Stanislaus River
The Stanislaus River is a favorite
for whitewater paddlers in California for many reasons. The scenery of the Stanislaus
River is outstanding... featuring intricate and mysterious volcanic formations.The Goodwin Canyon section is a class 4 section of river located upstream of Knights Ferry and the Lower Stan is a class 2 section downstream of Knights Ferry.The Stanislaus River has a long history with California whitewater enthusiasts and it is only a 2 hour drive from most points in the San Francisco Bay Area.
GOODWIN - STANISLAUS CANYON - Class 4 trip.
The closest class 4 rafting to the San Francisco Bay Area! You'll be amazed that such a classic river is located so close to home. This rugged volcanic gorge is just off the beaten path but it feels like you're in a different world. The trip starts off with a short warm-up through several rapids including "Surf City". We'll hone our paddling skills quickly since "Mr Toad's wild ride " is right around the bend. This 18' drop is one of the biggest on the river. It is an intimidating rapid but luckily there is a nice long pool below to catch our breaths.
The next rapid is "Jungle Run" which is followed by an unrunnable cataract called "Matterhorn". We'll walk around this one and hopefully watch some expert kayakers attempt it while we're there. We'll then drift through a beautiful section of river which has towering basalt walls, fig trees and deep clear pools teaming with trout and salmon in the late summer.
After a few warm up rapids we'll run "Pinball Rapids"and then you'll see a horizon line with mist arising from below. This is the famous "Haunted House" rapid - a big class 4+ drop followed by a few obstacles that the guides like to call "penalty points". A clean run through "haunted house" seems like nothing... the opposite of a clean run will be a little more exciting. Don't worry though, our photographer will be there to capture the moments for you!
The end of the run has lots of fun rapids to surf and pools to swim in. "Small World" and "Last Rapid" have very unique features and are a good way to end our journey through this incredible whitewater resource. You'll see why this river is a favorite run for many local guides who run it year round when the water is available. You might have recognized the names of the rapids are the same as a famous amusement park down south... but there are no tracks on our rides through Goodwin Canyon!
Goodwin Canyon trip price- $109 per person for groups of 6 or more.
Bring your own lunch to eat after or before the trip. Trip lasts 3 hours. Class 4: Minimum age 16 years - All persons should know how to swim and be in good physical condition. First timers are welcomed to raft. Trips meet at 10:00AM at Knights Ferry, CA in the Rafting customer parking area We also can run an express trip at 2:00 PM if you have a group of 8 persons or more.Trips run April through October 2007
LOWER STANISLAUS - Class 2 trip - $21 per person
CLICK HERE for Lower Stanislaus Information! This trip is perfect for groups of 12 or more persons. The trip is self-guided and floats the class 2 section of the Stanislaus River from Knights Ferry to Orange Blossom park. The trip takes about 5 hours. Please feel free to bring your own lunch and refreshments in unbreakable and waterproof containers.A free shuttle back to your car is provided for all participants. Saturdays are the busiest days of the week. If possible, consider rafting the Stanislaus midweek (monday to friday) for a less crowded river experience.
2008 flow projections - Stanislaus River: The Lower Stanislaus Canyon will have good flows throughout the spring and summer. Goodwin Canyon will have raftable flows from April 15 until July 12, 2008. There may be summer flows in early August, contact us to find out the latest flow information.
Goodwin Canyon