Our family recently experienced the Middle Fork whitewater rafting trip. It exceeded every expectation and it was an unforgettable adventure. Our guide, Whalen, was absolutely outstanding. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the river and surrounding area, had a great sense of humor, and inspired confidence with his technical rafting skills. His ability to balance safety, fun, and education made the experience enjoyable for everyone. The rapids were exciting, the scenery was breathtaking, and the entire operation was first-class. The gear was top-notch, well-maintained, and comfortable, and the lunch provided was actually delicious. I highly recommend H20 Adventures and exceptional guide Whalen. It was one of the best family adventures we've had. We'll definitely be back! read more

We had a bad experience because two of our members got really sick and they strictly denied to reschedule our rafting costing us 420 bucks telling us they have a strict policy and they won't reschedule we should have informed 72 hours before. How can someone inform 72 hours earlier if they are getting sick six hours before ? And we were just asking for a reschedule not a refund tbh. We were so excited for this but honestly disappointing customer service. The guy on call just won't listen giving us examples of football/basketball matches and on top of that calling us to ask us why we have given a one star review lol and asking us to grow up and be adult. Honestly, such a disappointment. Honestly not recommending it to any one. Have never experienced anywhere before in states. No rescheduling and on top of us telling us that we are faking out stories. In my opinion if a business cannot accommodate their customers in their emergency situations, it's not something you can recommend to others. read more

I had an amazing time with H2O Adventures in Lotus, California. I booked the half day Upper Chili Bar trip, which is a Class 2 to 3 route, and it was the perfect mix of chill and exciting. Our meeting time was 8:30 AM, and I highly recommend arriving at least 15 minutes early so you have time to find parking and check in. They are very strict about being on time. If you arrive at 8:45 AM or later, they may start without you since there are other groups waiting and everyone goes out together. The rafting trip itself was really fun. Our guide was helpful, patient, and funny, which made the experience even better for our group of 8. I felt safe the entire time, and once our group started getting more comfortable, our guide suggested fun ways to make the trip more exciting. We tried things like having someone sit at the very front, intentionally bumping into a rock to see what would happen, and taking the harder routes with stronger rapids. At the end of the trip, we were shuttled back to the parking lot, which made everything easy. They also had hot running showers available to rinse off and clean up before heading home, which was very appreciated. I would definitely come back and try one of the harder routes, like the Middle Fork of the American River, which is Class 3 to 4. The Upper Chili Bar is a great choice if you want something fun, exciting, and beginner friendly without being too intense. read more

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Absolutely.... Don't hesitate to go with H2O adventures. They are professional, knowledgeable, and make you feel super comfortable with some humor sprinkled in between! Even the stop for lunch was incredibly delicious and refreshing ! Devin our guide was awesome, he makes you feel at ease because of his knowledge, attention to detail and his humor! Extras: we surfed some waves, jumped off rocks, rode the bull (sat solo on the bow of the boat and held on for dear life!), floated outside the boat, all on the MiddleFork. It was very exhilarating. You get enough class 3 & 4 rapids and time to relax and enjoy the surroundings. (I'm sore in some places and it's the day after, and I'm a fitness instructor). Best stop before heading to Lake Tahoe! If you stay overnight, the little town of Auburn has some great history. Fun to walk the town. read more

H2O Adventures - Rafting the Mid-Fork - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

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We had the BEST time on our first rafting trip with Jody as our outstanding guide! He was knowledgeable and created a safe and fun experience for everyone. We would definitely go out on the river with Jody again! read more

We had the best time. 2 adults. 2 teenagers. 1 nine year old. So much fun. Our guide Airy made it special with extra fun during the quieter parts of the river. I only wish I would have worn more sunscreen. Highly recommend! read more

H2O Adventures - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

We had an amazing time on the river with H2O Adventures. We were a party of 14 so we filled 2 boats. Our guides, Lexie and Ann were excellent. They made it fun, shared a lot of information, ensured our safety, and expertly guided us down the river. The meeting location was nice with plenty of parking, picnic areas, and clean restrooms with showers. We brought our own lunch and ate before we hit the water. I highly recommend that you also bring snacks for afterward because you will use a lot of energy having this much fun. Highly recommended!! read more

I've gone white water rafting a couple of times and always have the best experience with H2O Adventures. We did the middle fork this time and our guide Nate was the absolute best. He was so chill and amazing at working the waters! He allowed us to experience surfing and motorboating and kept us all having the best times of our lives! Can't wait to again and definitely he is the one you want as your guide! read more

Lexie rules!! Such a great time! First time white water rafting and she was a great guide.

The 6 of us had the absolute best time ever on the water! Jacob is hands-down an incredible guide. He navigated those rapids with total expert precision, and we felt perfectly safe the entire time while still getting a huge adrenaline rush. Plus, he kept us laughing non-stop with the absolute funniest dad jokes. It was pure joy from start to finish! read more

5/5 We were 13 adults and 14 kids, age 4-12 y/o. Had 3 boats for 8-9 people and 2 single riders. Each big boat had a guide. Procedure: - book early for desired date and time - There are 2 companies sharing the parking lot. Both sides had people helping guests to navigate. - Meeting up with our guides with safety briefing and putting on safety gear. - a bus will take you the starting point at the river - they give you a overall 3 hours . We chose Lotus Run (classII) and it was easy with some rocky patches. - had 2 stops to jump from a rock or jump into the water, water blaster battles throughout the trip - at the end they flip the boat upside down to let the kids slide down and play in the water Experience: - the guides were very friendly, patient but professional dealing with our chaotic group. - if you listen to the guides prompts, it seems so easy navigating the boat. Our main safety guide was responsible for having all boats close to each other and guided the 2 single riders ( 2 x12 y/o) without anybody flipping over . We did river rafting in the Truckee river before. Compared to that, American river is much wider, though water not as clear. Don't forget: - water shoes -sunscreen, reapply during rafting! - water - water blaster!!! Best are the foam blasters for easy reload - Hats!! We had the easy level, so no helmets Kids had so much fun that they wanted to do it again!! read more

My 9 year old son and two friends really enjoyed the half day trip with H2O. We were guided by Jacob and loved every minute of the trip. He was professional, knowledgeable, fun and had a positive mindset and disposition. The trip was unforgettable and was one of favorite outings during our road trip. Highly recommend trying rafting with H2O. read more

The H2O crew and experience is such an amazing time that I booked three trips this summer to just enjoy myself! They've got their river running operation down to a tee and provide a highly adventurous experience within the context of safety. If you're on the fence ... don't be! You won't regret it. read more

Amazing time, had a great day. Devin was great , he made it an exciting. We plan on doing it again!

I'm so glad I found H20 Adventures! We had so much fun on the half day South Fork lower gorge run. This is rated class 2/3 and perfect for the beginner like myself. I was really nervous at first and honestly wanted lazy river rafting with zero rapids, but after the experience with H20, I'm excited to plan another trip with them. The scenery was amazing, the late March weather was warm and as expected freezing water. We were provided with helmets, wetsuits, and splash jackets, this kept us warm and comfortable. You should bring water bottles and sunblock on the raft. Your other belongings are safely locked up prior to launch. You can also bring waterproof cameras or phones, be sure they are securely strapped to you (like chest or wrist strap, or helmet mount) they do have a professional cameraman kayaker Kevin taking amazing shots along the way so don't worry about not bringing your own camera. Nico, our tour guide was skilled, knowledgeable, and entertaining, and incredibly nice. We also had the opportunity to interact with the other tour guides Kyla and Martina who led the other two rafts on our 3 craft convoy down the river. If you are looking for something to do with your family this summer, I highly recommend H20. Get your reservations asap. read more

Rafting was our favorite activity in our 10 day trip to California and I'm thrilled we chose H2O because I researched the crap out of all the possible companies since it was our first time! Plus we were lucky enough to have Shelby as our guide which we were all so thankful for because she's simply the best! It was just me and my two daughters, age 17 and 19, in the raft with Shelby for an all female boat and it was a blast! We didn't tip once and no one fell out because Shelby is freaking AMAZING and a ROCK STAR GUIDE!! It was our first time white water rafting and she made us feel so comfortable and confident in our abilities! Whether it's your first or 100th time rafting, you won't be dissatisfied with H2O! read more

Fantastic adventure! We did a full day on the south fork. Hannah was a great guide! Thank you!

Went on a late April trip on the Yuba river and had a great time! Devin was an amazing raft guide and it was cool listening to him talk about the area and how to navigate each part of the river. The whole staff is really fun to be around and good at what they do would definitely recommend them and the Yuba trip read more

Did white-water rafting down the South Fork with some girl friends on a Friday afternoon. We got the VIP treatment done we had the raft for ourselves plus our guide Steve. Steve was funny and informative. He told us jokes and stories about Mark Twain. The whole trip took about 2.5 hours and it was quite a workout. There was about 7 rafts within our group and at the end, we all rode back in an old school bus back to the parking lot. Thank you H2O for a great experience! read more

H2O Adventures - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

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Had the best experience With H2O Adventures. We had our young grandson with us and had a hard time finding a company that would accommodate him. We decided and chose this company and they were absolutely amazing .. Trevor made sure my grandson was safe and made this experience the best ... We laughed. We cried from laughing so hard...We stopped to jump of the cliff and my grandson did it as well as my son with his backflip... I highly recommend this company. They were wonderful. The Rapids were great. The staff was great. If you're thinking about it go for it you won't be disappointed... read more

H2O Adventures - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

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H2O Adventures provided an amazing day for our group of 7 women age ranging 28-70. We had a wonderful adventure with Pierce as our guide and Peter who coordinated our day. We enjoyed chatting with Pierce about the river and his experience being a guide. The most important thing is we felt absolutely safe. The boat, equipment and instruction was top notch. Three of us fell out (one in Satan's cesspool) and Pierce was on top of it with getting us out. I also appreciated seeing Peter jump in the water to help a girl who jumped off a rock and had the wind knocked out of her. He was quick to see if she was ok. We already have plans to go back next year. Thank you for a memorable day! read more

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What a great rafting trip! Nate and Marina were our guides for the trip. From the minute we checked in the fun began.Marina did our safety briefing and it was as if you were being talked to like a sibling or friend.The humor sprinkled in the seriousness of the matter made it easier to swallow. They provide you with wetsuits,fleece and dry jackets and helmets. Nate was our guide on the water and what a fun awesome guide.Full of knowledge of the history about the rapids.Beautiful scenery with wildlife.He made us again feel like old friends but I really think he just truly enjoys rafting.Run and book this trip! read more

Super fun trip on the North Fork of the American. Guides were great! Could tell they love what they do and made sure we all did as well.

Very professional, friendly and fun. They even held the bus me when I was late getting there! I've been rafting with several outfitters, and I highly recommend H2O adventures. And Ethan is an interesting, experienced guy with many great stories. read more

I spotted their vans near my work and decided to check them out--so glad we did! We booked the South Fork of the American River 1/2 Day Lower "Gorge" Run (Class II-III), and it was an adventure from start to finish. They sent a super helpful follow-up email with all the details on what to expect and bring. When we arrived, their guide was in the parking lot cracking dad jokes right from the start--hilarious and non-stop! After checking in, we left our keys in a lockbox and headed down. They made sure we knew to use the restroom since we'd be on the water for a few hours. If your trip doesn't include lunch, you can come a bit earlier and enjoy a meal with a stunning view! They geared us up and gave a thorough safety talk, then we split into our groups. We hit the jackpot with Rían as our guide--she made us feel totally prepared and at ease. Once in the raft, she had us introduce ourselves to the others (our raft held six). The trip was packed with fun moments, like swimming and jumping from rocks--just be ready to hop back in the raft for some epic photos! The half-day trip was perfect for our first time tackling rapids. We wrapped up the adventure with brownies and bottled water. I heard the brownies were a hit, but I missed out since I was taking a quick break. read more

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Had an amazing time. crew was waiting patiently for us ready to go, all of the employees where very out going and had us laughing the whole time, with great history facts our tour guide was Marina, and she was awesome had the ride of a life time! We will definitely be back for more fun. read more

We had an awesome trip on the American river in May 2023! Epic flows! Lots of fun. Great guide! Hearty lunch provided too. Highly recommend this outfit! Sorry it took so long to get on here and do a review. read more

They were awesome; it was a great experience, and Marina, our guide, was fantastic. She did an amazing job at keeping everyone safe and entertained. It was truly a blast, and Devon, along with the rest of the guides, are super cool. Anyone you go with is guaranteed to make your time incredible. read more

GO RAFTING WITH THIS TRIBE! We took a guess as to which rafting company to go with (we went June 19), and we TOTALLY lucked out with H2O Adventures. Devon, on our ride to Oxbow Lake from Auburn, was fun, and then we had a safety briefing and how to hold our paddles, etc. from Marina. Then we lucked out again and got Matt as our guide! This deadpan, grizzled rafting veteran made the day insanely wonderful. We not only learnt how to paddle through rapids and the famous tunnel chute on the Middle Fork of the American River, we surfed, we did teacups, we pulled over to watch others come through what we just did, and rescued an entire crew and guide from another company! We learnt about Matt's stewardship of the river, some history of the area, about marine life, and I've incorporated a few of Matt's expressions: "Don't be weird." "It's only rafting." We had a wonderful picnic lunch midday, folks got a chance to jump off a high rock, and we got to watch our guides go down a class 5 rapid. All of it exhilarating, overcoming fear, and laughing so much. I enjoyed to family that was with us as well. We were 6 crew and 1 super fantastic guide. I learnt so much. I highly recommend H2O Adventures for a safe and fantastic day of rafting! read more

My husband and I took our son white water rafting with H2O for his ninth birthday. We all had an absolute blast. Our son definitely had a birthday that he will never forget! Our guide Mike was also spectacular!!! I truly cannot recommend H2O enough! We will definitely be back!!! read more

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Check this company out. Been rafting with H2O Adventures three times already and look forward to more adventures. If you are new to rafting, don't worry. You will be in great hands. Get out and enjoy it. Tyler and the entire crew are just AWESOME! read more

Can't Stop Raving About This Rafting Trip! I didn't think a rafting trip could be this fun, but H2O Adventures totally blew me away. From the moment Tony picked us up, the vibe was amazing -- funny, friendly, and super professional. It felt like we were in good hands right off the bat. Our guide Ann was the real MVP. She was calm, confident, and made us feel totally at ease -- even when the rapids got wild! Her instructions were clear, her energy was contagious, and she somehow made the whole experience both thrilling and relaxing at the same time. You could tell she really cared about everyone having a great time. And not to be dramatic, but lunch by the river (thank you, Lily!) was kind of magical. Everything tasted amazin read more

We had the BEST DAY! Our tour guide Blake took such great care of us! He was the BESt!! Our boat had ages 14-50 years old and everyone had a great time! The rapids were intense sometimes, but we felt up to the challenge, with Blake instructing us and we definitely saw his expertise on the rapids. We were a large group so our other friends were on with Devon and Pierce. These guys know what they're doing, and know how to make it a fun day for the family! Highly recommend. read more

Hands down one of the best days we've had in a long time! We booked a rafting trip with H2O Adventures and honestly, it exceeded all expectations. Jody was our guide and he was fantastic--super laid-back, knowledgeable, and just a great guy to be around. He made sure everyone felt safe but still brought the fun and energy. He had great stories, gave us just the right amount of challenge, and kept the whole raft laughing the entire time. Tyler, our driver, was awesome too. Friendly, professional, and clearly knows the area well. He made the shuttle part of the trip smooth and stress-free--which honestly makes a big difference. It's clear that H2O Adventures puts a lot of care into who they hire, and it shows. Jody and Tyler made the day not just fun, but unforgettable. Highly recommend this crew! read more

H2O Adventures is a fantastic outfit! I booked a trip for our entire company and we had a total blast. This is a family owned company and they are super cool, the guides were total pros and took us all down the river without a hitch. The campsite was perfect for our whole group, I highly recommend them if you want to have a great day on the river rafting! read more

H2O Adventures - Tunnel Drop! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

We had such a great time rafting with Blake--he made the trip super fun and memorable! Devin, the trip leader, was awesome, and Marina was so helpful throughout. Big thanks also to our drivers Tyler, Trevor, and Jody for getting us there and back smoothly. The whole team was amazing. Tunnel chute was definitely one of the funniest must-try rapids. Highly recommend! read more

H2O Adventures - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

This was my first time rafting. And I want to thank our Marina, one of the most talented individuals with great sensor of humor. She made the 11 miles seem so much more fun and exciting. She ensure we got the whole experience and more. This would definitely one many more for me. Hopefully next marina is the guide again. read more

If you're looking to book a guide(s) to go down the American River, look no further than H2O Adventures. The owner, Tyler, and his guides were amazing and so knowledgeable. Our group of six went down the South Fork (upper & lower) on Friday, 5/8/26. Only two boats went out that day, since it was early in the season. Ann was our guide, while her husband Mike took out the second boat, and Waylon in the safety boat. We had a mix of beginners, intermediate beginners, teenagers, and adults. The day was perfect at 75 degrees, with blue skies, and there were only a few other boats on the river (we only saw four other boats out). The rapids were rated 2/3, which was perfect for our group. Not so scary for the beginners, but challenging for everyone. If you're on the fence about the experience and don't know who to pick as an outfitter for the river, call Tyler at H2O Adventures to book your experience and ask for Ann as your guide. You won't be sorry. You will have the time of your life and start planning your next river adventure with them! read more

Our group had the coolest and wildest adventure with Niko as our guide. I'd definitely come back here!

This was one of the most fun days I've had in awhile, went rafting with 7 coworkers that became good friends. Our guide was BIG DOG BLAKE!. My guy made the trip amazing. Will be going again and requesting my guy BLAKE! read more