White Water Rafting On The Snake River, Wyoming

White water rafting in the USA has come along way since its birth back in the 1800s. 1811 saw the world’s first recorded attempt at a white water rafting trip take place at Snake River in Wyoming. With no specialist equipment or training an intrepid group of explorer tied, and failed, to navigate the river which earned the snake it’s nickname, ‘Mad River’.

Today with modern boats and equipment Snake river is a much easier challenge, only rating at a class 2 or 3 (out of 6) on the International Scale Of River Difficulty. This is a great river for beginners and families featuring enough white water to give you a thrill without too much in the way of challenge or danger. On top of conquering a river that has gone down in the history of white water rafting in the USA, and in fact the whole world, riding the Snake River will also give you a chance to bask in the epic beauty of the Grand Tetons National Park surrounded by pine covered slopes and limestone cliffs with the sun setting behind the peaks of the Teton mountain range, towering over the horizon.

Tour Operator: Snakeriverwhitewater.com 

White Water Rafting In California

California is one of the top places for adventure sports so it’s no surprise that a trip to go white water rafting in the USA is likely to lead you to the sunshine state. While you’re not going to find any white water rafting in Los Angeles or many of California’s bigger cities, a couple of hours drive to the centre of the state will bring you to the Kaweah River.

The Kaweah is not a river for the faint hearted. Fed by water from melting snow in the nearby Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Kaweah reaches an average peak of 48 m³/s, almost 3 times that of an Olympic level white water venue like Lee Valley in the UK. These are grade 4+ rapids, racing down one of the USA’s steepest rivers, and are not for the feint hearted or inexperienced.

Because of its reliance on melt water, the Kaweah rafting season varies depending on the size of the previous winter’s snowpack, but when the river is in full flow it has plenty of exciting features including the ‘Slickies’, polished granite slaloms that zigzag you down the river while spinning you around and taking you over two sizeable drops. Along with tricky access rights in some areas this is another river that requires a very experienced tour guide and preferably an experienced crew, but if you’re up to the challenge it will be one that you’ll remember for a long time to come.

If you’re looking for more relaxed white water rafting in California, you can head to the north east of the state and check out the incredibly patriotic, American River. With stretches fed by dam release, this river has one of the most reliable water flows in California with guaranteed flows from April through to September. Split into three different forks the American offers super friendly family trips in the lower area of each fork with grade 1-2 rapids but also caters to the more adventurous with grade 2-3 water in the South Fork and up to grade 4 and 4+ in the Middle and Northern Forks. With such great variety on offer this is the perfect spot for any mixed ability group aiming to go white water rafting in the USA.

Tour Operator: whitewatertours.com

White Water Rafting In New York

When most people think of New York they go straight to visions of skyscrapers and the Big Apple, but New York State is also full of beautiful countryside and some cracking rivers.

If you know your NYC geography you’ll know that it sits on the bank of the Hudson river, what you might not know is that this river starts all the way up in Lake Tear of the Clouds in the Adirondack Mountains. Working its way down through the unspoiled Adirondack scenery and the Hudson River Gorge you’re guaranteed some breathtaking views on a Hudson river white water rafting trip. The beginning of the season in spring sees the biggest water on the Hudson, followed by cruisey summer trips full of warmer water and dependable dam fed water flow and then beautiful autumn displays as the leaves turn fiery red and yellow.

The Hudson is the perfect spot for a mellow, fun trip down the river, but it does have some sections of grade 3 and 4 rapids too to get your heart pumping. But if you’re looking for some really exciting white water rafting in New York then maybe the Moose River is for you. With a super short season, just for the month of April, the Moose throws you through punishing grade 4-5 rapids, towering waves and steep drops. You need to be both fit and experienced to ride the Moose, with at least some grade 3 rapids already under your belt, but if you’re ready for it the Moose will be one of the biggest rushes you’ll get white water rafting in the USA.

Tour Operator: northcreekrafting.com

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