I, my husband, and our two sons recently rafted the Middle Fork of the American River with OARS. It's a thrilling, 16-mile stretch of whitewater very close to the Bay Area and a great family adventure. Our guide Garrett was warm, knowledgeable and skillful. This was our second OARS trip and I highly recommend the company. read more

We booked a 2-day rafting trip with Oars over the July 4th weekend. Our guide was Willa and she was AWESOME!!! We had so much fun, and we will be back again to try the next challenge! read more

Had so much fun on this trip! There's a great group of people working here and I'm so glad to have booked this adventure! read more

OARS American River Outpost - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

We had an AMAZING weekend on this adventure! I had never been rafting (my partner had gone once before). We did a two day combo South Fork (day 1) and Middle Fork (day 2). Incredible! Our guide Mike was FANTASTIC. He prepped us for each upcoming rapid, what to expect, what he was going to need from us ("paddle hard 2 and then get down!") It was SO FUN, more exhilarating than I was expecting, but also LESS SCARY than I feared, thanks to their experienced guides! We'll definitely go again with OARS, we're looking forward to trying out longer trips. The pre-set Platform Tents in camp were great so we didn't have to mess with dealing with our own setup for such a short trip. Gave us time to relax instead. Thanks for a great weekend! read more

If I could give 10 stars, I would. This was our first time for white water rafting and at 74 I was worried about pretty much everything. It was soon obvious that these folks take safety seriously. They also make it a whole lot of fun! Our guides, Ben, Mike and Truman were outstanding! Funny and informative. Based on our experience, we would definitely come back again! read more

Ladies and Gents... would you believe that my experience with OARS on the Middle Fork of the American River is one of the reasons I continue to question my life choices of not living in CA? "Well, you best start believing." First, the river... the Middle Fork is absolutely spectacular- if you are not convinced that tunnel chute will live up to its hype, take a look in the mirror and check yourself. That plus all of the other class III and IVs (special shout out to Kanaka Falls) will keep your adrenaline going for days. The water was a cool, 60 degrees Fahrenheit which was perfection since the temp was 105 for our trip. Once we made it through tunnel chute, experiencing one of the most joyous moments in my life, we got to see countless remains from the gold rush including caves and equipment. This brings me to the next part. Our guide... Miller (our guide) flooded us with knowledge about the river, ecosystem, and rafting basics. Is he one of the coolest dudes ever? Yes. He literally had us working together and talking about life as complete strangers (which is kinda the point of whitewater rafting, which is precisely why he killed it). We learned so much about the area- in terms of people and history from him as well as experienced his perfectly timed honesty to get us kicking it in gear for the rapids to come. Truthfully, the whole team with OARS was awesome. From the amazing drivers-who somehow managed to traverse the 45minutes of winding road and not make anyone in the van car sick, to the comfortable and welcoming attitude from all of the guides- they made sure our trip was perfect. This was my husband's first rafting trip and now I feel bad because I am not sure anywhere else can top his experience here. Way to go guys, you were too good. Until next time OARS (hopefully for the North Fork and/or Tuolumne)... And for anyone wondering, no, no one fell out at any point (thanks Miller) read more

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It was well planned. The river rafting guides were safe and very knowledgeable of their job and protecting clients. Most of all it was Fun and very enjoyable. From start to finish. I'm looking forward to more river rafting with them. Food stop was good and lots of choices Of great sandwiches to make. Overall the guides are ver well aware of the river Was a great experi read more

Went on a tour today of the middle fork of the American River. We were so lucky to have Diana as our guide through the rapids. It was such a blast and I would most certainly recommend it. She was so informative,personable, and turns out is the top guide of the year,and for good reason! Hoping to experience this tour again! read more

OARS American River Outpost - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

We were excited to raft the American River and signed up with Oars for the full day Gorge trip. It came with lunch and a free night of camping. We camped the night before the trip. It was quite empty during a midweek which was welcomed and was equipped with showers. There was only one restaurant open for dinner but was within walking distance. Our guide was Josh and he was knowledgeable, friendly and motivating! We did not flip and no one fell but we all had a blast! Highly recommend this place for your next rafting trip! read more

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Best guide ever! Garret was knowledgeable, friendly and quickly adapted to our group to find the best way to instruct us. Campgrounds and meals are great and the bathrooms are nicest I have ever seen at a campground. Would definitely come back again! read more

We had a group of 6, with 3 kids and had a blast. The guides were friendly and experienced. The lunch break was nice as well. Highly recommended. read more

We had another amazing experience rafting with OARS. We did the Merced River one day trip last week. Jake and Wes were our guides and they were so fun and made us feel incredibly safe on the River. We would only use OARS for any rafting adventure. The best outfit out there! read more

This trip was amazing for myself (52), and my 22, 20 and 11 yr old 'children'. The guides - Lizbeth, Ari & Mike and all the support staff - were fun, funny, exciting, kind, confident, reassuring and strong! We felt empowered and excited, and we loved the rapids and also the calm relaxing stretches of river. Oars is very inclusive and open to all ages, family types, experience levels (we had none), and body sizes. The actual raft guides (Lizbeth & Ari) gave clear directions, encouraged us, kept us safe, told us funny stories and took the time to get to know us! Thank you so much! read more

Kendall was an amazing tour guide. He knew the local area and made sure we had all sorts of silly fun. Middle fork was awesome along with our guide Kendall. The whole crew was fun, Kim our driver was excellent navigating the roads. The lunch although just sandwiches were really amazing selection with meats, cheese, spreads, and vegetables. Fruit Pineapple, wow. Thank you Cherie read more

I camped 3 nights at the outpost in Lotus and did 2 days on the South Fork with a big group of college buddies. Jose, Garrett, and Bill were our guides - super professional, friendly, and fun. Request them if you can! I will be telling people about this trip (and company) for years to come! read more

OARS American River Outpost - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

I've been coming rafting every year for 21 years. Oars always gets us down the river safely and have the best guides! Rafting is fun but can be really dangerous. The most important thing for me is that everyone gets back safely! This year Laura P took us down the river. She has such a great personality! She also got us all down the river safely and that's everything I can ask for! I'm so grateful for great guides like Laura! She loves what she does and it shows!! read more

Can I give 10 stars? Our OARS experience was top notch from start to finish. I decided to call last minute to find out information about the Gorge tours on the American River. Tim answered my questions and his professionalism was a huge factor in my willingness to book a trip. The website and links were helpful in planning and preparing, and all forms could be easily completed online. OARS is ORGANIZED! Our 1-day rafting trip was a huge hit with all of us, but especially our 11 year old. Though he is usually nervous about new "adventures", at OARS he was so eager and excited to go rafting for the first time. All the staff was helpful and kind, We were super lucky to be in the tour leader Gordon's raft. He was the perfect combination of calm, fun, and factual-making each moment of our time so engaging and pleasant while keeping us safe. Lunch was more than I expected with plenty of food and special accommodations made for allergies (gluten free bread too!). All the guides were cheerful and worked as a team. The level III rapids were so fun because guides prepared us for what was to come. The balance between thrill and safety was just amazing. We thoroughly enjoyed our rafting trip with OARS and will book again as soon as we have another chance. Our son even asked for a rafting trip for his birthday! What higher praise can there be than that?!? read more

OARS American River Outpost - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

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Expect to get wet and to instantly crave white water! Half day along Chile bar was a great introduction. Guides and crew were great

This is an amazing outfit! 10/10! Great guides, great equipment, great campsite (where we stayed), and great food throughout our 2 day trip. Our guide Garret was amazing. Even though I am clearly of a much stronger physique, he was able to paddle the raft (solo much of the time), carry the supplies with ease, and even give the history of the river (especially strong in pointing out the plants...like the "red flowers" and "purple flowers" and etc.). My only regret is that I never challenged him to a push-up contest to show him what a truly strong body can do (though I am jealous of his flowing hair). In all seriousness, if you are looking for a solid outfitter/guide for the rivers (and camping site) then I highly recommend this team. read more

We had a blast. We were on the South Fork of the American River. The river was really high from all the snow melt and it was moving pretty fast (~7000 cfs), so some of us were a little worried about the speed and difficulty of the trip and if we'd be involuntarily swimming or not. In the booking process, Oars was very clear that we might end up in the river, but the only time anyone went in was when we jumped in ourselves. Any worries or concerns were unfounded. There were to other girls (early 20s) in a different raft who both ended up in the river, but they got pulled back in quickly by their guide and both had huge smiles on their faces. My two boys (21 & 23) thought it was a lot of fun, honestly, they probably would have liked it to be a little more adventurous, but we rafted through many class 3 and a few class 3+ and it was plenty of fun (my wife and I are in our early 50s). We all were hoping for a couple of class 4, and we are not overly experienced, only been on a similar rafting trip once about 2-3 years ago. Garrett was our guide - he was great. Very knowledgeable about the river and ensured everyone was safe - he also was a wealth of information and stories that were really fun to hear. Great bantering back and forth all-day, joking with each other, and just having fun (give that guy a raise!). If you enjoy a bit of a rush and can follow basic oaring instructions, you'll love it. Lunch was simple, but it was really good. Sandwiches may seem like no big deal, but they had a nice spread with 3 or 4 different meats and cheese, avocado, pickles, tomatoes, etc. Three different types of mustard to boot! A cooler of cold drinks at the end was a nice touch too. We are all thinking about going back later in the summer to take on the middle fork, which is more challenging and will for sure book with Oars if we do. read more

If you've ever thought about white water rafting I would recommend you do so. We did the research and found OARS was rated #1 on YELP in Lotus, California. My wife and I chose the two day rafting trip and we're so glad we did. We did the South Fork/Middle Fork combo with day 1 on the somewhat mellow South Fork which was fine for us being first-timers. Day 2 was the Middle Fork with the larger class rapids.    The guides will warm you up on the South Fork with Class II and III rapids like Fowler's Rock, Satan's Cesspool & Hospital Bar on day 1. Day 2 on the Middle Fork rapids were Class III and IV Chunder, Parallel Parking, Texas Chainsaw Mama, Final Exam and the famous Class V Tunnel Chute.  Between the two days there are over 21 rapids and close to 29 miles. The guides do give you the option to get into the river and swim during calm points of the trip along the way. We even jumped off a cliff into the deep cold water. About mid-way they stop and prepare a hearty lunch which was a spread of different deli meats, cheeses, tomatoes, avocados, pickles, spreads, chips and cookies. If you choose the 2 day trip you can bring your own tent, sleeping bag and pad or you can rent theirs for a fee. They provide 2 lunches, 1 breakfast and 1 BBQ dinner which is included in the package. Breakfast was bagels, cream cheese, lox, granola, pastries, coffee, tea and orange juice. Dinner was awesome! Tri-Tip, Salmon and Chcken, grilled vegetables, mashed potatoes, garlic bread and salad. There are flushing toilets and hot and cold showers within 1 minute walk from our camp spot. Professional pictures will be taken at a few rapids on your trip and you can purchase them at the end of the trip from a local company which has a viewing kiosk at camp the same day. It's not cheap so don't forget to budget for photos - up to $80 for the whole CD, or you can buy individual digital images. These pictures will last longer then your sunburn (if you didn't put on enough sunblock). The photo company that took our photos, Hotshots, have their studio just outside Oar's parking lot. Try to bring a water proof camera or video recorder because the shots you can get on the raft along the way are priceless, if you don't have one, the gift shop sells the deposable ones. You can also purchase water shoes if you didn't bring them. Don't expect to sit in the raft like a princess. You will have to work to help your team navigate through the rocks and stay off of them. Be prepared to get wet and there's a possibility you may get thrown off the raft but we never did. Overall, this was a really awesome trip along a scenic river. It's was an amazing time. The guides were all around beyond great. Not only were they knowledgeable and helpful, they were very fun and personal. We will definitely be using OARS for our next white water adventure. read more

OARS American River Outpost - This is the big Tunnel Chute and we did get wet - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

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Rafted the North Fork of the American River last week with OARS. This is Class IV+ water. I am an experienced whitewater kayaker, but I did not want to do this technical stretch without having seen it with a guide first. And I am so glad that I made that decision and went with OARS! Everyone but me in the three rafts (except the guides) did an involuntary swim during the course of the day and one boat got wrapped around a rock in a drop and it took an hour or so of work with ropes to free it. The fact that no one got hurt is a testament to the guides' knowledge of the river and attention to safety protocols. And we had a lot of fun! read more

Great outfit, even better guide! Garrett was the best guide I have ever worked with. Done many guided tours of many shapes, sizes, and flavors--rafting, mountain biking, multi-day adventures..., and Garrett was by far the best guide I've ever worked with. He maintained a great attitude focused on our group having fun while always keeping safety in mind. The icing on the cake was his history and knowledge of the local area and river. A highlight of our adventure exemplifies this: We saw another company's raft flip in a class IV rapid we were approaching. Garrett safely navigated us through that rapid, while positioning our raft to position itself to rescue two swimmers before being forced down the next quickly approaching class IV rapid. As multiple guides were yelling many commands for their boat, Garrett displayed outstanding leadership in focusing and directing our boat to best position itself for a quick rescue for both swimmers, which we did. Again, I can't say enough great things about Garrett, in his ability to connect with and joke around with our boat, bring us the amazing adventure we wanted, and keep us and the crews around us safe. I will use OARS again, and specifically ask to work with Garrett! read more

OARS is the best rafting company on the American River. We've brought a group of mixed ability (30+ teenagers) a few years in a row and every year they impress. They manage the safety/fun of it all so well, and they have a great sense of the ability/willingness of every person attending. We had a raft of younger nervous kids that they made feel safe the whole way down, and a raft of adventurous people that they invited to push a little harder. Everyone loved it and can't wait to go again. Can't speak highly enough of the staff. read more

We did the south fork on the American river. What a fun experience all guides were professional and very safe. They explained every rapid and what was coming before we got to the rapid. Lunch was amazing the whole experience was awesome!!! We are already planning our next experience. Thank you Natalie, Michael, Dean, and American shorts. read more

Had an excellent time. Carson our guide is kind, skillful and informative ie some historical items of interest along the river. Definitely would recommend and would return. Everyone is friendly. read more

Me and my bestie gal decided to add a rafting excursion to the end of our camping trip. And after lots of research, it was clear Oars was the way to go. We booked a 2 day trip on the South fork. The staff was extremely hospitable and knowledgeable and made the experience 10x better. The food was chef's kiss, made with love by the guides. Garret t. was our raft guide - be sure to request him if you go. Not only was he the most fun and high energy guide on the water, but also the CUTEST. Jose MIGHT be a close second. Overall an incredible experience and will definitely be back if they let us. read more

We rafted on the Middle Fork with the entire family ages 10-78 and it did not disappoint! Our group of 12 was split between two rafts and Ashley was AMAZING! She was just the right amount of talking and allowing the group silence to take in the serene surrounding. Most importantly, she made the youngest in our group (who is quite timid) feel comfortable at all times. Highly recommend! read more

Had an amazing time. Our guide Garret is the bee's knees. His energy was 5-star and he made the trip 5x more fun. The entire guide staff was a beautiful decoration to our trip! read more

OARS American River Outpost - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

We went for the American River Gorge trip. First time rafting and had a lot of fun with OARS. The campsite was nice, and there were hot showers. We had plenty of space, and there was river access within a few minutes walking from the campsite. No frills though, so bring camping stoves for food. Or eat at a restaurant. Guides had great instructions and we felt prepared for the trip. The rafting was a blast, and our guide Dain was great at navigating us through the river and giving us advice on how we could improve, and he made the trip both exciting and safe for everyone involved. We did fun games during the slow portions of the river, and Dain gave us some extra fun through the rapids. It was a really great first rafting experience where we learned a ton and had our hearts racing throughout the day. Bonus feature: Dain was really knowledgeable about the river and nature in the area. It's always good to know that the folks running the commercial establishments care about the space we're habiting. read more

I was incredibly impressed with OARS and their hard work to ensure their customers had the best possible white water rafting trip possible. The rafting was an all-day excursion and my uncle, cousin and I just had a blast. We felt very comfortable and safe with their rafting instructions and with their precautions due to COVID. My group interacted with many great guides: Bill, Christina, and Dana. Everyone we interacted with at this company was amazing and awesome, but Dana and Christina were so impressive! They are both strong, knowledgeable, adventurous women and we were so lucky to have them be a part of our rafting experience. Anyone who is interested in a rafting excursion filled with excitement, intensity, history and fun should make reservations with this company. Also, the company should note that the tortillas were a huge hit for our group. We were both surprised and pleased with the abundance of tortillas in our rafting experience. read more

Laura P is amazing. She kept us calm & safe and put us into check when we needed it. Lol. Our party of 6 would love to have her again.

Where do I ever begin? We had the absolute best time on our Tuolumne 1 day trip. I have been dreaming of doing this trip for years but struggled to find friends who wanted to do this trip. I finally found my group and OARS made it worth the wait! Teal was absolutely incredible. He was so knowledgable about the environment and the history of the area, AND he made sure we had an epic time rafting. He continually set us up to hit the best rapids and honest, it was just EPIC all around. To add, our driver was incredible, food was really delicious and the equipment used was all top-of-the-line. read more

My family and I rafted with OARS on this hot weekend. We had an amazing time. The water was perfect, the food was delicious and the guides really knew what they were doing. We had the pleasure of having Willa as our guide, she was very knowledgeable about the river and area and knew how to get us through the rapids safely but having the best time ever! Willa was absolutely the best! read more

so much fun! such a great experience with such an awesome guide! I was in Ben's group and he was so nice and skilled!

What an experience!!! My very first time rafting and it was seriously one of the most unforgettable moments ever (third place next to skydiving and ziplining)! My friends and I got a great deal through zozi.com and we went on a Sunday morning in June. We did the South Fork from the Chili Bar route. The water was absolutely Perfect. What should have been an ordinary Class 3 ride turned out to be a Class 3"+"! It was cold so they required everybody to wear wetsuits ($10 to rent), which was a good idea because the water was actually close to freezing. The team of guides were all awesome folks - friendly, passionate, knowledgeable, experienced and very helpful! The ride was only about 2 hours on the water... kind of short but perfect for an awesome time on the river for first timers! I would definitely come back again to raft with this organization! read more

TLDR: If you're rafting the American River with anyone other than OARS, you're missing out on something special. The crew at OARS will take care of you. Not only will they teach you to raft, and get you through some adrenaline-pumping, potentially scary situations, but afterwards, they'll all as a team, cook a kick-ass dinner and/or breakfast. Im talking a dinner of mixed greens salad with your choice of like 6 dressings, grilled chicken and tri-tip, rice pilaf, corn, salmon, and garlic bread. After you've had your ass kicked on the river all day it's hard to convey just how much you'll appreciate this. Completely to our surprise, they noticed one of our people's birthdays was recent and sang for her, bringing out cake with a candle. It doesn't at all feel like people just going through the motions of their job, and that's what we expect from people these days. Their passion for teaching and taking care of people is front facing all day, and you'll feel it from every team member. When our trip was over I was legitimately sad to leave. My company will be returning next year and I'm putting together a team of friends to go separately as well. This is a life experience you shouldn't let pass you by. Just do it, you'll be thrilled that you did. read more

oars was fantastic from start to finish. camping was lovely. our guides - James, Alex and Ryan were all amazing. highly recommend

This was an awesome trip. We went on Labor Day and it was a beautiful day. Our guide Shane was fun and he guided us really well, since we never be on one. He kept us well entertained and safe. We took the South Fork route and it's great for beginners. We floated, swam in some areas and this route took us from level 2 to level 3-4 on the whole trip. Deli Lunch was also included...This is the one to take if you've never been on a rafting trip. ..Remember to put on plenty of sunscreen, swim clothes, hat and sandals or old tennis shoes...you will definitely get wet...no flip flops....also, if you have a gopro, some of the helmets has the holder for it. read more

OARS American River Outpost - this was the South Fork route for 1 day...great for people who has never done it... - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

My wife and I have wanted to experience white water rafting for quite some time and we finally got to it on our one-year wedding anniversary Cali road trip vacation. OARS is an amazing operation on all levels. Knowledgeable and friendly staff, excellent facilities, well-maintained equipment. The rafting was exhilarating and exciting but we never felt unsafe. A special shout-out to our guide Travis who was such a friendly and positive guy and full of information about the river and its surrounding environment. We are so glad we chose OARS for our experience. read more