Had an absolute blast with Whitewater Connection for our trip down the South Fork! Parking is $2 for the day, cash only. Drive straight until you see someone who will take the cash and point you to where you should park. The day started out with lunch, which was burgers and hot dogs cooked backyard barbecue style. Other toppings were provided, and I thought it tasted simple but great! (Was expecting plain old possibly stale sandwiches.) We were scheduled to embark at 12:15, but due to CHP closing the bus route, many guides from the last trip were not able to make it back on time. I didn't have my phone or watch on me, but I think we ended up leaving around 1:00. Ann kept us updated the entire time, while scrambling to make the best out of a messy situation. Our boat guide was Gonzo, and he did a fantastic job! The entire trip was fun, and he would often advise us when we could go out into the water for a swim, or sit at the front edge of the raft at a rapid to get the full experience (some rapids are more shallow, for example, so sitting there can result in falling out of the raft and cutting yourself on rocks). Very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. Total trip time on the river was 3 hours, 45 minutes, plus about a 15~20 minutes ride down to the buses (a boat is pulling you along, so you can sit/lay in your boat and relax). Then about a 25 minute bus ride back to the parking spot. On the bus ride back, one of the tires fell off. Ann told us that they just changed the wheels the week before (in a lighthearted manner)! We ended up stranded for about 30 minutes, but Ann again patiently went about finding a solution. A kind lady drove a back-up bus to come pick us up, and she and Ann kept us entertained and engaged with facts and jokes the entire time! Overall, the transportation on this day was not in our favor. It was not Whitewater Connection's fault at all! However, Ann decided that since we had been through so many delays that day, all of the groups on this trip would get free photos. I thought it was an extremely kind gesture! Her demeanor and attitude in the face of issues tells a lot about how much she cares about her clients. We ended up receiving a link to download the photos the same day, despite having such a long day. Overall, I would highly recommend a trip with Whitewater Connection. The customer service does not fail to impress, and the guides are all knowledgeable and have the right personality to make the trip fun! Shout out to Ann and Gonzo (and the kind lady who drove the back-up bus...my memory is failing me here) - cheers! BRING / DO NOT BRING: - Lots of sunscreen - Water shoes (they also sell some for $15 at the site, which is reasonable) with socks - Tennis shoes w/o socks worked perfectly for me as well - No shirt (guys) - I had no issues with the life jacket scratching me! - Cheap sunglasses (so you don't have to be afraid of doing the fun parts!) - Bathing suit for guys, probably shorts for girls - Change of clothes, or at least shoes for the drive back home read more

I was in a vehicle behind Whitewater Connection bus and it was emitting a lot of filthy diesel smoke. Not only that, the driver was not pulling over to let the line of cars behind it go ahead even when there were many big and wide pullovers. I won't go rafting with them nor recommend them to my friends. Picture was taken July 25, 9am towards Chili Bar put-in. Their drivers consistently lacking driving etiquette that I decided to post this review. read more

Whitewater Connection - Bad exhaust gas from bus ride - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

Our guide was cool name Jeremy! My first time going with White water connection and they were pretty alright as to the guide. I was observing at other guide within our 4 group because its all about them that makes your rafting trip fun and adventure. And I think my crew boat got the cooliest fun one JEREMY!! He was really down to earth and interacted with his team all at the same time having to take his job very serious. He gather all our boat to splash some people on the side of the bank hahaha He was awesome! So sorrty didn't have no cash on hand to tip:( Raft on the middle fork, been on it couple times now and it always enjoyable but for sure a new route would be nice next time. Quite downtime stream, 3-4 big rapid. Happen to fall out at the last big rapid hahaaa... read more

Whitewater Connection - 24ppls Rolling deep with Whitewater Connection - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

This was a great day! Yuri our guide was fantastic The Middle Fork was a blast Highly recommend WWC read more

See all

Had a freaking blast today with my daughter.. The guide we had was amazing as well.. Very knowledgeable about the river.. A plus for me was that the guide was checking on my daughter through out the trip to make sure she was doing ok.. Booked the chili bar trip, by the end of summer we are going back for the full day trip!! I highly recommend this company!! read more

I took my 17 year old grandson, and severely autistic son Marshall on the South fork ride two days ago. Marshall can't swim, and is medically fragile. Our guide Mike brought Marshall a warm fleece jacket to help make him more comfortable when we stopped for lunch midway through our 25 mile excursion. There was much more white water and turbulence this year after the heavy snow melt run off... and I was apprehensive for my disabled son. Our guide Mike, was a devout and highly experienced rafting guide who put everyone at ease. We made it through the wildest rapids with his direction with ease.... even Marshall had a wonderful time. Kudos to this selfless man, for making this event such a wonderfully unforgettable day for us all. read more

This company has made my family and I love rafting. Our guide, Dee, was so friendly and knowledgeable. They have to talk safety in case anyone falls out, but we didn't have any problems. The water was very high because of all the rain and snow melt we've had, and also very cold. She told us normally guests can swim for about a mile on the river, but it was too fast when we went. It's refreshing to meet someone who is so passionate about what they do, and I would go so far as to say that I was inspired by this visit. We used a Groupon, so the prices were really reasonable. Bring cash for the gift shop! If you plan on purchasing photos, that saves you $10. read more

My family had a great time on the 4 hour trip with our guide, Kennedy. He kicked ass and made the trip a lot of fun. Our group age ranged from my youngest daughter who is 10 to my Mom being 59. Everyone had a good time. I recommend this rafting trip to family and friends. read more

I cannot say enough about the thrill of this trip! It was a family/couples trip so we bonded, we teamed up, we kept each other safe, we laughed, we smiled consistently, and the entire day was a hit! We rafted 14 miles of the middle fork American river and our guide was fantastic! I wish I could remember his name, I called him Chief and he was from Argentina. He was exceptional, he guided us down safely and told us clear directions to navigate the waters. The guides also provided a delicious lunch, which was a spread of ingredients to build a yummy wrap! We had so much fun and I highly recommend this trip for anyone looking to team build, or just get out and have an extreme adventure! Thank you white water connections!! That will forever be a day to remember, and thank you to our guide for keeping us all in the boat the entire way down!!! read more

Whitewater Connection - Tunnel Chute - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

See all

We had a great experience. Our guide was Anne. She made it really fun and pointed out so many points of interest along the way. I definitely would use these guys again!!! read more

Whitewater Connection - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

If you ever wanted to river raft........ this is the outfit you want to go with...... My mom moved to Cool, Cal. 6 years ago. I visited her that 1st mothers day as a surprise for her. We drove down the highway looking for things to do and saw many rafting outfits and decided to book with whitewater connection and have enjoyed them every year since. You will feel safe,informed, and well fed. Love the lunch and you will be hungry. We do a one day but they offer all sorts of trips. This mothers day we are going to get the helmet camera video for once in a lifetime memories. White water connection has helped make a mothers day tradition for our whole family now that all the rest go with us now. You will enjoy the guides and there skills.Mothers day is only a week away.... YEA See you on da river !!! read more

Whitewater Connection is the BEST! They are very organized and very friendly too. What makes them soo amazing is that their #1 concern is YOU. They care about your safety and enjoyment. What I really enjoyed is that you spend so much time with your guides. They spend the whole day out on the river with you and they prepare your meals and enjoy them with you. THE FOOD IS DELICIOUS. They are very knowledgeable of rafting and easy to get along with. Camp was nice too. I'm not one for camping, but here, it didn't really feel like camping. They have nice grassy areas and it's right on the river. The showers are warm and the toilets flush! If you are thinking about going rafting, definitely go with WWC. read more

This was my families first experience in white water! Hands down the best group of staff on and off the river! From the food to the rapids! 1st class! We witnessed several other rafting companies going beside us and I'll tell you what it didn't look like much fun. I think the faces on the rafters said it all. Oh yeah and of course the best river guide is Bruno! He kept it simple and fun the whole time finding all the great spots on the rapids my kids are still talking about him good times thanks Bruno! can't wait to come back The Wilkinson's!!! read more

Whitewater Connection - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

These guys are pros. Whitewater Connection has some of the most experienced river guides on the river, and they know how to run a very comfortable camp site. The whole trip was run so smoothly that I was so very, very tempted to book another trip for later this season. WWC had a lot to prove to me - I was left disappointed from an earlier outing with another shop (see review from Jun-08). When my pal suggested a 2 day raft and camp trip to the same river... I was, shall we say, less than luke warm about the idea. None the less, I am a sucker for a weekend on the river so off I went. We arrived on Friday to a lush, secluded campsite. It is yuppie camping where all you had to lift your finger for, besides rafting, is to pitch a tent and make s'mores. Yes, there is a toilet and shower block. I felt guilty calling it camping. The (international) staff was friendly, not over the top. All meals are included in the camping package and the food was FANTASTIC. Can you imagine a steak and lobster tail dinner (with appetizers, dessert and alcoholic drinks) for a camping trip? All this, with your own camp spot right on the river, for $30'ish. I couldn't believe it. Andy the Kiwi and Zac the local boy were our guides for both days. Collectively they had almost 30 years of experience on the American River. They found every bump we wanted on the Middle Fork, and even made the more placid Upper South Fork interesting. I could go on but Andy, Zac, Heidi, Kristen, Douglas, Dave, driver Tim and everyone on staff that weekend made it unforgettable in all the right ways. I will most definitely go rafting again, and I will ABSOLUTELY book through WW Connection. read more

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT!!!! It all starts with Mollie Kingma! Her personality and customer service makes you feel so comfortable about the trip! The camp site was awesome! If you rent tents, they're already set up when you arrive. The staff are attentive and they make sure you are having a good time. Excellent guides on the water! Safety first! Nobody gets left behind! And after seeing pictures of other companies, I appreciate the fact that WWC use helmets! Will definitely go back and use WWC again! read more

Whitewater Connection - About to start our day on South Fork! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

This is my 4th Whitewater Rafting Trip with WWC. The first 3 years we have done South Fork and this year we did Middle Fork. We had a few first timers with us and they did great! The campsite is also great! It's on grass and right next to the river. There are warm showers and flush toilets. There are restaurants and a bar within walking distance from camp. The prepared meals are tasty, too, and the guides are experienced and fun. I'll continue to book with WWC! read more

Amazing trip and a excellent river guide! Total professional, made everyone feel safe. Not to mention a total cutie. We are ready to go back and do the Middle Fork - especially if our trusy guide Cova is there. The campground is very nice - the entire staff were friendly and helpful. Good food, veggie friendly and running water for those who need "flushies" and a shower. read more

We visited from San Diego (yup, drove 9 hours to go with THIS company) for our second trip with WWC and enjoyed every minute of it. We were last there in 2009 and had a very experienced guide, Andy, from New Zealand. He was awesome, so when we found out he was living elsewhere now, we were worried about who could fill his shoes. This time our guide was a newcomer, Phil, from Ireland. While he may have been new to this river, he was experienced, and personable with a terrific sense of humor and made our trip a ton of fun. We enjoyed every minute on the river because of Phil! The food and camping was as great as we remembered it from 2009. Guapo and the rest of the crew are fantastic. Last time we came by ourselves - just our family of 5. This time we came with a group of 11, and EVERYONE had a blast! Whitewater Connection is worth every mile of the drive, and we are already looking forward to our next adventure with them! read more

Whitewater Connection is the premier rafting company on the American River (all three forks). There are numerous rafting companies that serve the American River, but the quality varies significantly. It is difficult to determine the quality just by researching online, but after you attend one or more rafting companies, the differences are more apparent. First, Whitewater Connection has the newest, high quality equipment. They utilize top-notch, custom made rafts. (They often sell their old equipment to other rafting companies when the equipment is no longer satisfactory for their standards.) Further, some rafting companies do not require the participants to wear helmets, which is a sign that customer safety is not important to the other rafting companies. Second, WWC has the most experienced guides. Many of their guides individually have a decade or more of rafting experience. Compare this to some other rafting companies that higher teenagers or college age students and provide them with a week or two of training. To provide further evidence, some of the other rafting companies do not let the guides take the equipment through Class VI rapids (like Ruck-A-Chucky Falls) due to inexperienced guides and liability insurance reasons. WWC does allow the guides alone to traverse Class 5 rapids, which speeds up the portage and transition. Third, WWC has an amazing campground on the South Fork of the American River. Fourth, WWC has a great website, with excellent information regarding the trip (such as what to bring). The staff is very responsive to emails and phone calls. They provide excellent communication regarding the details of the trip. Overall, I was thrilled with my experience with WWC, and I am already planning a another trip with them next spring. Edit: Yelp is filtering this review. It is a legit review and should not be filtered. read more

My experience with Whitewater Connections was superior from the beginning. When I called to book my trip the young woman on the phone took time to listen to me, she heard what I was saying about age, experience, and comfort levels and recommended a Middle Fork Trip. We were met at the Coloma rendezvous point by "Gunny Bob" a local character whom one can't help but like. Our guide for the day was Diego. Clearly a competent hand at the raft; Diego was friendly and very knowledgeable about the river, fauna and flora. Of course the river was great with class one thru four; and amazing scenery. Of course I am going again! And I'll ask for Diego. Final thought - The equipment we used was in very good shape, clearly in better shape then some of the other companies were using. read more

Be prepared to have a blast! We loved it and will be back again next year! Thanks Eric and Pops for making our day!

This was our fourth trip with WWC. They stand out from the competition because of: - outstanding staff -attention to detail -excellent meals -impeccable campground and facility -professional website and booking process -genuine concern for guest's experience -safety consciousness There are a lot of raft companies on the American River but our experiences have been consistently wonderful so no reason to change. We have rafter all three routes, gone with small groups and big groups, have had 8 different guides. Always a great time! read more

We camped overnight Friday and left Sunday. We raft Saturday. The camp site is beautiful. It's right next to the river. It's a very small campsite so I'm sure during summer holidays, etc. it would be a little cramp. But for some reason that weekend we got the whole section to ourselves. It was nice, grassy, but we were a bit far from the showers and and bathrooms. Although they do have port-o-potties. The river guide was nice. I wouldn't say friendly or cheery but she was experienced and she showed us a few tricks on the rafts and she let us swim some of the rapids, i.e., off the raft and swim in the river. The overall customer service was a little odd. I mean everyone I spoke to via phone was really nice but I felt like it was one of those things where they were so relaxed. You arrive, not really sure what to do, a host did come out to greet us and told us where to go but other than that you were left on your own. I just knew the 14 of us were assigned to a specific camp site but wasn't sure if we can just camp anywhere. -1 star because the first day when we were setting up camp, this guy in a wet suit comes out of the river and bums a beer off us. Also Saturday night, someone's dog came into our campsite even though they don't allow dogs. I have no clue who's dog it was, except it had a collar. We had to walk it back to the main area so one of the staffs can take care of it. I guess with any camp site, security is not always guaranteed. We just felt a little isolated which was a plus and minus. Plus we were free to do what we want, minus should something happened not sure if anyone would know. Overall I wouldn't mind going back. It's a beautiful area and check out time was any time, although I wonder if it's because it wasn't a busy weekend. read more

Had a lot of fun on our rafting trip with WWC. Our guide was friendly and talkative enough, but also made sure we knew our sh*t so we didn't fall out of the raft (gladly we did not)! Easy pick-up from the parking lot to the mouth of the river and lunch provided. A few tips: - Sunscreen WELL before hand; it gets hot! - If you get car sick, the drive to the river is pretty rough; be prepared - Sometimes lunch can be much later in the day, so it'd be good to eat some breakfast read more

Had a fantastic first time experience rafting with WWC. Had never gone rafting before, but WWC made it fun and safe. Our guide was Jeremy Kaderka (I apologize if I'm spelling that wrong). I can't say to everyone's experience, but he was hands down the best guide. He really got in tune with our raft and catered our trip to benefit us the best. We had so much fun and would love to raft again with him as our guide. Sorry your sunglasses broke! :) read more

This trip was AWESOMEE!! Totally worth the 3-hr drive to the starting point of the Middle Fork. Our tour guides, Tom and Austin, were two of the most animated and angelic charm-sters; dare-devils (but with precaution) as we had hoped for. They helped run us alongside rocks, steer into deep dips and propel from quick currents (this was a good thing because our trip was never boring). They shared in our jokes and participated in our wonky rituals. I didn't want to leave :( Scheduling was easily completed through phone. Their website has links to all-you-need to pack for your trip. They are quick and prompt in their responses. Lunch was a deli-style buffet, make your own wrap, with jugs of lemonade/water, cookies, pita chips. Delicious meal to have while surrounded by the Tahoe National Forests, little of which is populated with civilians. Bathrooms were upgraded (in my book) porter-potties. Trail mix while we took a break from the Class 3-4's and drifted through the pools. They definitely took care of our bellies and the men when they get grumpy from having empty stomachs ;). They taught us how about the 2 must-do's for water safety and all the necessities for a safe ride in a timely but thorough manner before and while on the raft. They proved to us that they know their stuff. I definitely appreciate their work, and their love for this rafting community truly shines. Thank you LivingSocial for providing this deal with WhiteWater Connections. They certainly made this trip a fond memory :) read more

We took the day trip on the South Fork and can't wait to go again. My family had 3 different guides Jim, Anthony, and Shilo. We are all arguing on which boat had the best guide...and we've come to the conclusion that we each had the perfect guide for us. (But I'm saying Jim was the best! The perfect amount of "tom-foolery" was had.) The bus ride back was a great adventure as well. I can't wait to go again and take the Middle Fork. read more

New to the area. Stopped by Sat morning to check them out and they made room for my wife and I to join an afternoon trip down the lower South Fork of the American River. Rich was our guide and his wife Lori (also a guide) was with us... We had an awesome time... They were great! We had so much fun that I signed up with WWC the next Saturday for an 18 mile trip down the Middle Fork of the American. Robbie was our guide and we had another incredible trip. This outfit is safety first and well equipped and staffed to give you the very best river experience!!! read more

This was such a great day! Weather was perfect!! Our guide Nick was excellent and kept us very safe. We did a 1/2 trip and it was perfect for us since it was our fist time rafting. The water was nice and refreshing. Beautiful sights along the way. Plenty of Rapids and plenty of places to just coast and relax. There is a small area that is safe enough to swim down the Rapids. We did the Chili Bar North Fork of the American river. Awesome experience and I really hope to come back some day and do it again. 100% recommend. BBQ lunch was DELISH and filling. Burgers, hot dogs, and other dishes were prepared by our tour guides. Very friendly and knowledgable. read more

Whitewater Connection - Camp - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

See all

I would not take teenagers on this trip! It was very boring and not worth the money! Our guide was older and getting annoyed with the teens. I asked the person on the phone about which trip we should take with the age of the kids and he recomended this one. My parents who are in their 60's were also bored and didn't like the guide. Zephyr is a much funner company. read more

WOW! Great time, Great campsite, Great Service, Great value. I went here with a few co-workers. Some had river experience some not. Whitewater Connection made it fun and exciting for everyone. Kudos to our guide Kevin for his patience as we were a rather unruly bunch. Highly Recommended. Big fun for small groups. read more

Had an amazing time at White Water Connection celebrating a birthday this past weekend. Great location...Friendly, fun staff...Experienced guides... We arrived at the camp site Friday evening and left Sunday morning. We rafted all day Saturday with experience guides who made a group of nervous first timers feel super comfortable on the river/rapids. My only complaint was the 10pm quiet time at the campsite but it wasn't a huge deal. Thanks again Bre, Chet, Mollie, David and the rest of the WWC team for a great experience! read more

Yuri was our tour guide, and we had a fantastic time. He mixed it up a lot, like none of the other boats were doing. There was a lot of games we played on the river, stories behind rocks, and other great conversation. Lunch was the best you could ask for out of a lunch box. They provided water for you. Yuri knew everything about the river, which angles to enter the rapids at, when we needed to paddle or back paddle. I would have trusted his paddle commands blind folded. Great since of humor. I'll come back, and I highly recommend Yuri! read more

Worst rafting experience EVER! Camille was our guide, and Amanda was assisting. I've gone down this river a half dozen times, and I've never felt so scared, or had so many close calls We hit 7 rocks! We didn't just glide by them, we went straight for them. Camille has NO control of the boat, and completely stopped instructing us when we got into the rapids. We were stuck on two rocks, and we went straight into two rocks on the banks! One flipped half of the boat out including Camille. Amanda was worried about Camille and I ended up floating down river. Thank God there was a raft with a guide that could control her boat, and she rescued me. As we were getting into the boat, we saw the first seat was loose. Amanda said she'd fix it once we got going. Then, when we were away from shore, they told us it was an old boat, and it was broken. That made all the difference in this horrid experience! I had no where to put my other foot and I could not jump on to that seat in trouble because it pushed back into the middle passengers. Then the second one broke too, and the front foot hold. This was a ride from hell. Once we got to Folsom, Camille admitted she was glad it was over because she had dislocated her shoulder and that's why Amanda was with her. One problem with that, Amanda panicked in the first small rapid and screamed that she had no control of the boat! Omg. Pure hell! This company should be inspected, this boat should be burned, and these "guides" should not be on the river without further training. Let the owner take this boat out with Camille and Amanda. Good luck HORRIBLE read more

If you want to go whitewater rafting in California, this is THE company to go with. I am a repeat customer and wouldn't even think of going with another company! We did the North Fork of the American River yesterday and all I can say was the trip was perfect. Our guide Brian was great (safety first, but also gave the right amount of background stories and humor), the raft and gear top-quality, the food at lunch was great, office staff was great -- even the Park Ranger I spoke to said (off the record) she recommends Whitewater Connection to people who ask her which tour company to use. I'm already trying to decided when/where will be my next trip! read more

Awesome experience, great fun!! We did the South Fork river and were absolutely blown away. Great scenery, not one minute without excitement, great organization, and great food. We had Jimmy as our guide and he made our trip a very special experience. He chose different - and more exciting - routes than the other boats, let us go backwards through rapids, and gave us tons of interesting information, while he was ahead everything all the time and made us feel safe every second. If you have the opportunity to choose your guide, chose Jimmy. read more

I have been rafting for 19 years in a row, various areas. Whitewater Connection is over the top . Newest Equipment, grass campground with built in kitchens, toilets, showers. the Guides are "HOT " and so much fun ! They customize the trip to the timid or the wild in each customer. We usually have about 40 people go each year and everyone says it is the best short vacation that they have ever had . This is a great Christmas Present for a family vacation and great bonding . Graduation or 21 st birthday. A few years back we had 4 generations form one family out on the river on one day !!We will be back there in the Spring !!! Rick & Kellie Redlands, ca read more

I love Whitewater Connection! We have rafted with them many times and always have a great trip. We have tried other rafting companies too, but WWC is consistently great in all facets of the trip. Their guides are the best, they value safety, they make the trip entertaining, their staff is knowledgeable, and the owner is dedicated to his customer's happiness. Don't bother with other companies, raft with Whitewater Connection! read more

been meaning to finish up this review... (lagging behind on quite a bit lately).. everyone should try water rafting at some time- it's such a great bonding thing and a great way to appreciate nature! to that end... whitewater connection definitely brings the game. this is perfect for summer camping trip.. come out for a night and camp out (bring your own dinner) in their grounds. then the next morning, get ready for some rafting. my friends and i had opted for the class 3 and below... (doing class 5 is pretty advanced and you should have some rafting experience already). excellent tour guide on the raft.. they make sure you are safe.. making sure people don't accidentally drift off. there's a place where you can dive out and float back which is pretty fun. :) they also take pictures of you at some really splashy point. if you get those, it's cheaper to split the cost with a group and divvy the pix ups after (they are digital pix). if you take the class 3 and below rapids, you get homemade blueberry pancakes! :) if not, you wake up earlier ... and miss out. but .. if you're doing class 4 and above.. i wouldn't really call it missing out i suppose! :) *i went jogging around the surrounding areas of the camp and it's just amazingly beautiful and peaceful* read more

I went on the same day as Brian K's review, we were in a separate boat from his group and we had a wonderful time, what a great trip, the guides were lots of fun and knew what they were doing, thanks guys! On a side note, I suppose I should note that this was probably the best water on this river possible, we hit it just right with this years huge snow pack, the river wasn't too high and not too low, just perfect rapids on the Kaweah, and that never hurts to make the trip great. read more