Best White Water Rafting – Tuolumne River

Travel for our family is like oxygen. We need it to breath. Travel feeds our soul so we needed to work with this new 2020 normal and try to plan a Covid-19 safe getaway. We needed to ditch our computer screens for new surroundings. We desperately needed to relax with the sounds and beauty of mother nature, and fill our hearts with sunshine. After experiencing the solitude and tranquility of Yosemite Valley, we were hungry for adventure, and a two day white water rafting trip seemed to fit the bill.

There are many White Water Rafting operators to choose from. We chose ARTA since their reviews were great, they have been around since 1963, and they are a non-profit organization. Our two day adventure was spent exploring the free-flowing Tuolumne River on a raft (during Covid they are operating at 50% capacity and we had our own raft and guide) and it was incredible.

The Tuolumne is a powerful river with spectacular scenery, thrilling class IV rapids, great side hikes, and beautiful beaches to camp, all hidden inside an 18-mile stretch of pristine canyon.

White Water Rafting – Day 1

After a short hike down to the rafts around 8am, we met up with our guides for the safety talk and prep. We were walked through every scenario we might encounter on the river and felt very prepared and confident in our guides. After being fitted for safety gear, it was time for our adventure to begin.

We had our own raft for our family, the weather could not have been more perfect, and we all felt as safe as possible.

The river conditions change frequently and we found ourselves floating on the peaceful river watching the birds at times, and at times we were digging deep and  dropping a few feet as we all worked together to paddle through a challenging class IV part of the river. It was exhilarating!

Around noon we stopped for a delicious lunch (all provided and prepared by the guides) and we also stopped at a hiking spot to enjoy the scenery and jump off some high rocks and swim. Around 4pm we pulled over to the perfect riverside campsite and settled in for the evening.

We pitched our own tent (the guides would have been more than happy to help) and relaxed. The guides were busy setting up camp, preparing dinner and chatting with guests. We had the option to rest, swim in the river, paddle or hike. It was all very casual and low-key, which is exactly what we were hoping for. We found plenty of shade and sandy flat areas, chatted with the guides, enjoyed our cold beer and enjoyed our stunning surroundings.

After dinner, we were given instructions on how to use the ‘Groover’… you know.. when you have to go. The ‘Groover’ is a sturdy box with a toilet seat attached to the top that takes care of human waste. I immediately decided that it wasn’t for me. I need all conditions to be optimal for me to feel comfortable when I ‘Groove’. Julian on the other hand, was fascinated by the whole process, and was the first to take his flashlight to the plastic bowl set up under a private tree, 50 feet from our campsite! Later in the evening we lay down, tried to figure out the different constellations, and slept under the stars. It was heavenly.

White Water Rafting – Day 2

We woke to the birds singing, and around 8am we walked over to get coffee and breakfast (again prepared by the guides) as we slowly geared up for the day. After breakfast the guides began to pack up the campsite while we packed up our tent, and loaded our raft for another fun day on the river.

We spent our second day on the river relaxing, ferociously paddling through class IV rapids and we stopped again for a peaceful lunch. After lunch we found more rocks to jump from, and we were even given the opportunity to swim in the rapids.

We didn’t need to be told twice, and we all jumped off the raft into the river and swam in the mild rapids. It was so refreshing. After our swim we leisurely made our way down the river to the pick up spot, and by 6pm we were in our car driving home with amazing memories.

This was our first rafting trip and we felt 100% safe the entire time. The river was beautiful, clean, and wild, and offers just the right amount of excitement. Tuolumne River has many class IV rapids we encountered as we traveled 18 miles over two days. This is not for the faint of heart or out of shape and we often felt exhilarated but never scared. The guides were outstanding, hard working, friendly, organized, and extremely knowledgeable about the river.

The International Scale of River Difficulty classifies rapids, (not rivers), on a scale of I to VI with I being easy and VI being un-runnable, (for guided whitewater rafting, Class III is considered beginning level).

ARTA  was professional from start to finish, with an emphasis on safety first and then fun. ARTA is a non-profit organization, donating all of their profits at the end of the year to conservation groups. Their respect for the environment was obvious. We were able to soak in the simplicity of nature, and for a short time we disconnected from the incredibly stressful year and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Our guides took great care of us, were very professional, organized, and extremely experienced. I would most definitely recommend ARTA if you are considering a white water rafting adventure!

Have YOU been white water rafting?  If so where have you been?

Let me know in comments below and join me on Instagram and Twitter!