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Kings River 2-Day Rafting Trips
A Paddle Adventure on the Kings River
Trip Overview
- 20 miles of river
- Two days rafting
- Two nights camping (night prior and night during)
- Five great meals included
Originating high in the mountains of central California near Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park, the Kings River boasts the largest watershed of any river in the Sierra Nevada range. Un-dammed and un-spoiled, the Kings river truly is one of the most scenic rivers in the West, and provides for an excellent whitewater rafting trip experience that only California's awesome weather and scenery will offer.
The Kings is a free-flowing big water in the spring and lots of fun even as the water level drops. The longed for conditions of heavy snow pack and warm weather combine to create some big whitewater, not unlike some of the hydraulic (waves, holes, and currents) runs of the Grand Canyon. In the spring, the Kings is a big water river without the technical difficulty of the Merced or Tuolumne, The Kings is suitable for both the first time rafter and the experienced paddler. The river bed is wide and not very obstructed, so even at high flows the Kings is not particularly hazardous. Class III (beginning whitewater) rapids roll through the canyon in exciting wave trains (a series of waves), creating a wilderness roller coaster ride of gigantic proportions! The exciting ten mile run rushes through Banzai, Fang Tooth and Sidewinder rapids on the way to our take-out at our base camp.
- The Kings River is a great family river or for the beginning or less adventurous rafter, but still has the big water and the incredible scenery of the Kings Canyon.
- The Kings River is an easy 6-hr drive from Southern California; it is a great river for first-time rafters and families, as well as experienced rafters
Call our office for the Kings River 2-Day Rafting Trip DIRECTIONS and PACKING LIST.
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Click the image above to view the gallery
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| Departures: Daily
Trip Difficulty: This rafting trip is rated novice to beginner.
Type of Raft
Paddle Boat, 5-7 paddlers plus a professional guide
Age Range
7+ years; age 12 in high-water springtime
Price Range
Saturday: Adult $315 Youth $285
Sunday - Friday: Adult $295 Youth $265
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Camping with us the night prior to your trip is included as well as breakfast the next morning. Our beautiful 5 acre riverside base camp has sandy beaches for campsites, picnic tables and BBQ's for preparing your own dinner the evening before your trip, and a volleyball court for off-river play. Park your car in the parking area above camp for easy access.
If you prefer to stay closer to Fresno, or nearby, see "Area Information" under "Resources" above.
Just got home from a great trip on the Kings River!!! The guides and entire staff are the best!!! Amazing food, staff & campsite, I want to plan another trip for next season!! Thank you, for a wonderful trip!
Shelley, Kings River, June 2009
I rate Mariah in the top 5% of all the companies I have dealt with in my life, not just rafting but all companies, and I am a customer expert who teaches customer service to companies who need it. Your staff are professional in every way; they make you feel like you are rafting with friends instead of a company. The food is very good, and the portions are.....well....if you leave the table hungry, it is your fault. The campground is well-maintained and functional, while keeping the rustic setting. Please feel free to use this in all of your promotional materials.
D.H., South Fork American River, 2-Days, 5/23-24/09
I wanted to send you a thank you note. My weekend at Mariah was phenomenal! I cannot tell you how much fun we had! Everything turned out perfect! All the food was good (banana pancakes, lobster, fresh fruit!), our guides were awesome! The first day we were on Mike's raft; he was knowledgeable about the area and told us a bit about the history of the area we were rafting through. The next day we were with Julie. She was fun, and explained how the water works and how to read it. Both guides were grade "A"! I still can't stop thinking about it, I didn't want to come home. I would say that this was an experience I will never forget; I just fell in love with everything and everyone.
D.M., South Fork American River, 2-Days, 5/06
 8:00 A.M.
A delicious breakfast starts the day, usually pancakes, sausage, fresh fruit, cereal, juice, fresh coffee, tea, hot chocolate. Let us know if you have a special diet.
10 A.M. TRIP ORIENTATION
We gather at the picnic tables for a thorough 30-minute presentation given by your Head Guide to discuss the safety features of the trip and demonstrate paddle techniques. After, you'll meet your own guides, board our river vehicle and drive up to the Put-In at Garnet Dyke. Here you will launch your boats and begin rafting a couple of fun and easy rapids which will get you warmed up for Bonsai Hole, a large Class III+ rapid! After that, the rapids are continuous, and the current is swift.
12 NOON
Get ready for a hearty and nutritious picnic lunch on the banks of the river. Lunch includes a variety of deli meats, cheeses, breads, condiments, fruit, chips, cookies, lemonade, tea and water
AFTER LUNCH
After lunch, we re-board our boats and continue rafting through several more Class II and III rapids. The scenery is beautiful, you will see very few people on the river, and by the time we get to the take-out you feel pleasantly relaxed and ready for the next activity of the day. We load the boats onto our trailers and board the Kings vehicles for the 10-minute drive back to camp.
SECOND DAY
 8 A.M.
The day begins at 8 A.M. with another delicious breakfast. By 9 A.M. we have boarded our river vehicles for the 30-minute drive to the Garnet Dyke Put-in, the top section of the river. You already know your guide, and you are already an accomplished paddler, so we will launch into the current. Because the river is free-flowing and the water level changes almost from moment-to-moment, the river seems to be slightly different the second day. You already know the rapids and are better able to have fabulous rides through them.
LUNCH
Lunch is served on the banks of the river. We return to camp about 4 P.M. After watching slides of your day’s run, and purchasing a souvenir T-shirt, you have are ready to leave for your next destination.
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BACK AT CAMP
Our photographer will present the slide show of the day's rafting. In addition to purchasing photos of your trip, you may buy a souvenir t-shirt, and say farewell to the new friends you've made on California's Kings River rafting trip. You should be ready to depart for your next destination by 4-4:30 P.M.
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COURSE OF THE KINGS RIVER
The beautiful Kings river arises in the Sierra Nevada, consisting of three forks. The Middle and South Forks start in Kings Canyon National Park, while the North Fork starts in the John Muir Wilderness. The South Fork flows in Kings Canyon: a spectacular 8,000-foot (2,400 m) deep glacial valley. The forks join in the foothills of the Sierra in Fresno County, where the river becomes an attraction for whitewater rafting (class 3 rapids). From that point, the Kings River flows about 125 miles (200 km) to the Tulare Lake bed south of Stratford.
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Kings River 1-Day Rafting Trips
A Paddle Adventure on the Kings River
 Special camping the night before your trip Our beautiful five acre base camp boasts sandy beaches for camping, fresh mountain spring drinking water available in the kitchen area, a volleyball court in the sand and a bathroom boasting one pint low flush toilets, sinks, and changing rooms. Picnic tables, a horseshoe pit, and BBQs dot the camp. You will fall asleep listening to the flowing river...the best sound in the world. The Kings river is only 50 feel away from your tent, and swimming is fantastic (particularly our late season trips with lower water). We also have 3 platform tent rentals available which will sleep up to 5 people.
If you are camping with us the night prior to your trip, be sure to leave plenty of driving time so you can arrive before dark. Our Kings river base camp is located approximately 43 miles (1.5 hours) from the intersection of Belmont and Academy, just outside the town of Sanger, which is just outside the city of Fresno, California. Plan on arriving no earlier than 5:00 p.m. and no later than 11:00 p.m. the night before your trip. Our camp generator and lights go off at 11:00 p.m. and our host is no longer on duty, so if you arrive after 11:00 p.m., you will have a harder time setting up. If you are very late, you might consider camping at Kirch Flat Campground (about 1/2 mile before our base camp), which is easier to access after dark.
Lodge or Camp near The Kings River
If you elect not to camp with us the night before your trip, there are plenty of motels in the Fresno area.
Camping is also available at the Choinumne campground, regulated by the Fresno Department of Parks and Recreation. For reservations, contact them at (559) 488-3004_pnh_highlighting_inactive_common"> (559) 488-3004 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Driving time from Choinumne to our base camp is about 1 hour.
For lodging in Kings Canyon/Sequoia Park, try www.sequoiapark.com.
For camping information in Kings Canyon, try National Park Service Campground
Additional lodging in Kings Canyon, try Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP Lodging.
Also, try Rocky RIdge Cabin Rentals near Dunlap on Highway 180, and about midway between Kings Canyon and our Base camp.
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