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South Fork of the American River

Highway 49, Coloma, CA
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Ranked #1 of 7 attractions in Coloma
Type: Bodies of Water
Activities: Kayaking, White-water rafting
Description: This river is one of the most popular whitewater rafting and kayaking destinations in California.
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26 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    20
    6
    0
    0
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Date Rating
Coloma, California
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 April 2013

Took the ARTA company white water raft trip. It was a blast and the people working for ARTA were awesome!

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northern california-east bay
Senior Contributor
45 reviews 45 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 23 cities Reviews in 23 cities
27 helpful votes 27 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 March 2013

I have been on this river many years ago and this may be a great river but the secret is WHICH TRAVEL GROUP DO YOU GO WITH? Make sure they have insurance and are in good standing with El Dorado County - ie recent excerpt re GOLD RUSH RAFTING LLC....... "This outfitter is not in good standing. River Use Permit... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Roseville, California
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 January 2013

Would go every day if we could! Most rafted river in America, but never too crowded. Always see friendly boats. We are private rafters, but have experienced Mother Lode also and they are great!

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Placerville, California
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 10 January 2013

Just sitting by the river on a hot day is relaxing, rejuvenating. Right by the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park!

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roseville
Top Contributor
51 reviews 51 reviews
17 attraction reviews
Reviews in 18 cities Reviews in 18 cities
23 helpful votes 23 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 January 2013

I started rafting the upper south fork on our own with our own lousy equipment (don't recommend) over thirty years ago. The scenery is beautiful, enough trills in the rapids for most enthusiasts. Not for the very young or someone not comfortable in the water which can be quite cold. It is not for your innertube floaters!

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San Diego, California
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 November 2012

We rafted with Rubicon Whitewater Adventures They were great. One of the few small family run operations. When I called the owners wife answered the phone and was very personable. We only had 16 in our group, the last trip I went on had over 50 people in the group and were were "herded" down the river like cattle. Both... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
San Mateo, California
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
5 attraction reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 September 2012

This was my first time ever going white water rafting. The instruction was funny and understandable. Our guides, (we traveled in a two raft group), were professional and really fun. They gave us great historical information on the region and just general information. This was a class two and three river...the most significant thing that I learned is that I... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Tahoe
Senior Contributor
48 reviews 48 reviews
26 attraction reviews
Reviews in 19 cities Reviews in 19 cities
24 helpful votes 24 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 August 2012

The south fork of the american is a great beginner/ intermediate river. Some fun rapids that will get your attention without putting you in harms way. Go early in the season for the best water. But try to pick a hot day so you can enjoy the ice cold water more.

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San Francisco, CA
Senior Contributor
28 reviews 28 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 19 cities Reviews in 19 cities
14 helpful votes 14 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 August 2012

White water rafting is a fabulous spring or summer adventure in Northern California. Nothing beats a day on the river, with some gorgeous scenery and amazing rapids to get your adrenaline going! The South Fork of the American is the most popular river in the state, so it can get a little crowded on the warm summer weekends. But come... More

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La Honda, California
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
12 attraction reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 August 2012

If you've never been rafting before, this is the place to go. Lots of thrills and plenty of good food at the end of the day.

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