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Tuolumne River 3-Day Rafting Trips
A Paddle Adventure on the Tuolumne River
Trip Overview
- 18 miles of river
- Three days rafting
- Two nights camping
- 7 great meals included (BL / BLD / BL)
THE TUOLUMNE RIVER WHITEWATER RAFTING TRIP -- THE ULTIMATE RIVER WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE
The Tuolumne River is California's Class IV+ premier white water river, rushing through one of the most spectacular canyons in the Sierra! Flowing from the high Sierra, the Tuolumne River creates the "Grand Canyon" of Yosemite as it spills into the Hetch Hetchy Valley behind the O'Shaughnessy Dam above our put-in at Meral's Pool. Between water control projects the Tuolumne races through the deep granite canyons of a "wild an scenic" river section before flowing into the Don Pedro Reservoir below take-out at Ward's Ferry thereby creating some of the most exciting rapids and breath-taking scenery of the entire Sierra!
CLASS IV+ WHITEWATER
Step up to the exciting thrills of a Class IV+ Tuolumne whitewater river! It's a good idea to have rafted a Class III-IV river and be adventuresome and in good condition before moving up to the Tuolumne River. The Tuolumne river starts right out with a series of Class IV rapids with chutes, steep drops, holes and reversals to keep us on our toes. Tight, technical and steep describes rapids like Rock Garden, Sunderland's Chute, and Ram's Head, leading up to one of the biggest drops in the U. S., the Class V Clavey Falls! This dramatic staircase rapid takes us through two big drops and, hopefully, around a boat-eating hole and away from the left wall--enough exciting, adrenaline rush adventure for us all!
The Tuolumne River continues on another 12+ miles through pristine forest/canyon land and many more Class III, IV, and IV+ rapids to our take out at Ward's Ferry.
Call our office for the Tuolumne River 3-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
Moderate to Difficult
Type of Raft
Paddle Boat, 6-8 paddlers plus a professional guide; Oar Boat, 1-4 passengers plus a professional guide
Age Range
12+ years; 14+ in spring high water
Price Range
Daily: Adult $585 Youth $530
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Camping the night prior to your trip is not included.
Our meeting place for all Tuolumne river rafting trips is La Casa Loma Store, seven miles East of Groveland.
From Groveland, drive East to Ferretti Rd. (Careful! Ferretti Rd. also joins Highway 120 just outside the town of Groveland. Drive the full seven miles from the Groveland city limit to the correct Ferretti Rd. exit). Turn left on Ferretti Rd. and then left again to get to the store. La Casa Loma store can be seen from Highway 120 but is located about 100 yards off the highway.
Your car will be parked at the store for the duration of the trip and the river shuttle service will transport you to the river and back to your car at the end of the trip.
There are nice restaurants nearby where you may enjoy a lovely dinner.
See " Area Information" under "Resources" above.
My daughter and I took a two day trip with you down the Tuolumne river. First, I want to say it was great and you have a sweet and gifted bunch of young adults working for you. They took excellent care of us newbies, and the food was exceptional. I wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our trip.
Sandy, Tuolumne River, June 2009
My family and I (12 of us) just returned from your 3 day trip down the Tuolumne and I wanted to send you some feedback! I’ve been on other commercial trips and this one, by far, appeared the most organized from a staff standpoint. Each and ever person we met … all of the guides, and the ones that transported the gear were simply fantastic. Your staff simply made it more fun than we could have imagined and for that we are most grateful.
Sheri & Hugh, Tuolumne River, July 2009
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, 5/09
 9:00 A.M.
By 9 A.M. we meet at the Casa Loma Store, just outside of the town of Groveland. You will be met by your Head Guide, who will greet you, answer any questions you may have. Your cars will stay at the Casa Loma Store during your day on the river. We will board our shuttle vehicle and head for the Put-In, a 45-minute drive. This drive is very interesting as it takes us into an isolated part of the canyon. At the Put-In, you will meet all of your guides and then then gather for the Trip Orientation, a thorough, 30-minute presentation given by your Head Guide. They will go over the safety features of the trip, and demonstrate paddle techniques.
10:30 A.M.
Climb into your wetsuit and board the boats to begin rafting. Right away we enter Rock Garden, our first of many Class IV rapids. This is an indication of the fun and challenges we will have today. Our pace is quick as we have 18 miles to go. Take a look at the “river’s rapids map” at the bottom of this page for an indication of todays fun!
12:00 NOON
About noon we stop for a hearty and nutritious picnic lunch. We will need this break in which to energize ourselves with an excellent riverside lunch. We also welcome this break during which we can relax and enjoy the beautiful California scenery.
AFTER LUNCH
After lunch, we re-board our boats and continue our trip. Clavey Falls, Class V, is our very biggest rapid of the day! Clavey is considered to be one of the 10 Big Drops in the U.S. It is usually at Clavey where we overnight. The guides do most of the camp set-up, however, we ask that you help the guides unload the boats and that you set up your own tent.
Hors d’oeuvres and dinner will be ready by 5-6 P.M., and the rest of the evening is yours to enjoy. If possible, we will have a campfire, but as the summer proceeds and rain is scare, we need to be careful that we don’t start a fire.
| BACK AT CASA LOMA STORE
At the end of the day we will take you back to the Casa Loma Store where you can change your clothes, and say your fond farewells to your guides and other rafters. It is only seven miles to the Gold Rush town of Groveland where you can enjoy a nice dinner, sip of wine, and an overnight stay in one of the quaint hotels.
PHOTOS OF YOUR TRIPS
Picture This Photography often hikes into the canyon to take pictures of the rafters. Once you get home, log on to http://www.picturethisimaginethat.biz, and hopefully you can see, and order online, some photos of you rafting.
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WILD AND SCENIC CANYON
The isolated Tuolumne River is home to abundant wildlife; the river itself offers great fishing for rainbow and brown trout. Eagles and hawks circle overhead; if we're lucky, we might spot a visiting bobcat or raccoon along its banks. We feel the serenity of the wilderness canyon as well as the excitement of great rapids for a complete whitewater wilderness adventure!
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SECOND DAY & THIRD DAY
THE NEXT MORNING
It is possible that we will stay at our campsite an additional night; in which case, you have the entire day to explore the area. Clavey Creek is a fabulous hike. We may decide to board the boats and continue downriver a few miles to a lovely campsite which offers wonderful hiking.
Several of the rapids after Clavey Falls are Son of Clavey Class III+, Gray’s Grindstone Class IV; Thread the Needle Class III+, Cabin Class IV, Hell’s Kitchen Class IV, The Alps Class III, and Pinball Class IV. You wonder where these names come from? Well, ask your guide.
AT THE TAKE OUT
At the Take-Out, we all help the guides take the gear out of the river, grab a cold soda or water, and board the river vehicles for the 30-minute drive back to the Casa Loma Store. Shop for a souvenir t-shirt and say farewell to the new friends you've made on California’s Tuolumne River rafting trip. You should be ready to depart for your next destination by 5-6 P.M.
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Tuolumne River 3-Day Rafting Trips
A Paddle Adventure on the Tuolumne River
 Our meeting place for all Tuolumne river rafting trips is La Casa Loma Store, seven miles East of Groveland. From Groveland, drive East to Ferretti Rd. (Careful! Ferretti Rd. also joins Highway 120 just outside the town of Groveland. Drive the full seven miles from the Groveland city limit to the correct Ferretti Rd. exit). Turn left on Ferretti Rd. and then left again to get to the store. La Casa Loma store can be seen from Highway 120 but is located about 100 yards off the highway. Your car will be parked at the store for the duration of the trip and the river shuttle service will transport you to the river and back to your car at the end of the trip.
Overnight Accommodations
Since camping the night prior to your trip is not included, we recommend arriving in the area the night before your trip.
Hotel Charlotte - Downtown Groveland, with cozy rooms, good food & spirits. Located across the street from the famous Iron Door Saloon and just 7 miles from the Casa Loma meeting location. Rental houses available sleeping up to 16 people. (209) 962-6455
Berkshire Bed & Breakfast - 19959 Hwy 120, Groveland
(209) 962-6744
Groveland Hotel - Downtown Groveland, with an excellent restaurant.
(209) 962-4000
Yosemite Westgate Motel - Buck Meadows, 5 minutes from our meeting spot.
Yosemite Rose B&B - A wonderful country bed and breakfast only minutes from La Casa Loma Store.
Blackberry Inn B&B - A nice bed and breakfast in Buck Meadows
The Evergreen Lodge - a wonderfully historic lodge with cabins and restaurant approx. 45 minutes from our meeting spot. Historic and scenic, located midway between our Tuolumne and Merced river meeting spots.
Yosemite Ridge Resort is a 43 acre facility featuring cabin rentals, full hookup RV spaces, restaurant, general store, gasoline, propane and laundromat all on site. Located in Buckmeadows, about 4 miles east of Casa Loma on Hwy. 120, and very convenient to our Tuolumne meeting spot at La Casa Loma.
Yosemite Springs B&B and Campground offers fantastic private tent camping or if you prefer, all the conveniences of a B&B. They are located just outside Coulterville, and an easy 30 minute drive to La Casa Loma store, our meeting spot. If you are rafting with us, call Yosemite Springs for special lodging discounts.
There are three US Forest Service campgrounds, some with group sites available, near La Casa Loma Store. The closest campground is The Pines, and 2004 camping fees are $12.00 per person. Call the Groveland Ranger District at (209) 962-7825 for information or (209) 379-2402 for group reservations. Another option is Moccasin Point Camp on Hwy 120, about 45 minutes from our meeting spot. Call (209) 852-2396 for information.
Additional lodging is available in Sonora, approximately one hour from our meeting spot. If you are having trouble finding lodging, please call our office, we will be happy to assist you.
Camping
There are three US Forest Service campgrounds, some with group sites available, near La Casa Loma Store. The closest campground is The Pines, and 2004 camping fees are $12.00 per person. Call the Groveland Ranger District at (209) 962-7825 for information or (209) 379-2402 for group reservations. Another option is Moccasin Point Camp on Hwy 120, about 45 minutes from our meeting spot. Call (209) 852-2396 for information.
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