Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for some more info? Browse our FAQ’s and learn all there is to know about our trips!

What do I need to bring?

Act like you are going to the beach for 4-5 hours, but plan like you will be getting in the water! Definitely bring sunscreen, water, and snacks. An ice chest up to 60 quarts is also allowed on the rafts. A hat, sunglasses you don’t mind losing, and shoes that can get wet but stay strapped to your foot are also a great idea! A towel and change of clothes are also good items to bring, but keep those in the car to change into after your trip!

What should I not bring?

Do not bring anything glass (including bottles). Do not bring hard alcohol. Don’t bring more than TWO 12-packs per raft. Do not bring anything made of styrofoam. Do not bring any pets (they are not allowed on rafts). Don’t bring anything that cannot get wet or that you don’t want to lose should you drop it into the water.

What about alcohol?

Alcohol will not be allowed on rafts/kayaks on weekends in July and on Labor Day Weekend. Alcohol will not be allowed on kayaks/rafts at flows above 1000CFS (so all June trips as well).

Do not bring hard alcohol under any circumstance. There is a limit of TWO 12-packs per raft when it is allowed. All adult beverages need to be 8% alcohol or lower. Any adult beverage over 12 ounces will be counted as multiple adult beverages.

Why is alcohol not allowed on July Weekends & Holiday Weekends?

There are two main reasons that alcohol is banned during these times:

1) We want to give family groups the space to have a nice time on the water without worrying about groups drinking alcohol. Holiday Weekends are popular family weekends, as are the weekends in July when a lot of kids are out of school.
2) These time periods have large crowds, and in our experience, large crowds + alcohol = issues. We want to be able to give groups an opportunity to enjoy the Stanislaus with a more mellow vibe.

What will the flows be like in 2024?

Check out the updates on the river flows page!

Note on 2024 trips: as conditions/flows change, so can the rules surrounding your trip (flow updates here). As your trip approaches, we will communicate with you, via email, about conditions. If rules or conditions change, and you don’t feel comfortable rafting in those conditions, you will be eligible for a full refund. We have no intention of making groups go on trips that they don’t want to go on!

When does rafting season start and end?

In 2024, rafting season starts Memorial Day Weekend and will end on Monday, September 2nd, the end of Labor Day Weekend.

Are there age restrictions?

For rafting trips, kids need to be 5 or older. For kayaking trips, kids need to be 10 or older. If flows are high (if the flow on the homepage shows 1300CFS+), then kids need to be 7 or older to go rafting.

Are there size restrictions?

Not officially, but there are some guidelines. We have life jackets up to a 56″ chest size, so anything above that, and you are required to find and bring your own coast-guard certified life jacket. In general, 300 lbs is a soft “limit” on size, but as long as you fit in the life jacket, our rafts can accommodate most anybody.

A 4-5 hour trip? Where can we stop?

There are multiple places on the trip where the river slows down, and you can relax and just drift. The halfway point, Horseshoe Park, is a great public park that is easily accessible from the river. It has restrooms and picnic tables so you can have lunch and take a break! Note that most of the land along the trip is private, so please do not stop on it.

How do I set up a group trip?

Got some friends that want to go on a trip, but you don’t want to foot the bill? A couple of options: reach out to us via the contact page and tell us what you want to set up, or call us, OR you can go through our reservation system, and on the last step (instead of paying) hit the “send a quote” button and we can flip that into a group reservation where everyone pays for their own spot!

How do payments work? When are they due?

-If a group leader is paying for everything, a 50% deposit is due at the time of reservation and 50% is due two weeks before the trip. If you are inside of two weeks when you book, then 100% is due at time of booking.
-If you want everyone to pay for themselves, then you need to call us to set up a group reservation. Your payment is due at the time of reservation, and the rest of the group’s payments are due two weeks before the trip runs. If we are inside of two weeks and you have a group where everyone wants to pay for themselves, call us for custom options.

What is the restroom situation?

There are PUBLIC, FEDERAL PARK restrooms at the beginning, middle, and end of the trip. As you can imagine, federal park restrooms in 100 degree heat are not going to be the cleanest, most pleasant, or most modern, so please plan accordingly. We must stress that these are NOT our restrooms, so please come with reasonable expectations of public restroom facilities!

What is the class of this river? Is this whitewater?

This is a class I river with one class II rapid. This is mellow. This is very much NOT whitewater rafting. No helmets, no wetsuits, and no guides.

When do your trips start?

Click the reserve button at the top right and find the date you want to go. All launch options are provided. We normally start between 9AM and noon on weekends and start from 10AM to noon on the weekdays we operate.

What about parking?

You will park in the Knights Ferry Recreation Area Rafters’ Parking Lot. It is $10 for the day, and can be paid for at the kiosk next to our check in tents. These parking lots are not owned or operated by the rafting companies. They are federal parks.

Do I need a reservation?

Oh yeah, definitely. On weekends, we routinely are sold out. On weekdays, we prep equipment for those we know are going to show up. Try to always book well ahead of time, and you can always check availability via the “reserve” button on this webpage.

What are your cancellation policies?

For a full refund, please cancel 14 or more days before the trip runs. That being said, we will always try to work with groups to reschedule their trip, or provide refunds in extreme circumstances.
If we have to cancel a trip for safety reasons, or if conditions change to such an extent that rules/routes change, we will always reach out and provide you the option of rescheduling or receiving a full refund.
If you show up the day of the trip with less people in the group than you paid for, there will be no refunds, but we do send the group leader a trip credit that is good for a future trip (these credits are not usually valid on peak days, however).

Where can I stay in the area?

For camping 14+ days out, try: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10048998 or https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10029012
For camping within 14 days, try Tulloch Reservoir or Don Pedro Reservoir (both about 20-30 minutes away).
Oakdale has a Best Western, Holiday Inn Express, and a Motel 6 about 15 minutes away.
There are multiple Air B&B options in the area as well.

Where is my liability waiver? Do I need it now?

You can fill out your liability waiver the day of the trip. If there are minors on the trip, the person responsible for them that day will fill out their waiver.