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North Fork Stanislaus River Rafting

Whitewater Rafting in California with O.A.R.S

Highlights

  • Dig Dog, Whiteout and Rattlesnake are waiting to challenge eager paddlers and send rafts rushing through turbulent whitewater
  • After a rousing morning of some of the best rafting in California, spend time relaxing alongside the river while enjoying a delicious lunch
  • More aggressive paddling through frothy rapids delivers accomplished river enthusiasts to the take-out for our North Fork Stanislaus River Rafting trip in the heart of Big Trees State Park

Full Description

Stanislaus River Rafting is centered around the North Fork of the Stanislaus, a unique high sierra river that thunders through five miles of granite gorges and deep alpine forest glens.

The North Fork of the Stanislaus River boasts some of the most technical Class IV whitewater rafting in California. A veritable insta-epic, the North Fork of the Stanislaus River (also known as the "Stan") starts at 4,000 feet and hurtles six miles, at a 70 feet per mile gradient, down to the feet of some of the most massive trees you'll ever see - the Giant Sequoia groves of Calaveras Big Trees State Park in Northern California. Granite gorges, meadows of wild azaleas and old Miwok Indian sites slip by one after another, amidst big waves, churning holes and plenty of technically demanding paddling. For hard working paddlers with a taste for thrills, chills and spills - rafting the North Fork Stanislaus River in Northern California is a slice of wild whitewater heaven.

Includes:

  • Skilled professional guide service
  • Delicious deli lunch
  • High-quality inflatable rafts and related river equipment including paddle, helmet, splash jacket and personal flotation device
  • Transfers from the meeting place to the river and back

Excludes:

  • Pre and post trip accommodations and meals
  • Wetsuits (available for rent)
  • Big Trees State Park $6 entrance fee
  • Insurance of any kind, including travel insurance
  • Items of personal nature (see suggested packing list)
  • Gratuities

Day by Day 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.

We'll meet at the designated time at Calaveras Big Trees State Park at 10:00 AM and return at approximately 4:00 PM-please be prompt. Turn right immediately after the Park Tollbooth, then take the first left into the parking area. Look for the O.A.R.S. representative in the parking area. We will have a few minutes to check our gear before boarding the shuttle vehicle for the 20-minute ride to the put-in. There will be a safety talk before starting down river.

There is a $6.00 State Park Day Use Fee to park your car in Big Trees State Park. This fee enables you to enjoy the Giant Sequoias, hiking trails and visitor center after your river trip.

Beginner's Luck gives us a good warm-up, followed by the The Claw and Convulsion in quick succession. With an average gradient of 70 feet per mile, the rapids come quickly on this river.

Lunchtime comes and we pull off the water for a delicious picnic. Knowing that a morning of hard paddling inspires a very hearty appetite, we make sure that our lunches are always abundant and satisfying. Lounge on the side of the river with a deli sandwich piled high with fresh cold cuts, cheese and veggies or perhaps tasty taco salad, plus icy lemonade, water, fresh fruit and cookies. After feasting and relaxing on shore, we resume our journey.

Dig Dog, Whiteout and Rattlesnake are among the continuous steep drops and boulder slaloms that we negotiate. After a couple of miles of aggressive paddling through tumultuous whitewater, we near the end of the Class IV section, but not before facing Big Trees Falls-the river's most infamous rapid and our right of passage as conquerors of the Stan.

As we reach our take-out point, our river trip draws to a close. An O.A.R.S. shuttle will be waiting to give us a 10-minute ride back to our vehicles.

About The Operator:

O.A.R.S

Headquarters:

Angels Camp, CA

O.A.R.S. was the first exclusively oar-powered rafting company permitted to operate trips on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Through our four decades in the adventure travel industry, we have become the largest and most diverse family of river-based adventure travel companies in North America, operating on over 1230 miles of rivers in the continental U.S. In addition to our signature Grand Canyon trips, we offer adventure vacations in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming, as well as in British Columbia, Chile, Galapagos, Fiji, Baja and Peru. The heart and soul of O.A.R.S.-from president and founder George Wente to the more than 300 dedicated guides and employees on our team-is that we are all genuinely invested in every passenger, every trip and every lifetime memory.

Our Staff

We consider our O.A.R.S. outdoor adventure guides to be among the best in the industry! Some began their river-guiding careers more than 30 years ago; others were born into it. They are entertainers, historians, geologists, botanists, chefs, medics, anthropologists, event planners, authors, photographers, wilderness pathfinders, and they are the single most complimented component of our organization. Our guides are also professional, playful and ever mindful of your wants and needs, and their enthusiasm for the natural world is contagious. Learn about our guides through reading their detailed biographies, experience and interests.

Our Adventure Consultants and our year-round office staff who provide you with all the trip-specific tips, trip planning assistance and adventure travel trip logistical support have more than 100 years of combined experience in the adventure travel industry, as well as close to 1000 river trips between them.

Your O.A.R.S. Adventure Vacation

You concentrate on fun. We brew the coffee, cook the meals, pump the boats, provide the gear, plan the day, find the best camp spot, and we strive to fill each day with excitement, discovery and the attention to detail you deserve. O.A.R.S. provides the best average guide-to-guest ratio in the adventure travel business (1:4).

You do only what you feel like doing. Want to paddle a ‘ducky' or admire the view from the bow of a boat; go on a day hike or stay in camp and read; save room for dessert or have two pieces of seared salmon? Every day is yours to do with as you please.

Camaraderie

Is there any other experience more conducive to creating new, lasting friendships and deepening family bonds than an O.A.R.S. adventure? Our outdoor trips are wonderful equalizers, bringing together like-minded people from diverse backgrounds. Time and again we hear from guests about their joy of having met kindred spirits and new traveling companions. Parents bask in their child's newly-gained confidence in the natural world. Gone are electronic distractions, commutes and deadlines, leaving guests with uninterrupted time to relax, snuggle under the stars, savor a sunset and swap tales around the campfire.

When you join an O.A.R.S. adventure travel trip, you're not just a customer-you are a friend, a member of the crew and an extension of our family-owned and operated company. We'll answer your questions, feed you well, show you a good time and share with you our passion for the world's waterways.

Our Pledge

Outdoor adventure vacations are our specialty, and we work hard to provide our guests with the best travel experience of their lives. If part of your trip under our control wasn't everything you expected, we will work with you to make it right.
Responsible Travel

Environmental stewardship is nothing new to O.A.R.S. We've been at it for four decades. In partnership with our guests, we have contributed more than $3 million in donations and fees toward the preservation of the environment and to environmental and wildlife conservation initiatives. For a detailed account of our environmentally responsible practices, check out our Responsible Travel page.

Don't Just Take Our Word for It

O.A.R.S. has been routinely recognized by adventure industry experts, media and our guests for our commitment to excellence and innovation in travel. In both 2008 and 2009, National Geographic Adventure magazine selected O.A.R.S. as "The Best River & Sea Outfitter on Earth" based on their criteria including education, sustainability, quality of service, spirit of adventure and references. Since 2007, Condé Nast Traveler's Wendy Perrin has recognized our Reservations Manager, Mindy Gleason, as the "Top Travel Specialist" in the River Rafting category for her unique ability to offer O.A.R.S. travelers "the best blend of expertise, access, and good value." Additionally, year after year magazines such as National Geographic Traveler, Outside, Men's Journal and Sunset along with NBC, CNBC, Forbes Traveler and SmarterTravel.com have all recognized O.A.R.S. for serving up some of the "Best Trips on the Planet."