The 2022 California Whitewater Rafting Season Update
Posted April 9, 2022 by Lenka BostianUpdated September 22, 2022
Which River Will You Explore?
All-Outdoors operates professionally guided whitewater rafting trips on 10 California rivers. (Explore this section of the website to find great photos, videos, maps, and descriptions of each of the rivers and trip options.)
We offer rafting trips in California from April until the end of October every year, and each river has its own season that ranges in duration depending on the rate of melt-off from the Sierra snowpack or the release schedule from upstream reservoirs.
Even during the drought, water stored in upstream reservoirs gets released on a schedule to generate hydropower, provide water for drinking and irrigation – and gives the tax paying public the bonus of reliable flows for recreational whitewater boating! Read our post When in Drought, There’s Still Water For Rafting to learn more!
Whether you are looking for a family-friendly trip with the kids or a thrilling ride for your group of experienced rafters, you have options to choose from all season long.
Fall Rafting (September – October)
During the fall months, we offer trips on select rivers with high-elevation upstream reservoirs that provide reliable flows:
- South Fork of the American River (Class III+ Beginner-Intermediate)
Now through September 30: FOUR days a week (Thu-Sun)
October 1 – October 31: FOUR days a week (Fri-Mon) - Goodwin Canyon (Class IV+ Intermediate-Advanced)
Double Runs scheduled on the following two weekends:
Sat-Sun October 15-16,
Sat-Sun October 22-23.
Note that the rafting season on the Middle Fork of the American River was scheduled to last through the end of September, however, it was cut short due to the Mosquito Fire.
If you want to dig into greater detail about the flows for each river we run, check our Real-Time Flow Reports for California Rivers.
Need any help planning your trip? Just reach out by phone, email, Live Chat.