.oars.com With a mix of incredible scenery and thrilling Class III-IV rapids, rafting on the Middle Fork of the American River is a great day trip. If you like it, tweet this video! http://goo.gl/5y5hC Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://ow.ly/axXrh You might also like our other trips. Check out: Wine trips In Idaho: http://goo.gl/JcpmD Rafting in Utah: http://goo.gl/GwDsc Whitewater rafting in Grand Canyon National Park: http://goo.gl/oCrsF O.A.R.S. has been providing whitewater rafting vacations since 1969 and we learned from decades of experience how to create magical white water rafting trips for you, your family, your friends or your business—stellar and diverse scenery, the beauty of a raft floating downstream, exciting whitewater rapids and captivating companionship. Please visit our YouTube channel:http://www.youtube.com/oarsweb You can also find out more at our website: http://www.oars.com Like our page on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/OARS.rafting Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/OARS_rafting Are you on Google+ ? We are: http://ow.ly/axXXw Tags "Great American Weekend" "National Parks" "California Rivers" "American River" "South Fork American" "Middle Fork American" "white water rafting" "multi-day rafting" "multi-day whitewater rafting" "overnight white water rafting" "overnight whitewater rafting" "rafting" "National Park vacations" "California whitewater rafting" "OARS" "American River white water rafting" "American River Rafting" adventure "California rafting" "California whitewater rafting" boating rivers travel vacation camping "national park rafting" "national parks" "O.A.R.S" "national park adventures" "OARS rafting" rafting "adventure"
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