all-outdoors california whitewater rafting - day trips

AO made for a great beginner rafting experience. We attended the all day South Fork "Lower Gorge" trip. Weather was a wonder 90+ degrees on this Saturday in October. AO had 3 rafts with about 8-6 people each. I forgot the name of our guide but I think it was Joe. He was the lead, more experienced guide over the other two. He was always calm and created a fun, social environment. The river itself was pretty low and tame due to the drought and the time of year. But it was perfect for beginners/first timers. The first half of the trip was rather subdued. We stopped for lunch which was prepared by the guides. Food was great and fresh. Then back to the rafts. Our guide made the trip more fun by inciting us to start a water fight with the other rafts. This was great except the other boats were full of dull paddlers who didnt seem to enjoy the splashing haha. The second half of the trip had more rapids which was thrilling. Then it was over. Soon enough we were loading the raft onto the trailer, boarding the bus, and on our way home. Overall it was fun to do, once. I'm ready for bigger rafts next time!

This was our second time rafting and camping with these guys at Tuolumne River near Yosemite(the first time was at American River middle fork) and we all had a grand 'ol time. It was the 3rd or 4th time rafting for all of us so we weren't exactly new to this activity but also not experienced white water rafters by any means. The beginning of the trip didn't go so smooth when we flipped our raft during the very first rapid (we hadn't gone in a couple of years so we were a little rusty and we didn't hear our guide's command properly so we steered the raft in the wrong direction) but we made it through the rest of the rapids without a problem. There were four of us in our raft and 4 in another raft plus a guide in each raft and an additional guide for the gear boat. Britt, Dave and Noah are great Rafting guides and displayed excellent leadership throughout the entire trip. They rescued us quickly out of the roaring river when we fell in(which can definitely be scary especially if you get sucked underneath the surface for a second) like pros, they knew every rapid like the back of their hands, they had interesting knowledge to share about the geology and fauna of the area, and they cooked 4 delicious meals for us during our 2 day trip. Besides rafting, we got to take a small hike into an old goldmine cave on our second morning and jump off of a rock which added to the fun and adventure. The water was really cold but the outdoor temp was in the 90's so that helped. We would definitely book another rafting trip with these guys in the future without hesitation. If this is your first time rafting, it would help to work out and do some upper body strengthening before going as you have to constantly paddle using your entire body and just staying in the raft without falling out during the Class Four rapids takes some muscle coordination and stability. In another words, this ain't no Splash Mountain ride at Disneyland-far from it- although much more thrilling. I also wouldn't recommend Tuolumne River to first time rafters as the rapids are pretty fast and intense, but that's what makes it one of the most exciting rivers in the country.

We traveled from London with 2 sons 13 and 16 that had never been rafting before and this trip gave them an exciting 2 days that they really loved. Setting up this trip, we looked at over 10 different companies, and chose All Outdoors. I am really glad we did. I like to support the little guy most of the time, but in this instance, it was worth going with the 'big boy'. When we got down to the rivers edge, on the first day, there were the other companies that had their guests pumping up the rafts!!! Unbelievable! Our rafts were ready, with all the gear already stored and after our safety briefing, off we went. Our guides Dane, Sage and Rose were fantastic and the guys that rowed all the gear, were great fun. The lunches and dinners were fantastic, with a variety of choices to fit everyone. We just relaxed, the boys skipped rocks across the river with other children and waited for our dinner to be served. I could go on, but to sum up, a very professional, efficient company that makes sure everyone has a memorable trip. I would definitely go again. Oh yeah. For the ladies, there are plenty of bathroom facilities along the route.

Just came back from a trip on the Middle Fork. We had a group of 8 people, all adults in 20-30's and 2 females. Our group had to be split up 4 and 4 since only 6 are in a boat but we knew that ahead of time already. We were all first timers and I feel this is the perfect river for first timers who are adults and want an exciting intro to rafting. None of us fell off the boat which was a plus haha.All Outdoor is a great company and we are already talking about another trip in the spring. The guides are all awesome and I love how they work together and are always watching each others back. Safety is always the priority and these guys know what they are doing. I love the fact that they are really tight knit and you can see they love rafting and working with each other. Connor is super energetic and has some great jokes. Joe was our guide, and he's legit. He's a veteran guider and always calm cool and collected. If Joe's your guide, rest assured you are in great hands. At the end of tunnel shoot, our raft was about to crash into the side of the cave and the girl in the very front right was about to hit the cave wall with her face, but Joe leaped quickly and pull her back as everyone else ducked in. It all happened really fast but that was when I knew Joe was legit and we were gonna be just fine.I didn't think there was going to be as much down time in between rapids as there was. That's what makes this a good river for first timers. You will get some experience on some challenging rapids, but have ample time to prepare for them since directions on how to work through the rapid is always given before each rapid. There is a long section in the middle of the river where you just cruise along. I wish that part was a bit shorter. There will be an opportunity to jump in the river and ride a current and I'd recommend everyone do it. It was awesome. All outdoors is awesome and I can't wait to do Kaweah in the Spring.

Great rafting company. Went on Tuolomne. Wasn't very "rapid" for me. Class 4, but I was expecting little more intensity and more class 4 rapids. Of then 20 or rapids, only about 5 of them were class 4.But it's great for a family trip. Next time I will do Cherry River

My 14-year-old daughter and I did a one-day midweek trip down the Middle Fork of the American River. First of all, there's plenty of water despite the drought thanks to controlled releases from upriver hydroelectric dams. The crew is friendly and knowledgable and inspire confidence. Connor was at the helm of our boat. Really good guy and he worked his tail off. Our last trip with AO a couple of years ago was down the South Fork. This, too, was a great experience. The Middle Fork is a bit more exciting and pleasantly remote. Highly recommended!

We took a two day trip, the first day down Cherry Creek (Class V), camping in the wilderness and then the second day continuing down the river (Tuolumne Class IV-IV+). Pretty much the most intense trip you can do especially the "miracle mile" with 6 back to back class V rapids. Families and others not quite as hard core can join up after the class V rapids and have a great time for a two day run. Everyone enjoyed camping, swimming, cave exploring and especially playing "mafia" around the campsite. (especially the kids, seriously ask to play mafia, it's super fun.) All Outdoors are totally cool and very professional (Noah is a pro). I'm going back for sure.

We took a family trip and had a blast. The staff was professional, informative, reassuring and we received good instructions prior to beginning trip and during the trip. Our guide Rose was amazing, helpful and confidence building. I would highly recommend this trip and this guide.

We had a fantastic time! Our guide was knowledgable and made verb the smaller rapids, thrilling! We did an all day trip and would love to do it again. We have been with several other companies. This one had a wonderful family feel among its guides. I would highly recommend A.O. rafting! Ask for Connor or Nate!

We took a trip down the middle fork of the American River yesterday with All-Outdoors and what an awesome day it was. From start to finish everyone was friendly and professional. The initial briefing wasn't too long and was informative and to the point. The on river instruction was pretty simple. Our guide - Steve (the high 5 guy) was really good and kept us safe. He was also knowledgable about the river and it's history. We had lunch which was really tasty - build your own sandwich - with loads of different meats, cheeses and salad to put in. Fresh fruit too. We had a great day on the river full of excitement from start to finish. I would totally recommend the trip and the company. Next time we are in California I'll be back to try the 2 day trip. Good job guys.

All Outdoors is a very well run company with a really awesome group of guides. They know the rivers and stay calm when things get intense. I did the lower section of the toulemne on the 1 day trip which was a fun, long day. At the end, the guide suggested to do cherry creek since I really enjoyed the class IV stuff.I was definitely nervous the night before and was really concerned about falling out of the boat. My only comfort was how knowledgeable and experienced the guides are.Cherry creek was the ride of a lifetime and nobody fell out of the boat. Before each rapid, the guide would explain how we were going to run the rapid and which way to swim if you fell out. You also know that the guide boat is at the bottom waiting for you.I am a heavy guy (250lb, 6'1", 28yo) but in pretty reasonable shape. As long as you are a decent swimmer, can follow instructions, and are ready to paddle hard, there is no doubt you can do this trip. Also on the trip was a 40yo woman and a guy that had never been rafting before and they did great.DO IT. ITS THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME. YOU WILL REGRET IT IF YOU DON'T.

We've rafted with this company several times now - twice on the Tuolomne alone. Its a great company, the guides all have many, many years of experience and that makes all the difference. the rivers they raft on are fun (we tend towards the class IV ones) and they work hard to make the day a great one. Many of the folks on our trip were adding on another day because they had so much fun. Be warned - the bus ride down and back up from the Tuolomne is Yosemite can be quite harrowing! so glad the guide knows how to drive that thing so well :)

If you are looking for out door water fun this is it. The staff are very friendly and very skilled in what they do. We had a large group which they bent over backwards to keep us all together. Lunch on the river side was great and plenty of it. A must is to have a swim and don't forget to attack the other rafters in a water fight. A cold drink at the end of the trip on the bus was welcome at the end of a fantastic day.

I've been rafting with All Outdoors for at least 10 years and never had anything resembling a bad experience. Everything about this company is top notched starting with the folks who answer the phones. They know how to help everyone have a good time and appreciate all aspects of the river while making safety the top priority it deserves.

Friendly staff, well maintained equipment, and good facilities makes for a great trip. American River is a very good intermediate rafting trip for all. Great scenery and an excellent riverside lunch compliment the quality of All Outdoors.