South Fork American River Tour

Chili Bar to Coloma, Class III

[map Chili Bar to Camp Lotus (7k)]

This six-mile stretch is the most popular whitewater run west of the Rockies. It's often called the "Upper" run to distinguish it from the "Lower", or Gorge fun. With miles 0.5 to 3.4 running through public lands (BLM), the scenery is largely unspoiled. The rapids are fun, frequent, and forgiving. Click on the small pictures to view larger JPEG or GIF images. Most images around 30-60k, none over 100k unless noted in the text. Thanks to El Dorado County Parks & Recreation for the map!

Mile 0

Chili Bar

The put-in for the Chili Bar run.

Chili Bar Hole was for many years the site of the renowned Chili Bar Rodeo. (The last few years the competition was moved downstream to First Threat Rapid because of low water.) The hole has a steep face and is not very friendly below around 3000 cfs, but in low water there are several medium-sized waves to surf while your friends struggle with their drysuits. You can visit a photo gallery for Chili Bar Rodeo 1988, featuring legendary paddlers like Bob McDougall (pictured), Rob Lesser, Kathy Bolyn and Chuck Stanley.

Or check out results and photos from the April 1996 "just for fun" Chili Bar Rodeo, featuring Corran Addison, Dan Gavere (pictured), and other pros along with hot local talent.

This is also the neighborhood where the commercial raft guides teach commands to their new paddlers, so kayakers watch out! (Greg Kopp is the kayaker in this picture.)

Mile 0.2

Pop-up Spot, Class II

This rock in mid-stream is a no-brainer for a raft (though you'll see inner tubes perched on it periodically), but it's a fun ender spot for the kayakers. Here Greg Kopp and Tom Wall (pictured) show us how it's done. Also check out Gary Valle's fine ender photo.

Mile 0.6

Meatgrinder Rapid, Class III+

Meatgrinder is also known as Quarter Mile Rapid because of its length. There is a technical lead-in section (pictured), a fast main chute, a calm pool, and finally a smaller technical tail.

Click to view larger (200k) versions of the lead-in section or main chute.

At higher flows, Meatgrinder has some HUGE waves and holes. This picture from the White Water Photos archive shows us what it was like in the bigwater year of 1983.

Mile 1.3

Racehorse Bend Rapid, Class II+

At Racehorse the river drops and bends left, pushing current into the right wall. A fun ride, no special hazards, but please don't swim here, especially at low summer flows, as the rocks will beat you up. Lots of small eddies to catch river right, and one of them will put you into position for a good surf wave.

Mile 1.5

Maya Rapid, Class II-III

Maya is a favorite surf-n-lunch spot -- just ask Matt McClellan (pictured). Normally it's an easy run down the middle, but at higher flows watch out for a big hole.

Mile 1.8

Rock Garden Rapid, Class II

Just like the name says, pick your way down.

Mile 2.0

African Queen Rapid, Class II

The river splits into three channels. Best bets are left or right, with decent surf waves in the rightmost channel. In late summer, grassy rushes grow up in the center channel, inspiring the name. (You DO remember Bogart and Hepburn dragging the boat through the rushes, don't you? If not, rent the movie!)

Mile 1.8

Triple Threat Rapid, Class III

Not surprisingly, Triple Threat has three drops, and all three can be run down the middle, with lots of bouncing and fun. First Threat Rapid is a favorite kayak surfing hole, and site of the most recent American River Festival rodeo. (Photo of Mark Kocina by Libby Bottrell)

Just below First Threat, Miner's Creek comes in on river right. Though lots of kayakers lunch at First Threat to watch the show, the Miner's Creek lunch stop has the advantage of clean and well-maintained restroom facilities.

Second Threat Rapid is just a nice little wave train, but Third Threat boasts some mighty fine big fast surfing waves. Catch'em if you can!

Mile 4.4

Beginning of the Quiet Zone

You enter an area with people living on both sides of the river. After much animosity and work between residents and boaters, an agreement was reached that the section between miles 4.4 and 11.5 would be a quiet zone. This means no screaming, no hollering, no whistle-blowing (except in cases of true emergency). Please help keep the peace; we get tired of apologizing for rude boaters. Visit the El Dorado County River Management Plan Update home page for more information about South Fork river management.

Mile 5.2

Troublemaker Rapid, Class III+

Also known as S-Turn, since the river bends sharply right, then left. Here's your faithful webmaster entering Troublemaker (pictured) and then exiting, with the infamous Gunsight rock on my right. (Photos by Dan Emmett.)

Troublemaker is also popular with whitewater rafters (pictured), even when the water gets BIG, as it did in this 1983 photo. (Both photos by Sierra Shutterbug.)