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Middle Klamath River

Whitewater Rafting in California with Turtle River Rafting Co.

Highlights

  • Inflatable Kayaks on all trips
  • Perfect for families with young children – warm water, mild rapids
  • Close to Mount Shasta, CA & Ashland, OR
  • Abundant wildlife, summer blackberries

 

Full Description

A unique rafting adventure on the National Wild and Scenic Klamath River of Northern California.

Located in the Klamath River valley just north of Mount Shasta, the Middle Klamath is an ideal river trip for first-timers, families with children as young as four, or river veterans looking for solitude and relaxation. In addition to the many Class 2 rapids, you’ll be exploring side creeks, swimming . . . or floating . . . in the warm water, and discovering deer and turtles along the riverbank.

On overnight trips we will be camping at the Tree of Heaven campground. Shaded by trees planted in the gold mining days, the campground is located right on the river . . . the perfect place to relax, swim, or hike after a day of rafting.

 

Includes:

Everything except your clothes and camping equipment is included in the trip price:

  • Rafts, life jackets, helmets if needed, dry storage bags
  • Professional guides & instruction
  • Meals from lunch on the first day through lunch on the last day
  • Water & snacks during the day
  • Shuttles from the take-out point back to the departure point

 

Excludes:

  • Transportation to or from the departure point
  • Personal beverages (sodas or alcoholic drinks)

 

Day by Day Itinerary

One-Day Trip

Your trip begins at 9:00 am at the Tree of Heaven Campground on the Klamath River. This is the site of a large miner’s camp in the mid-1800’s. Chinese immigrants farmed the flat bar and sent home for ‘Trees of Heaven’ to remind them of their homeland. These trees still provide a shaded oasis for camping along the river. Summers in the Klamath River valley are warm, so all you’ll need for a day trip is a swimsuit, sandals, hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Your guides will meet you at the boat ramp for an orientation and basic paddle instruction. We’ll have inflatable kayaks available for the more adventurous – usually any teenagers. The first of many small rapids is right at the end of the first pool and continues for the morning. We’ll stop to pick blackberries and swim. It’s a good chance to get into the kayaks and try your hand at paddling. Our lunch spot is in a shaded alcove, where you’re free to swim and explore along the river as your guides prepare lunch. The larger rapids for the day begin right after lunch; give those kayaks back to the kids. We’ll pass Kanaka Bar – named for early Hawaiian settlers and the site of Honolulu schoolhouse. On a fishing trip in the area, President Hoover heard about how difficult life was for the children and the school became his favorite charity. You’ll reach the Gottville take-out at around 4 pm where we’ll pack up, enjoy a cold drink from our cooler. This is also a good time to exchange email address, so photos from the day can be exchanged. If you’d like to stay the night the Tree of Heaven campground is perfect with supplies available at the Klamath store about 5 minutes down river or in nearby Yreka. We’ll be staying here on all of our 2-day trips.

Two-Day Trips

The day trip above is the second day of a two-day trip. The first day begins up-river near Interstate 5. As we leave the highway behind the river quickly descends into canyon formed by the Klamath and Shasta rivers. Featuring small rapids and numerous side creeks, we call this the “wildlife” section. Deer, raptors, and river otters are often spotted. The lunch stop for the day is at the mouth of the Shasta River as it joins the larger Klamath. You’ll complete this first day right at the Tree of Heaven campground were you’re welcome to relax, read, and swim while your guides prepare hors d’oeuvres and break out the cold drink cooler. A campfire and stories of the day follow our evening meal. Sleep well.

About The Operator:

Turtle River Rafting Co.

Headquarters:

Mount Shasta, CA

Turtle River Rafting Company is based in Mount Shasta, California just below the Oregon border. We have trips on six rivers in the mountains surrounding our home in addition to the Owyhee River in the high-desert of southern Oregon. The rivers running through the Siskiyou and Marble mountains offer some of the best whitewater rafting in the western United States. This rugged, mountainous country is also treasured for its solitude, exceptional wildlife, and fabulous scenery. We invite you to travel with us on a river rafting adventure and share our love of whitewater, wilderness, and friendship. 

Safety is a top priority at Turtle River. Now in our fourth decade of operation, most of our guides have been running rivers for 8 to 29 years. All are certified in first-aid and CPR and many have Swiftwater Rescue training & EMT certification.

From April through September, we offer 1- to 6-day river rafting vacations: one- & two-day river trips where families can take children as young as four; more adventurous multi-day wilderness journeys; and some of the wildest Class 4 and Class 5 whitewater in California and Oregon.