From class III to Class IV: the South Fork of the American outgrows its britches!
Posted June 22, 2011 by Malina
The South Fork of the American River is looking a little different these days, a wee self-impressed, even a little boastful.
For those of you who think you already know the South Fork, think again. The standard flow during the summer months, which makes the SF’s beloved class III run the most popular in the United States, is somewhere around 1200 CFS. Right now we’re seeing, oh, 5 TIMES that amount–literally 5-6 thousand CFS. This is the ideal trip for adventurous first-time rafters, and families with older kids and teenagers. The typical minimum age for South Fork rafting trips is 8 years old, but because of higher flows we’ve moved that guideline up to 12. So if a high water Kaweah or Merced River trip is a little too much for you, check out the South Fork, which may be just the ticket at these higher spring flows!