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Middle Fork American River: Tunnel Chute (Class IV+ Whitewater)

Guided

Duration: 7 hours

Coloma

Features

Free Cancellation
Instant Book
Shuttle Included
Locally Owned
$150 Adult
(Ages 13+)

Description

Full Day Middle Fork American River Whitewater Rafting - Tunnel Run

Ready for a full day of heart-pounding whitewater? Join us on a guided rafting trip down the Middle Fork of the American River, a 17-mile stretch packed with challenging rapids, striking canyon scenery, and a true sense of adventure. This advanced run is perfect for experienced paddlers and adrenaline seekers alike.
The action kicks off right away with “Good Morning,” a wake-up rapid that sets the pace for an exciting day. Not long after, you’ll encounter the legendary Class IV+ “Tunnel Chute”—a narrow, man-made chute blasted by gold miners in 1889, delivering one of the most unique rapid experiences in California. As you navigate through remote wilderness, you’ll pass gleaming white quartz veins slicing through rugged granite and limestone canyon walls.
About halfway through the trip, we’ll take a well-earned break on a scenic beach for swimming, lawn games, and a freshly prepared lunch. If time allows, a short hike into a side canyon reveals hidden creeks and lush, shaded pools.
The second half of the journey keeps the excitement going with a series of steep, technical rapids that demand skill and focus, ending the trip on a high note. This is one of California’s most iconic advanced rafting adventures—and one you won’t soon forget.
Participants must be at least 13 years old and confident swimmers. If you’re craving fast water, big rapids, and a full day on a wild river, this trip was made for you. Reserve your Middle Fork American River adventure today!

Duration

  1. Full Day Experience
  2. 17 River Miles
  3. Roughly 4-5 hours of river rafting
  4. Roughly 7 hours total time commitment from arrival to our office to saying farewell
Trip Timeline: Arrival and check in, Transportation to river put in site, Gear ourselves up with rafting gear, Safety talk/ river instruction, Hop into rafts for day, Load back into vehicles, Drive back to meeting location. Say farewell.
Available everyday midweek (Monday through Friday) and some weekend dates from May 1st to mid-September (subject to river flow)

Location / Where to Meet

Our Middle Fork American River trip meets in the back parking lot behind the Raleys Grocery Store at above address. There is a very large parking area which is a common meeting location for whitewater rafting trips.
There is plenty of parking available in this lot for everyone’s vehicle. If needing any last-minute items, the Raleys grocery store will have many of the following items: sunscreen, water shoes, hats, and much more. This is the perfect place to start your adventure.
Rough Drive Times to office location:
  1. 1 hr 20 minutes from North Lake Tahoe on I-80
  2. 2 hrs minutes from South Lake Tahoe on Hwy 50
  3. 40 minutes from Sacramento

Ages & Requirements

Ages 13+
On this section of the river:
  1. Everyone is given paddles and asked to participate.
  2. All participants must be in good health and weigh no more than 250 lbs.
  3. No experience is necessary, however, we recommend having previous Class III-IV rafting experience

What's Included

  1. Experienced guides
  2. All rafting equipment
  3. Transportation to and from the river
  4. Helmets
  5. PFDs (personal flotation devices), also known as life jackets
  6. Paddle
  7. Riverside lunch
During spring and cold weather trips, we also provide at no additional cost:
  1. Wetsuits
  2. Fleece base layers
  3. Splash Jackets

Not Included

  1. Gratuity

What to Bring / Wear

Getting ready for a whitewater rafting trip is similar to getting ready for a day at the beach. Everything that goes on the river will get wet so dress in clothing that you’d be comfortable swimming in.
  1. Bathing Suit or shorts
  2. Sun shirt or layer to protect from the sun
  3. Baseball hat
  4. Sunglasses (retention strap if expensive)
  5. Sunscreen
  6. reusable water bottle with a hard loop that can securely attach to the raft
  7. Most Important: Shoes are required that will not come off, such as strap-on sandals, water shoes, booties, and old tennis shoes.
Things to Leave at Home
While on the river, Everything gets wet, has the possibility to fall out of pockets and be lost in the river. We ask everyone to leave cellphones, wallets, Car keys and valuables home, at our office location or locked away.

Whitewater Rafting Tunnel Run on the Middle Fork American River

ADVENTURE PROVIDED BY Tahoe Whitewater Tours

FAQs

What type of rapids will we encounter and what is the difficulty?

Type of Trip: Intermediate/ Advanced Whitewater

This section is Class IV+ Meaning Intermediate/ Advanced Rapids, Big Drops, Fast Currents, and Lots of Class II and Class III rapids with intermittent Class IV+ whitewater action. Perfect for river rafters looking for a memorable day with exciting moments.

We recommend for all of our Class IV whitewater rafting trips that guests have been rafting before, know how to swim, and are above age 13.

What size rafts do you use?

14′ rafts for 6 guests + guide

Why do you only run this trip on weekdays?

Our Permit allows unrestricted access to this river Monday through Friday. However, the river is much less crowded midweek, making for a more intimate rafting experience!

Where does the water come from on the Middle Fork American River?

Water that feeds the Middle Fork American River originates from the high Sierra Crest located between Alpine Meadows Ski Resort and the high peaks of the West shore of Lake Tahoe. The headwaters of the Middle Fork American River can be found from various peaks and collect from a large webs of rivers and creeks as the water flows towards the Callifornia foothills. Multiple smaller rivers and reservoirs collect and release water into the eventual Oxbow reservoir, the location of the starting point for our rafting adventure.

Oxbow Reservoir allows regular scheduled releases throughout the summer. Due to these scheduled releases whitewater rafting is available well into September.

Water is released daily; we call it “the bubble.” To conserve water throughout the summer, we must ride the daily release before the dam shuts down in the afternoon.

Can I wear flip flops?

No! Shoes are required that will not come off, such as strap-on sandals, water shoes, booties, and old tennis shoes.

Flip-flops or slip-on shoes are not allowed for rafting. If you go for an unintentional swim, you will lose your flip-flops immediately. If you end up on shore or in a random place, you need to have good footwear to get back to the rafts or to be able to walk along the shoreline.

Should I tip my guide?

If you guide did a wonderful job and you had a fun experience tipping is an acceptable form of showing appreciation to your guide at the end of the tour.

What should we do with personal items?

Personal items should be locked in your personal vehicle throughout the day. Wallets, Cell phones, and Car Keys can also be kept in our river office while out for your rafting adventure!

Cancellation Policy

  1. Up to 48 hours prior to your reservation start time, you may cancel or change your reservation (including reducing your group size) with no penalty.
  2. Within 48 hours of the tour time, any cancellations, changes, or “no-shows” are responsible for payment in full.
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Availability

June 2025
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Location

Address

13384 Lincoln Way

Auburn, CA, 95603

US

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