Tuolumne River White Water Rafting

The Tuolumne River is considered the best whitewater trip in California. Its glacier-fed headwaters originate near Yosemite National Park, and then surge through an isolated, spectacular canyon, forming 18 miles of non-stop, Class IV rapids. Intricate boulder gardens, rushing cascades, and churning holes promise action-packed paddling from put-in to take-out. But it's not just the whitewater that's earned the Tuolumne its distinction as the California river trip against which all others are measured.

The Wild & Scenic Tuolumne River flows through a remote wilderness canyon, completely inaccessible between our put-in at Meral's Pool and our take-out at Ward's Ferry. Its steep, spring-green and summer-golden hills are forested with oak and pine and flanked by rocky terraces and sandy beaches & a natural habitat for eagles, ring-tailed cats, river otter and other wildlife. Early season wildflowers blanket the canyon in colour: deep blue lupines, brilliant orange California poppies, yellow seep-spring monkeyflowers, and bright pink shooting stars, to name a few. Tumbling creeks, waterfalls, and glassy pools adorn the river corridor and its side canyons & perfect for hiking, fishing, and swimming during your off-river time.

1-209-736-4677

Itinerary / Highlights

Sample Itinerary

We pride ourselves in running a relaxed and always flexible schedule. Every trip is different depending upon the group, other trips on the water and sometimes the weather. The following is a sample of what your trip might be like. You'll cover all 18 river miles regardless of which length trip you chose.

We'll meet at the La Casa Loma River Store in Groveland. Your guide will give you a waterproof bag in which to pack your belongings if you're on an overnight trip. Departing Groveland, we'll take a steep shuttle ride down to the river & a fitting introduction to a trip filled with big descents! Arriving at our put-in point, you'll meet the rest of your O.A.R.S. crew and feel your anticipation build as you see the rafts waiting for you. After the guides present an orientation and thorough safety talk, our adventure begins.

Within the first two miles of the trip, we'll encounter three of the Tuolumne's most notorious rapids: Rock Garden, Nemesis, and Rams Head. The quick succession of fast chutes, sudden drops and technical maneuvering around boulders immediately sharpens our paddling skills, and our teamwork develops as we conquer the consistently exciting Class IV rapids.

Come lunchtime, we'll pull over to a sandy beach for a delicious picnic. Your guides will lay out an abundant spread of cold cuts, cheeses, veggies, and breads, or perhaps a tasty taco salad for roll-your-own burritos, accompanied by fruit, cookies, cold water, and lemonade.

Back on the river, each mile brings more white-knuckling thrills, more laughs, adrenaline and high fives. The remote beauty of our surroundings enhances our enjoyment of the trip; since there are only two launches allowed on the Tuolumne each day, our feeling of absolute peace and seclusion in this breathtaking wilderness canyon is well founded.

Well founded, but temporary… “peaceful” might not describe our mood when, around Mile 5, we hear a distant, rumbling sound up ahead. The rumbling turns into a loud roar as we approach the biggest whitewater in the canyon: Clavey Falls. The ultimate thrill, Clavey is actually a series of three staircase drops that are sure to deliver heart-pounding, frenzied-paddling, unabashed excitement! Flying through the bottom of the last drop, we'll feel an amazing sense of accomplishment and euphoria as we've just negotiated one of the most notable rapids in the West.

Come mid- to late-afternoon, we'll stop and make camp if you're on a multiday trip; you grab your bags and set up your tent while we take care of the kitchen and “living room” & camp chairs and the site for tonight's campfire (if permitted). This is the perfect time for you to lounge on the beach with that book you've wanted to finish forever. Before long you'll be savoring pleasing hors d'oeuvres and the beverage of your choice & delicious as these refreshments are, they always taste better after a day on the river! Read, nap, or just sit back and laugh with friends and family as we prepare dinner. After another satisfying feast, the evening is yours to spend however you wish. Maybe music, stories or jokes will bring us together tonight; maybe the popping of the fire, the whisper of the river and the clarity of the big, star-filled sky will encourage silent reflection on the amazing wilderness that is, for now, our home.

Grey's Grindstone, Thread the Needle, and Hell's Kitchen provide more thrills as we continue down the Tuolumne. In between rapids, calm stretches of cool water invite us to jump in for a refreshing swim.

The three-day trip gives us lots of time to explore the hidden wonders of this canyon. Great hikes along the Tuolumne's side streams bring us to waterfalls, swimming holes, natural waterslides, and clear creeks that offer excellent trout fishing. We'll also have time for relaxing on the beach, taking in some tanning rays or joining a game of Frisbee, volleyball or horseshoes.

As we reach Ward's Ferry and flat water, our river trip draws to a close. At the take-out point, an O.A.R.S. shuttle will be waiting to give you a ride back to the Casa Loma River Store. You'll be returned to your car by approximately 6:00 PM.

Other Details

Accommodation Details

Reservations and Deposits
A $125/person deposit is required at the time of reservation. The balance is due 60 days prior to departure.

Cancellations and Refunds
If you find it necessary to cancel your trip, notify us as soon as possible. All payments are nonrefundable and we regret that we cannot make exceptions for personal emergencies. For this reason, we strongly urge our participants to investigate trip cancellation insurance (see Insurance).

If you transfer from one trip to another, there is a $15/person charge up until 30 days before the trip. Transfers made after this time will be treated as cancellations.

Medical
Under most circumstances, if you are of an adventurous spirit and in reasonably good health, you should have no problem enjoying an O.A.R.S. trip. People with medical conditions, including pregnancy, should have a physician’s approval before taking an adventure travel trip.

Insurance
Although every effort is made to insure a safe trip for all, we strongly recommend that you protect yourself, your belongings, and your vacation through the purchase of a short-term traveler’s policy. A trip cancellation policy covers your non-refundable payments in most cases, should you have to cancel your trip at the last minute due to illness or injury. Trip participants should realize that in the event of illness or injury on an adventure travel trip, evacuation can be prolonged, difficult and expensive. Personal belongings and cameras are carried entirely at the owner’s risk, and O.A.R.S. accepts no responsibility for lost, damaged, delayed or stolen property.

Liability Waiver
Everyone is required to sign a standard release before the trip, acknowledging awareness that some risks are associated with the trip. Safety is of the utmost concern on our trips. However, due to the nature of the activities, a condition of your participation is that you will sign this form and return it to our office before the trip begins. Anyone who refuses to sign the form will not be allowed to participate, and consistent with O.A.R.S. cancellation policy, there will be no refund of the trip fees at that time.