Excursions range from a half-day to two days and can include meals, personal flotation devices, and, for overnight trips, campsites (sometimes with tents provided).
Rafting
Commercial rafting is available on more than a dozen rivers, including the North and Middle forks of the American, the Tuolumne, the upper stretch of the Stanislaus, and the North Fork of the Yuba. In the Sierra Nevada, the East Fork of the Carson River, runnable in late spring and early summer, offers a natural hot spring as one enticement.
The Shasta Cascade region in northeastern California hosts several good rivers, among them the Upper Klamath with its "Hell's Corner" rapids, recommended for experienced rafters. By contrast, the Lower Klamath has warm, slow-moving currents that are great for beginning canoers. On the Lower Trinity River, scenery is a prime attraction, and the moderate rapids allow navigation in inflatable, self-bailing kayaks provided by some outfitters.
In Southern California, the Kern River and its forks flow from head-waters surrounding the state's highest peak, Mount Whitney (14,495 feet), to the arid landscapes near Bakersfield. The river cuts through deep granite canyons before reaching the San Joaquin Valley. Guided trips operate from April through August, and range from moderate to intense on a half-dozen different runs.
The paddling community has a rating system for rivers, on a scale of 1 to 6, with the lowest number offering the fewest obstacles. As with any adventure sport, whitewater rafting involves risk. Guides usually explain the hazards you might encounter and how to cope with them. All trip participants are required to wear helmets and flotation vests.
Besides whitewater, California offers many places to canoe or kayak at a leisurely pace. The lower Sacramento River near Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area, the Russian River, and Cache Creek - all in Northern California - are good canoeing waters. At Lake Tahoe in the northern Sierra, you can rent canoes or ocean kayaks, which are more stable than river kayaks, and paddle to Fannette Island or to a boat-in campground in Emerald Bay. One stretch of the Truckee River below Tahoe City has do-it-yourself trips in small inflatable rafts on generally benign waters. Along the Colorado River at Blythe and Needles, guided and do-it-yourself canoe trips are available.
Ocean kayaking has gained popularity recently in the bays along the California coastline. You can rent kayaks at Morro Bay near San Luis Obispo, at Monterey Bay, and at Richardson Bay (which is part of San Francisco Bay) in Sausalito. Kayaks are especially good for watching marine mammals and birds at Elkhorn Slough near Moss Landing, south of Watsonville. Santa Cruz Island, part of Channel Islands National Park, also offers good paddling waters, and you can rent kayaks on the mainland and transport them on sight-seeing boats.
With first-timers, guided tours are best for learning paddling techniques and for seeing points of interest that might be missed otherwise. Whenever you embark on a water excursion, be sure to take plenty of sunscreen, extra dry clothing, liquids, and food. And always leave word with someone about your itinerary.
