I've done a couple trips with OARS now: two on the South Fork of the American River and a 2 day trip on the Tuolumne. OARS does not disappoint! From incredibly attentive and knowledgeable guides to luxurious camping accommodations, they take care of you. All you have to do is show up and paddle. Maybe you don't even have to paddle if you're sitting in the gear boat. The American River trips are an easy day trip from Sacramento or the Bay Area. If you're looking for a little more adventure, a multi-day guided whitewater trip is so fun, with lots of downtime to swim, look at the stars, play games, and eat yummy food. There's no freeze dried camp meals here. Everything is boated in and prepped on the beach for you. So good. All around, so good. read more

We spent the 3 days, Fourth of July holiday 2025 in Auburn at The Foothills Motel. For fun we decided to go white water rafting on The American River. My wife and I had an amazing day (6 hrs) in the river with Oars. The crew was friendly, respectful and fun. Our guide was Alex. She was very knowledgeable of rafting and the river. Not only did she provide a safe and exciting adventure but she was also a great conversationalist with extensive knowledge of all flora and fauna along the river. Plus she shared relevant historical stories from the mining times of the area. We can't wait to book another trip. Thx to Alex for a great time. read more

Bible and Kase were AWESOME!! we can not say enough about our great adventure with these two. We took a party of 6 kids on a senior road trip for 12 days and we have to say they rated this at the top this far of the trip. This wouldn't be possible with out Kase, Bible and Kendal. Thanks so much for the great memories! read more

OARS California Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Angels Camp, California

See all

We have been on many rafting trips and tried several companies and OARS is TOP NOTCH! I feel safe each time we go out with them, if something does happen THEY ARE SO FAST at responding and helping a positive outcome. The guides are all so friendly. This trip we had the pleasure of Bible, Case and I don't recall the other guide (I'm sorry). read more

Liz was a fun and engaging tour guide. The food was incredible and we will be back next year!

It was my first time white water rafting. I went with my mother and uncle. The staff was so accommodating. We all felt so safe during our trip, and my family was really nervous about the trip initially. The raft guide Bible was so informative about the local area and was a lot of fun. I would recommend this to anyone planning a trip. read more

Unforgettable experience! Our raft guide Kendall was the absolute best, she keep us safe, and she's THE VIBE we love her, the whole experience was amazing my favorite 2 rapids were the last ones soo much fun so splashy 100% recommended I feel like it's an experience everybody should do at least once and this guys are the best! Thanks again for all the fun I would absolutely be going back I'm obsessed again thanks to Kendall for being so amazing. read more

We had such an amazing 4 days with OARS! We stayed on site at the American River Outpost in one of the glamping tents- very comfy beds! Loved having showers and bathroom easily accessible. The tucked away area is very private and calm. Jessica was the on-site manager and she was absolutely fantastic! Lots of tips and tricks and info for local spots. Started our river days on the South Fork American River- Gorge. Mike was our guide and he was fantastic, very knowledgeable (all the guides were great)! Lunch riverside is always a treat and did not disappoint. We lucked out and Mike was our guide on the South Fork- Chili Bar 1/2 day. We had such a fun time on this shorter day. River day 3 was spent on the Middle Fork American River and Garrett was our guide. He was super knowledgeable and a really great river guide. Tunnel Chute rapid did not disappoint (we took the backwards approach lol!)!! Garrett and Kennedy navigated Ruck-a-Chucky Falls like absolute pros, it was really amazing to watch! Day 4 we travelled down to the Merced River. Christian was our guide- he was amazing, full of knowledge on the river and was an absolute blast! The "white mile" into Split Rock and Corner Pocket rapids was super fun! The Merced is an action-packed day of whitewater! Lunch riverside was again great, no complaints at all! When we travel out west, we always raft with OARS. They truly are a top-notch company from the equipment to the food to the guides. We recommend OARS to everyone we can. A special shout-out to Amanda Willis- she made magic happen so we could get on the river as many days as possible! Thank you again for another amazing trip!- Jenn & Aubrey read more

Trip was very well organized, and the staff was amazing. Our raft guide, Adam, was fantastic. Safety was paramount and a good deal of time was spent discussing that which made our group feel much better as we were facing some class 4 rapids. Lunch was super and I cannot say enough good things about Oars. read more

OARS California Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Angels Camp, California

We had a fantastic time on the 1 Day Tuolumne rafting trip! Our guide Dana was fun and informative and we felt very safe the whole way, even going through the Class IV rapids. Lunch was delicious. The tow-out was slow but only because the jet ski that towed us wasn't working properly. Definitely recommend this experience! read more

Our family had the GREATEST, DARING, AND ADVENTUROUS RAFTING EXPERIENCE. All the gratitude goes to our AMAZING, BRILLIANT, AND CHARMING GUIDE ARI! We did the South Fork American River. This rafting adventure wouldn't have been the same without Ari. I will be requesting her as our tour guide on our next rafting trip! read more

I've been on a lot of white water rafting and this was hands down -- the BEST! Our guide Matz on the Merced was very professional and made us feel very safe with just the right amount of humor. What a great guide! The company, OARS had great communication and we felt Covid safe as all of our concerns were listened to and addressed. I highly recommend this company. read more

OARS California Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Angels Camp, California

See all

I worked for this rafting company back in the day.... They definitely have a plentiful variety of rivers to choose from. All different levels with family friendly options available. They raft CA, ID, UT, WY, OR, the Grand Canyon and much more. I recommend this company! read more

We rode the rafting trip on the Merced River below Yosemite National Park. Our guide, Mark, steered us through some incredible Class III and IV rapids with a wild ride. We had a midday lunch break along the river, with sandwiches, chips, fruit and cookies. All along the way, Mark explained the different rapids, what to watch for, and other interesting anecdotes. If you have an extra day in a Yosemite trip, this is definitely worthwhile! read more

Best rafting trip ever!! Booking was easy and they sent a LOT of detailed pretrip information which was really helpful. The meeting site on the first day was easy to find and we had our awesome trip leader, Rich, and our bus driver, Mike, meet us there. They provided dry bags for our items to bring on the trip. We boarded the bus (which was COVID friendly) and Rich gave us some information about the area and about our trip. When we arrived to the launch site Becca handled the safety talk and was very helpful! Jim covered all COVID related concerns. Good job, Jim! Upon launching, we had Dakota as our raft guide and honestly his rafting ability blew my mind. Definitely the most experienced raft guide I have ever had. Between rapids he had us cracking up then would give us all the dirty deets/doom and gloom for the next rapid. Then, he would paddle us through it smoothly with no issues or difficulties! We had a layover day for our second day and our crew made sure we were entertained with Dane leading us on hikes, Jim and Dakota teaching us to use the oars, Becca providing games, and Rich paddling us up river so we could lazy float in our PFDs on the way down. All the meals were freakin fantastic! What they didn't tell us is that the raft guides are gourmet cooks as well. When Mike picked us up on the last day he navigated that hairy road out of there like a beast which was especially challenging because a fire had just broken out and the area was being evacuated. No sweat off Mike's brow though, he got us out of there safely while we all reminisced on a fantastic three days of rafting. Honestly, I feel like you can't go wrong just choosing the Tuolumne in general. Filled with rad rapids and opportunities for cliff jumping and surfing, it is absolutely amazing! But you'd be a fool not to book with Rich, Becca, Dakota, Jim, Dane, and OARS. Good job, all! read more

OARS California Rafting - Camping at Clavey right - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Angels Camp, California

We had an AMAZING day on the Mighty Merced River with the OARS team! Gabby was a wonderful host, and Mark was a spectacular guide! We had a ton of fun in the rapids getting drenched by the cold water, but we felt absolutely safe the entire time. Our children, ages 12 and 13, had the time of their lives! This company provided the best equipment, the most scrumptious lunch, and tons of laughs and memories we will cherish forever. Thank you OARS for such a fabulously fun day! read more

Our guides were great. We had high waters on our trip which were unexpected but the staff was highly prepared and knew what to do in any situation in order to keep us all safe. They took good care of us and we would book again with them! read more

Took a rafting trip down the American River this summer with my friends and it was such a lovely experience, I kind of wish we opted for the longer run. I was very impressed by our guide's overall knowledge of the area, and heard lots of great stories along the way. Most impressed by the lunch spread. Where were they hiding all that food?! read more

Great river trips. Beautiful scenery.Guides that know the river and Melones dam very well.

Fabulous day trip on the Middle Fork. The whole crew was amazing! Professional, experienced, and safe, but FUN at the same time! Miller, our guide, and Jose, our group host were the best. Paid huge attention to food prep and serving safety for those with allergies too. This was my third time on the Middle Fork and this was by far the best time I've had. Will definitely be back at Oars for my next adventure. read more

I went on the Tuolomne 3 day river trip with OARS in early August of 2023. What an incredible experience! All food and logistics are taken care of and you get to just relax, enjoy the rapids, and have fun! We jumped off rocks, got to swim some rapids, made a water slide out of an upsideown raft, and saw the most beautiful stars! We also got the most incredible meals including awesome French toast, salmon, delicious sandwiches, and more. It could be a two day trip (which they offer) but if you want more time to relax in the afternoon, three day provides lots of down time in the sun. Make sure Travis is one of the guides on your trip and you will have a blast. read more

The guides were great and the trip was good. However the rapids were rated class 3-4 and I would say it was mostly class 2 with maybe one class 3 and one class 4. (Merced river 1 day trip) . Also we were promised there would be pictures taken on the river of the trip and when we contacted them later there were no pics! I have been on many other rafting trips and this is the only one where we could not get pics. When OARs was approached about the issue, they blamed the photographer and asked me what I thought would be proper compensation for the screw up? I told them refunding $50 each for our trips would be acceptable. They only offered a discount on a future trip which they knew we'd never use as we live 8 hours plus away. Just thought this was really bad business practice! There's other choices in raft companies and I would try elsewhere if you can. read more

We just finished a two day trip on the Tuolumne. The river was beautiful and the rapids were great! But what really made this trip stand out was the guides. From the meeting in the parking lot Mike, Rich, Shawn, and everyone else was amazingly welcoming, friendly, professional, and informative. From the get go I felt completely safe and trusted that the team had everything under control to deliver an exciting trip. Hanging out at camp truly felt like being on a river trip with old friends. I would recommend both this trip and the OARS team for anyone thinking about a trip in this area. read more

This is a long overdue review on O.A.R.S.! My friends and I had one of the best outdoor experience back in June 2010 on a 3 day excursion at Yosemite (camping, hiking/backpacking). As the planner of this trip, I threw in river rafting as part of the 3rd day activity. We did the 1 day rafting on the Merced river. I went with O.A.R.S and we were very impressed and all had a blast rafting!!! Did you know they've been providing excellent outdoor adventures for 40 years now? Our guide was amazing. He was very knowledgeable, experienced, witty, energetic and sarcastic. He shared stories with us as well as safety tips. He truly made the whole day rafting experience an AMAZING 'n FUN one for all of us. =) We started at the top...then break for lunch half way down the Merced river. Oh and yes, they provide lunch. Not just any cheap lunch, but an amazing lunch! We rested while he happily prepared our food. Fresh sandwich, fresh fruits, crackers, and beverages. The food was delicious. All well-nourished and rested, we were all excited to continue our rafting journey down the Merced river. Throughout the river, we got to experience Level III rapids...which was quite FUN for me!! By end of it all, I knew I was ready for Level IV the next time I go rafting. =) Great company, great food, great rapids, great stories shared by our guide....I have to thank him and O.A.R.S. for giving us a fun and unforgettable rafting experience. We purchased the CD that the photographer took and we were impressed with the outcome. Photos turned out fabulous! Please check them out to plan your rafting trip! They also do this internationally! I highly highly recommend them! =) read more

Two day (overnight trip) on the Tuolumne, and I could not recommend this company more! The crew is incredibly competent and well-equipped. Despite having to raft a large group down 18 miles of whitewater, they managed to keep everyone stocked on cold water, hot coffee, full square meals, and snacks throughout the day. The expert guides were able to keep everyone safe, happy and thrilled while showing all the features of the water and land along the Tuolumne. Special shoutout to our boat guide, Rebecca M., who did a particularly good job navigating the rocks, and who worked incredibly well with our group! I was also impressed by the amount of gear the crew was able to bring to camp, we had chairs, games, tents, and a full cooking setup! This is my first trip with O.A.R.S. but I fully intend to go on further trips with them! read more

I again ran the Tuolumne with Oars, and despite the Covid epidemic and its trip restrictions, the trip was highly enjoyable. It you're looking for some whitewater excitement while being pampered in camp, this is a great trip. The guides take safety seriously. An added bonus is the ingenious method the guides use to get the boats up to the road at the end of the trip. read more

We just got back from a 3-day rafting adventure on the Tuolumne River and had a fantastic time. OARS is always great, but they're really showing their quality re: Covid-19 precautions. I've got asthma, so I'm pretty scared of catching the virus, so it was a big relief to see how seriously the guides were taking it. The five guides working the river are their own social bubble, diligent about wearing masks around everyone. They also helped all the guests remember to wear masks and wash hands. We paddled six-person rafts with only three guests plus a guide per boat. For those used to the incredible level of service on overnight trips, prepare to see it leveled up with the new protocols: The guides not only prepare, but serve all the meals. The food was every bit as gourmet as ever (grilled steak and asparagus never taste so good as after class 4+ rapids). Imagine sitting back in your chair - then being handed a bowl of strawberry shortcake. The three-day trip is wonderful: One day of the most intense rapids including Clavey Falls, one day split between hiking to a Gold Rush-era mine and rafting and a third day of rafting and hiking up the North Tuolumne River valley (make sure your shoes are non-slip!). OARS also has a new shuttle bus that makes the drive to and from the river much more comfortable than the old school bus from past years. Despite low water, our guides skillfully kept our boats from getting stuck and gracefully recovered from the few inevitable problem spots. The guides did a great job of making the trip work for everyone, accommodating those of us who wanted to fish, swim, hike or just chill in camp. As a contrast to life in lockdown, I can't recommend a wilderness adventure with this outfit highly enough. read more

I love Oars and we will definitely be back we are currently planning our next trip with my family. Our guide was amazing super friendly and helpful we went on the South Fork American River and LOVED IT!!! Half way through the trip we had lunch which was really good there were many options to choose from. I would recommend Oars to anyone they definitely make you feel safe especially for a newbie like me they go over all the safety before hand which is extremely helpful and you watch a short video before the trip 100% recommend anyone who's thinking of river rafting with Oars. read more

OARS California Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Angels Camp, California

See all

Great trip. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a lot of fun whitewater. The pace is leisurely overall, but the two days of rafting are just enough each day to be really fun. The water comes out of a reservoir, so the flow was excellent. I was concerned about wildfires in California, but they were not close, and the night we spent under the stars was crystal clear and stunning! No tent needed! The food is really great as well. No need to bring your own snacks! The guides were fun, positive and did a great job in all aspects of the trip. I went with my teenage son and he also thought it was a great trip as well. I would go again with OARS, with no hesitation, and specifically would go again on this trip if the opportunity presented itself. read more

We went white water rafting on the South Fork of the American River with OARS today. Our guide/safety, twins Austin and Gordon, were simply amazing. They were knowledgeable, personable and patient. 3 of the 4 of us had never white water rafted before, but came out feeling like pros. And that is a direct result of Austin and Gordon's skill and positivity. 10 stars, would recommend. And no, they didn't ask for a review, or even mention it. They were just that good! read more

Overview - Trip: 3 days, ended up rafting 2 with a layover day in the middle Groups size: 21 people, adults only Guides: Dakota, Justin, Kas, Chris, Jeff, Rich, Becca, and Todd This was by far on of the best vacations I have ever been on!!! I decided to take a solo trip to check this off my bucket list and I was not disappointed. I did a lot of research on what company to choose, and then picked a trip based on drive distance and dates available. I chose then didn't really look into the specifics of this trip besides the recommended packing list. And I am so glad I did. I was blown away by the food options, the organization and skill of all of the guides and the beauty of the location. As a solo traveler, it was awesome that the guides AND the other guests in the group welcomed me as one of their own. And for the guides specifically, it was great to have such a relaxed, fun atmosphere but still feel completely safe at all times. Think surfer chill atmosphere but with military grade organization and precision :) It was AWESOME. I think the things I liked the most about this trip were that we didn't see anyone outside of our group the whole time. We also had a bit of a let down since we couldn't raft the middle day but the guides rallied us and made everyone really happy we ended up with a down day! Lastly, we didn't have to spend all of our time in the group. In that I booked this as a solo trip, it was nice to take a bit of time to myself to sit away from the group and the crew was relaxed enough to trip us like the adults that we are to adventure a bit. Recommendations: - I loved rafting in June because it was warm enough to wear shorts and a tee, but not feel cold when wet all day. - pack less cloths than you think you need. I really only had two sets of cloths, one for the day and one for night for dry cloths - don't worry about the food - there was SOO much of it. I had packed some bars just in case and didn't end up eating any of them. - pack carabiners - for easy access, just hook your water bottle onto the raft rings! - sunscreen, make sure to put it on like 20 minutes before getting into a boat. I kept getting wet right after putting it on and spent more time than necessary worrying it was washing off when I didn't have time to put more on. Shoutout to: Jeff (my board guide, joke master extraordinaire, and for teaching me to "drive") Dakota (you know someone is passionate when they actively seek feedback for improvement) Rich (teaching card games and answering ALL of my rafting questions) Becca (hands up to girls who flip boats! thanks for teaching me! ) This is who I spent the most time with! All of the other guides were also amazing in the time that I spent with them! I just didn't spend as much time so I'll leave it to others to give you more specific praise of their work :) read more

Just completed a 1-day trip with a great team of guides (Tanner, Rick, Rebecca, Teal) and boatmates and cannot say enough good things about the river, the rafting, and the guides. From put-in to takeout its non-stop Class 4 action and I plan to go back. The OARS team, from registration to pickup, is excellent. Thank you! read more

Did and overnight rafting trip with my dad on the Tuolumne River and had an amazing experience with this company. EVERYTHING is taken care of. Before you get on the river they give you an in depth safety tutorial and warm up, including a swim test, to make sure you feel comfortable on the raft. All the guides were friendly, fun to hangout with, and accommodating. The food exceeded my expectations; we had tri-tip, chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, asparagus, hors d'oeuvres, beer/wine, and delicious Dutch oven brownies for dessert. They come prepared with games so you never get bored, and offer options for activities once you've set up camp. It happened to be pouring rain the night that we were there and if anything it enhanced our experience. They set up a huge tarp so we stayed dry and it was so peaceful to sleep hearing the rushing river and the rain. Would definitely recommend this company to anybody interested in getting out into nature and having an amazing time. read more

See all

This was one of the best white water experiences have ever had. I have been rafting a total if 17 times and this one stuck out to me. The river had very exiting rapids, and great views. Along with the great river, the staff was amazing! Travis was my guide, and he was great. Always told us what to do in a kind way. He was also very funny too! I definitely recommend to anybody, even if you have a lot of experience or not, it will still be great! read more

My buddies and I have made a yearly tradition of going rafting with OARS. If you're planning on going down the Tuolumne, American, or Merced, they are the outfit to go with. We always request Mike, because of his professionalism, humor, and knowledge of the rivers. Other notable guides: Tanner, Chelsea, and Gavin. They take safety on the river very seriously, while also keeping a fun, well informed experience. My buddies and I are always left laughing, wet, and unscathed at the end. We have hit a couple bumps in the road with OARS, in terms of unpredictable weather, but they've ALWAYS stepped up their game to make sure we're taken care of. The lunches always have more than enough food provided, and their dinners (for the overnights) are always fantastic. HIGHLY recommended! read more

My husband and I just finished a bucket list vacation down the Grand Canyon with Oars in the Dories. I can't say enough. The crew: Andrea, Rio, Deli, Steve, Crystal, Ben and Godwin worked tirelessly for a team of 15 travelers. Not only did they row all day but they cooked us breakfast, lunch and dinner. And believe me they used the best ingredients. This was not your typical camp food. We felt spoiled by the crew and deeply cared for. I would recommend this trip to those who are outdoor enthusiasts and those who want to be. Thank you, Oars. Vacation well done. Hope to go the longer route in the next few years. read more

OARS California Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Angels Camp, California

The three day, 18 mile trip down the Tuolumne River, with more than 12 class IV rapids, was an epic adventure - fun, exciting, nerve wracking and beautiful from start to finish. Our guide, Crystal, was amazing. Our safety was her utmost concern, but so was making our trip memorable. The rest of the crew, Mike (trip leader), Moose (videographer extraordinare), Collin, Ray and Jimbo were incredibly friendly, funny, and knowledgeable. At the start of Class IV rock garden, my raftmates and I became distracted after successfully navigating around a large rock, prematurely bumping paddles for a "high five." This caused us to wrap our boat around Indecision Rock and we all had to climb out. Crystal's quick thinking and the hard work of the rest of the guides allowed us to swim safely to shore and rejoin our boat (which was thankfully saved by my husband as he took an involuntary swim through Rock Garden!) After about 5 miles on day one, you make camp for the night. A short hike across the river leads to an idyllic pool off the Clavey River. The water here is at least 20 degrees warmer than the Tuolumne, allowing for a leisurely swim and some rock jumping. While you are gone, camp is being set up. We returned to find appetizers and drinks waiting. Evenings are yours to spend as you wish. Day 2 involved about 6 more miles of rafting, a slightly calmer day then before, giving you time to learn about the river and its interesting gold rush history. We camped at a beautiful big beach with an incredible view. Lawn games were set up and everyone relaxed and chatted about another great day. On day 3, after breakfast and packing up camp, the group was led by Jimbo down a small section of class I rapids in front of camp, each of us on the "Paco Pads" used for sleeping. This was a blast! After leaving camp, we spent the rest of the day navigating one Class IV after another. It was exhilarating! A highlight of the day was getting our boat to "surf" in class IV Steamboat. The water traps the boat in and sends you spinning, with water rushing in and out. What a wild ride. The food was delicious and plentiful. Sandwiches with all the fixings, chicken caeser salad wraps for lunch, fajitas with condiments, rice and beans for dinner one night and perfectly cooked and seasoned salmon with saffron risotto and asparagus for dinner night two. I was blown away by being served eggs benedict, with a perfectly poached egg for breakfast on Sunday. Our crew had everything down to a science. Every details is thought of. All you have to do is be physically prepared for challenging but exciting rapids. We chose the adults only trip and it was such fun to meet people from near and far gathered together to laugh and play under the sun and stars. This trip is worth every cent. The guides make it special. We are now left with our memories, and sore abs and mouth from laughing and hooting and hollering. read more

We took our 5 year boy on the 3 day Lower Klamath river trip this last weekend and had a GREAT time! There were 3 families and 4 guides. We all got along great and our guides really made us feel at home on the river. They gave us plenty of good advice and encouragement. Great catered lunches and dinners in a very beautiful part of Northern California. I highly recommend this trip for athletic families with young children. It's a fantastic experience! This would have been a 5 star review if it weren't for a small problem with the booking office who changed the meeting place and failed to notify us about it.. no big deal but it could have been had we not found another family the night before who was going on the trip. read more

OARS California Rafting - Lower Klamath River - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Angels Camp, California

I've been on a couple trips with OARS and they are fantastic! Have no doubt that this will be a family/business/friend trip you will never forget! I'm still relatively new to rafting, but I'm pretty sure I'm now addicted! I cannot think of a more fun way to spend a vacation. read more

We did the 2 day Tuolumne raft trip, brilliant. My wife, 15 year old daughter, 12 year old son and I had a great adventure. Thoroughly recommend O.A.R.S http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrbTbA4rJxI&feature=share&list=UUY_klV07mS4PyuKeGlt90EA read more