California White Water Rafting Trips:
Yuba River Rafting near Tahoe - Shangri-La!

Located just 3.5 hours from San Francisco and 1.5 hours from Reno and Lake Tahoe, the graceful Yuba River is a lushly-forested, sparkling, whizzing and whirling, dipping and diving Sierra jewel in Northern California!

Whitewater Voyages, chosen as one of only 3 outfitters on the Yuba River, rafts the upper and lower sections of the North Yuba River.

The clear, slender and sparkling Lower North Yuba River issues from Yuba Pass high in Tahoe National Forest to quicken down a narrow canyon of pounding rapids and great natural beauty. Lush, scented conifer forests adorn the steep canyon walls, while willow, sycamore and alder snuggle against the glistening banks.

• River Info
• Available Trips
• Top 5 Attractions
• Trip Directions

A substantial step up from the South Fork American, the dashing, nearly continuous whitewater of the Lower North Yuba makes an excellent choice for adventurous first-timers and experienced rafters alike. Here the lithe and sensual Yuba undulates through vigorous, dazzling rapids. An especially spectacular feature of this run is Maytag, a Class V cataract just upstream from Fiddle Creek around which many choose to walk.

To preserve the North Yuba in a pristine and untrammeled state and to assure minimum contact between rafting parties, Tahoe National Forest restricts the number of outfitters to three. We are proud and delighted that, in 1985, in a bid prospectus competition open to all California outfitters, Whitewater Voyages was selected to run the Yuba for many reasons - our long history of safe trips, professional guide-training standards, competitive prices, and outstanding quality of service.

 

Yuba River Rafting Trips:

The Yuba River is a Class III-V rafters paradise with the nearly continuous whitewater of the Lower North Yuba being perfect for adventurous first-timers and experienced rafters alike.

For all of the details click on the links below:

• Lower North Yuba River
  Maytag Whirl - One-Day
  Class III-IV - 1 day
• Lower North Yuba River
  Shangri-La - Two-Day
  Class III-IV - 2 days
• Upper North Yuba River
  Class V Alive - One-Day
  Class V - 1 day
• Upper and Lower North Yuba River
  Combo - Two-Day
  Class IV-V - 2 days
  Combines "Class V Alive" (Union Flat Run) with
  "Maytag Whirl" (Goodyears Bar Run)

 

YUBA RIVER - TOP 5 ATTRACTIONS:

• Visit the quaint gold rush town of Downieville and the surrounding Tahoe National Forest. Downieville is a Mecca for mountain biking, fishing, gold panning, hot springing, house boating, water skiing, windsurfing, swimming and hiking as well as whitewater boating. The town of Downieville has wooden sidewalks, an old West flavor, great restaurants, shops, inns, lodges, and B & B's
• At nearby Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park, films and exhibits tell the story of hydraulic mining in California.
• Shangri-La: The surrounding area, including nearby Grass Valley, Nevada City and the mountain country embracing the Yuba River, has long been a haven for ecologists, yoga practitioners, poets, nude sun bathers, Buddhists, hippies, wild men and women, meditators, vegans, free thinkers and other spiritual seekers.
• Free Camping and Fee Camping at numerous Tahoe National Forest Campgrounds along the Yuba River
• A deepening experience awaits those who can spend a couple of days at the Trappist Monastery near Vina. To stay with and talk with the Trappist monks is to perceive more clearly the broad range of human choice.

 

Yuba River Rafting Trip Directions

For all of the instructions on rendezvous locations, what to bring, where to stay, and
everything else you need to know, please click to download our
Yuba River Rafting Rendezvous Information

Click here to see the prices for all of our river rafting trips.

" The North Fork Yuba River... what a rush of a river it is. Crystal clear water stomping over adrenaline-pumping rapids make for a great day of play. Add to that the wonderfully interesting and professional guides who did everything from inspiring confidence and choosing good lines to making a mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich! Great Trip... Thanks. "
- Lani Haddock,
Los Gatos, California

" We had the most wonderful time going down the Yuba with our trusted guide Roland in beginning of May. There was not one moment of doubt or fear that Roland would not pull us through even the toughest of the rapids!! Our entire boat had a fantastic time and will be planning to do it again! Thanks to Holly, Roland and the rest of the team at Whitewater for providing us such great entertainment!!! "
- Sydney Green
San Francisco, California