My husband, 2 teenage kids, and I rafted the Merced with Zephyr last week. We could not have asked for a better trip. Everything ran on time, was super efficient, we felt safe and well-prepared. Eric was our guide, and he did a great job talking us through what to expect, providing us some history and and keeping us entertained on the river. Highly recommend this trip! read more

10 Star Review...Our party of 3 rafted w/ our guide, Dustin (and Erica in the 2nd boat) and we had a phenomenal time. Dustin has many years experience, was personable and social, and shared a wonderful outlook on rafting and life which was really cool and perceptive . His safety talk was on point as well. Very likeable and knowledgeable, this Dustin! The facilities were good with clean wooden stalls to change clothes, port-a-potties available, wetsuits loaned to us, and plenty of parking available. We were fortunate in that another party canceled at the last minute, and instead of canceling on us for too few customers, Dustin and Zephyr management allowed us to raft anyway and we got Dustin and Erica to ourselves! Not to mention the whole Merced river to ourselves. What a day of beauty, peace, all mixed in with fun rapids! The photos were great too. The photographer followed us down the river w/ his car and took great shots all the way down! The service and rafting could not be better, with a beautiful river, climate, and great guides to lead us. We'd return in a heartbeat and will return hopefully next year. Thank you Dustin, Erica, and Zephyr. read more

Since 2008, I've taken students down the Merced River using Zephyr several times and everytime the experience was amazing. Uniformly, the students loved the experience. I highly recommend Zephyr for rafting the Merced River in Spring. Eddie was our guide and he was fantastic. read more

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Midpines, California

What an amazing experience!! Absolutely once in an lifetime. Our guide River was incredible. I was a little nervous going in because I'd never rafted before, but he did a great job reviewing safety rules and I felt very comfortable on the river. If you're in the area, DO THIS! You won't regret it. read more

Skyler was a very accommodating and knowledgeable guide. The company was well run and everything went smooth. I would definitely sign up for another trip when we are back in town. read more

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - We made it! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Midpines, California

Fantastic views great guide (Eric) and just amazing views Well oiled machine and very very well done from start to finish read more

Fabulous experience from start to finish. Scheduling the trip was easy and fast. Communications from the company including what to bring and how to prepare were very thorough and lead to a very efficient trip. Equipment was in good shape and well kept. All staff were very friendly and helpful. River was our guide and can't say enough good things about him. Very pleasant, patient, helpful and a great teacher! Easy to talk to, was a good teacher and provided a lot of info on rafting options in other locations. Made for a very fun and enjoyable trip! Also, the photographers did an amazing job, tons of pictures, both posed and action shots. Their pricing for the picture package was an incredible value. If we make it back to Yosemite will definitely book another trip with this company! read more

There's a reason Zephyr is #1! Amazing experience, from organization & schedule to personalized attention, group comfort & a super-friendly team. My sister & I took my son rafting for the first time & our guide Carson made the experience memorable! Great historical knowledge & natural perspective, polite, considerate & fun. Can't wait to do it again! read more

This was an amazing experience for our family. The trip was planned and coordinated in detail, and everything was done in a safe and timely manner. Our guide was Nate who was awesome and super friendly as well as professional. We will definitely come back! read more

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Midpines, California

Great time on the river. Our guide keep everybody involved the entire time. Highly recommend.

Highly recommend!! My husband and I had so much fun! Was definitely a highlight of our trip. Dustin & Sage were awesome! So kind, friendly, and welcoming. 100% worth the price. It was super easy & convenient to reserve our rafting trip. Went to their online website the night before, booked & paid, went rafting the next day. So glad we were able to go even though we booked last minute. read more

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - Us rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Midpines, California

You've got to check this out when you visit Yosemite! We're a family of four with 13-year-old twin boys, and they had an absolute blast. They're already asking to come back for an overnight trip! All the guides were fantastic and super friendly, but I have to give a special shout-out to our guide, Dustin. He was a solid 10 out of 10--not just for safety, but he was also really informative and made us feel confident navigating the rapids. The whole experience from start to finish was amazing, and we owe a big thanks to everyone at Zephyr for making it a highlight of our trip! read more

Came to Midpines to visit Bass lake for the week, saw this recommendation at our air b n b guest book and booked a half day trip and was the most fun we had our whole trip !! This experience was so much fun!! Views were breath taking, rapids were great and with a 10 year old it was a good combination of adrenaline fun yet calm enough to be safe plus the fun swimming and rock jumping! Perfect for our first time and excited to keep going! This opened our love for rafting and we plan to do many more! Our guide Skylar was hilarious, super cool, friendly and informative! Our family is a big beef jerkey person and Skylar expressed he made some and even gave us some at the end of the trip which was super sweet! And if he sees this--- let him know it was very good!! Nate and Gary were awesome as well! Nate was was a hilarious host and even tho not our guide he was very friendly as well and Gary our bus driver was very friendly! Everyone we encountered was! We loved the professional photographers following along and the package of tons and tons of photos of beautiful memories- so many to choose from . If you are in Midpines or near HIGHLY recommend this place!!! read more

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One of the highlights of our trip to Yosemite was going rafting with Zephyr Whitewater Rafting. Our trip leader was Brian and he did a great job of capably guiding us down the river, while having a lot of fun, and also telling us a lot of information about the area while doing so. They also had a great photographer which kept traveling down the river by car and taking photos which were very high quality, and though I normally wouldn't buy photos after an event, these photos were numerous and high quality, which I thought was well worth the cost. They provided wet suits and the life vests, though I would recommend bringing some water shoes or sandals that have a strap on the back so they don't fall off which you'll need. Also, bringing a cap to wear under the helmet helps with the sun, as well as good sun screen. One of the best parts for are adult kids was there were a couple of places where it was safe for them to go into the water and float down next to the raft, which they did and really enjoyed that. All the staff were incredibly nice and welcoming as well. Overall, we had a great time, and will have to check them out next time we are back. read more

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Zephyr Whitewater Rafting is awesome! ...the gold standard of whitewater rafting companies!! I have been taking groups of friends on their tours for more than thirty years (hate to admit that part). Their guides are always fun and informative while staying constantly on top of their guiding responsibilities. We always have a blast and lots of laughs! Although, I will say I've probably heard the turtle joke enough times now... go and you will understand. I dare say I know a little bit about what I'm talking about since I have gone whitewater rafting since my early teens in places all over the world and even went through raft guide school and have even done some guiding (both decades ago). There are only a handful of rafting companies in the world as good as Zephyr Whitewater Rafting. And... No, I wasn't paid or even given a discount to say all this. If you're not sure who I am, search my name. read more

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Absolutely fantastic -- one of the best outdoor experiences we've had as a family. The river was thrilling (but within the comfort levels of our 10 and 12 year old). The guide (Heather) was super experienced, friendly, and great in encouraging our kids. The Merced river scenery is awe inspiring -- what can beat watery excitement in natural beauty like this? I would wholeheartedly recommend Zephyr and I'd give them 10 stars out of 5 if Yelp allowed it. Worth every cent and the experience of a lifetime! read more

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Midpines, California

Husband Jeffrey and I had a fantastic experience with Zephyr! Danny, Sage and Ashton were outstanding leaders. They emphasized all of the important safety details and allowed us to have a great time down the river. Even the short bus rides to & from the river was fun. read more

What an excellent day! The whole staff was amazing, and made sure we had a great day out on the water. We did a half day, and enjoyed every bit of it. read more

My family booked a trip, and minutes after completing my documents, I was contacted to advise that my grandson did not meet the age limit. I was super bummed but decided we would see them off and meet up afterward. Let me tell you, the staff was amazing from start to finish We followed them to the drop-off point and, from there, followed the van along the river. WHAT A FUN TIME we had watching them raft. Hope when the water slows down, we can go. Tip afterwards- go to the June Bug Cafe for a five star dinner! read more

Great experience, highly recommended! I like how organized everything was and that was really fun. We did a full day, which is a preferred option for me. Also, they do really great and affordable pictures! read more

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Midpines, California

Amazing rafting full day trip! Our guide Dustin made sure we felt confident and gave so much insight on our surroundings. It was the best part of my trip to the area and already planning my next time up there! read more

We went on a rafting trip with Zephyr Whitewater Expeditions on the Merced River, and it was truly an unforgettable experience. The staff was highly professional, and everything was exceptionally well organized. We are extremely satisfied and would definitely choose Zephyr again for our next rafting adventure--no hesitation at all. Highly recommended! read more

Eric and team did an amazing job. Heather was our raft guide and she made it so fun and interesting! They really care about the safety of their customers while making sure we had an amazing experience. I would highly recommend your company to anyone looking for a great river rafting experience. read more

It was an awesome experience. We had a lot of fun. We didn't just sit and ride but we got to learn how to paddle. Our guide Alia is the best, she's so calm and patient to us, and did her best to keep us safe and enjoy our trip. I highly recommend Zephyr. read more

This was our 3rd trip with Zephyr and it did not disappoint. The weather was beautiful and the rapids were perfect. We even took advantage of a free ice bath by jumping in the Merced. Thank you Adam and Nate for giving us a great send off from our Yosemite trip. We'll see you next year. read more

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - Sun and fun on the Merced - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Midpines, California

Way too many rafts to be enjoyable. There were 74 people out today so 14 rafts. It was slow, bumper boats with no clear fun passes of the good rapids. They also slow down a ton so a photographer can catch up. This was my 5th river I rafted and have never felt something so clogged up and slow. It was more of a group float trip than white water rafting. Would not recommend if you want white water rafting, they prioritized cramming as many people on the river rather than a good experience In response to owner, I have no issue with the water level. It's August, it's not dam controlled, I expected that. What I did not expect was the number of boats you crammed onto the river in those conditions. My dad also agreed it was way too many. You chose profits over your guests in terms of what would be their ideal experience. Even the guides were shocked with the number of boats. You tried to maximize end of season revenue and you achieved that by shoving 14 boats out at once. Just because we smiled in photos doesn't mean we'd recommend this company to others and that was the purpose of this review. Even in higher volume water times how would I know you wouldn't put on so many boats? read more

My family and I were spending a week in Mariposa for vacation. With lots of planned days in Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks hiking, we needed a 'Laid Back' day. We found Zephyr Rafting and decided to book a 1/2 day trip. Best decision ever! The team at Zephyr is 1st class. They made us feel welcome and were very informative on what we needed to know before we hit the river. They had everything we needed so it was the most stress free excursion. Our guide Franz was the best. He was great at explaining what we needed to do and when and had safety at the forefront. He was insightful, knowledgeable and funny. He made the trip a great experience and we are now looking to book either rafting or snowmobile excursions with him in the future. The water was amazing, honestly I think late May is the perfect time of year for this. Adam the owner was super nice and welcoming. Just an overall great experience and I will recommend them to anyone heading to that area. Hope to be back soon and do a full day trip! Thank you, Zephyr!!! read more

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With two college daughters on different schedules, it's not often we get away on a family trip anymore, and after two days of driving and a day touring Yosemite, we were ready for a little exercise and excitement. Boy did we get it! The Zephyr Whitewater half-day trip on the Merced River was the highlight of our vacation. The water was fast, the rapids were big, and the experience was great! Our guide, Sage, expertly maneuvered us through the rapids, giving instructions on what to do as we went. She was very professional, personable, and fun (ask her to tell you her guide jokes:-) From beginning to end, the Zephyr experience was excellent - easy booking, responsive to pre-trip questions, quality equipment, professional guides, and great on-river photos. It was an experience we won't forget. The mandatory swim test was easy, assisted by the wet suit and life jacket (PFD). It gave us a chance to get used to being wet (with wet suit, river jacket and PFD, it wasn't as cold as expected). It also gave us a chance to practice pulling a person back into the raft. This was especially helpful when dad (that's me) flipped out of the raft and my daughter had to haul me back in. That was an exhilarating 15 seconds! Thanks to everyone at Zephyr for a great afternoon!! read more

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - Fun afternoon on the Merced River! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Midpines, California

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WOULD RAFT AGAIN!!! This was one of the greatest adventures of my life. Our guide, Sierra, was awesome. The water was super high (Class 4 rapids) and cold when we were there (May 2023). Wetsuits were required, and we were grateful to have them! I felt very safe with the experienced staff. This trip was the THRILL of a lifetime. Do not wait, book it now! Make sure you get the photo package too. read more

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Midpines, California

My husband and I have never been white water rafting before and because we are not the strongest swimmers he was skeptical of going. I booked the trip anyways why not? We did a full day at Merced River. Zephyr employees were wearing and abided by CDC protocols. Our guide Eric was hilarious, had great banter, and gave us information about the river. Lunch was really good. They had a great set up for sandwich bar which included different types of breads, wraps, condiments like avocado, bean sprouts, pickles, you name it! I am glad that we did not choose the half day because the last part of the river was breathtaking :) I am glad I choose Zephyr as they are local company. Thank you for this amazing experience. Our next stop the Tuolumne River!!!! read more

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Great trip down the Merced. The white water guides were fun to go rafting down the river with. We felt safe and had an absolute fun time. Family of four, our teen kids had a blast. Price to purchase photos after rafting was affordable and quantity of photos was awesome. Great memories captured. Would go down the river with them again! read more

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - Rafting Merced River - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Midpines, California

What an awesome group of folks! Friendly fun knowledgeable. Our trip was a 10+! Maggie, our guide, was the BEST! It was a great day on the water and we WILL be back for more adventures with Zephyr!! And lunch was great too!! read more

What a fun time!! These guys and gals were very professional and knew how to have a good time. Highly recommend! read more

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Midpines, California

This was my first Whitewater Rafting trip. As someone who almost drowned three times as a kid, I had to fight some demons to sign up, but I did, and boy, did they exceed my expectations! I even jumped down a 15-foot rock into the water and did the raft slide, and I'm an older chick. :) Our guide was Josh. The "Admin" was Carson. All the staff are cool and knowledgeable. We practiced our oar strokes in calm water, so we knew what to do on commands. If I could afford it, I'd go once a week. But I'll definitely be back next year, hopefully early on to catch wilder water. This was towards the end of the season, but there will always be next year. I'll definitely be back! read more

My family and I did the full day Merced river trip one June 12 and it was a great time! Absolutely loved it. :) Dane was our river guide and he was great. It was my wife and I and my two teenage kids, and we all had a fantastic time. First time ever for them, second time ever for me, with my last run being 20 years ago. Class 4 rapids, tons of fun! If you're feeling hesitation out of fear, you should know that the crew there will take really good care of you and safety is a primary concern. Zephyr provides wetsuits, wool sweaters, and paddle jackets to keep you warm. I'd recommend wearing tennis shoes, water shoes, Tevas, or something with a hard sole you can walk on rocks with, and avoid flip flops. I wore wetsuit booties from my dive locker and was fine. You'll be wearing a helmet, but consider wearing a baseball hat or a visor for a little shade, and sunglasses with a leash just in case. If you're hesitating out of laziness, okay, be aware you're gonna have to help paddle that boat! There are some sections of the river that are a workout, and some others that are pretty chill, but it's totally worth it. Back to safety: There will be a safety briefing, and you *WILL* have to jump in the water to practice getting back in the boat, should you fall in. Water in June is chilly so it's a little bit of a shock at first, so maybe touch the water with your hands, maybe splash it on your face before you jump in so you know what to expect and it won't be such a big surprise. No biggie for me, my wife was a little temperature shocked when she jumped in. There was also a safety kayaker traveling with us in the event anyone needed an assist, since the kayak is a lot more nimble on the river than the rafts are. That said, none of the four of us fell out of the boat, but there were two people out of 4 boats that did. No biggie though, they were able to get right back in, no sweat, smiling faces all around. They made us lunch, too! Pulled off to a river bank and they put together a cold cut lunch buffet with fruit and chips and cookies to boot, which was great. Drinks too! Also, make sure you tip your guide in the end. These guys work hard to show you a good time and keep you safe. If I have ONE nit-picky ask of Zephyr, I'd say wash some of those sweaters you give out! Some, not all, are a little smelly. :) As a guest, no biggie if its warm and you don't need a sweater, and definitely not worth worrying about, just ask for a different sweater if you don't like yours! :) read more

Zephyr Whitewater Rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Midpines, California

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This was an incredible trip. The team was great and it was a lot of fun. The staff seemed extremely competent and really took the time to make us feel like we were in good hands. The guide was awesome. I would definitely go again. My only thing for the 4 stars (I would put 4.5 if I could) is that the guide really emphasized for us not to bring phones, and mentioned that photos would be taken by the crew. Unfortunately he failed to mention the outrageous price of the photos at $60...and so even though we had a wonderful time, I have no pictures of the event. I definitely plan to go again, but I would bring a disposable film camera... that way I won't risk losing my phone- but also have memories of a great adventure without paying an arm and a leg. read more

Great rafting team, super knowledgeable and fun! We had to take a swim test and run other drills before launch which made me feel really safe. Our guide, Maggie, was hilarious and I would recommend her to anyone! The team also takes great photos along the course! Definitely go! read more

This adventure was amazing. We decided to go on this rafting trip on our exploration of Yosemite valley. It did not disappoint. The water in the rivers are the highest they have been in in a very long time, and it made the trip down the river very exciting. The guides and group leaders are awesome. You can tell they love what they do and really enjoy sharing it. Our guide Sierra was amazing and so much fun. We had a family join the 2 of us and it made for an amazing ride. Zephyr was professional and very safety conscious while still having a good time. We highly recommend using them if you are looking for a very fun and safe way to experience the natural beauty of the valley and rivers. Mahalo Sierra and Zephyr read more

It was a great experience, amazing people at the rafting, right from people on the phone to the people on the rafts and in the bus. Very knowledgeable, friendly, experienced. Highly recommended for all ages and first timers read more

This is the second year we have done the half day trip. And it's not the last time we will be here. We brought some friends with us and we had the best day! Nate was an amazing guide and he was fun and knowledgeable. Last year we had Maggie as our guide and she was amazing as well. We will be back next year. Make sure you purchase the photos they take while on the trip. The pics are plentiful and clear. What an amazing day! read more