River Runners

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River Runners

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Experience the best that the beautiful American Rivers have to offer with River Runners.

2026 rafting trips open for registration now! River Runners is small.

River Runners was established in 1974 by a group of people who loved the river, loved to raft and loved to share the experience with others. River Runners has changed leadership over the years but the legacy remains. Proudly small. It's the sort of place where the person who set up your tent and welcomed you into camp may be the same person who cooks you breakfast and takes you down the river the next morning. It's personal. It's intimate and it's local. River Runners guides pride themselves on personalized service, they want to find out what makes you tick and give you the best experience they possibly can. It is the reason why so many guests return year after year. It is not just a river trip, it's a fun and exciting adventure with inspired, down to earth and fun loving people.

10/07/2026

That’s a wrap on the 2026 rafting season!

Thank you to all who came and shared this beautiful season with us, we had a blast and can’t wait until next summer! ☀️🌊🏕️

……

Photo 2: The guides serve up warm brownies and ice cream after another legendary day on the water.

Photo3: These River Kids spent more time in the water than on the boat!

Photo 4: Heading to the Middle Fork!

Photo 5: Teeter-totter with River Kids.

Photo 6: Classroom time during our May Swiftwater Rescue course. If you missed out on it this year, stay tuned — we will be offering classes again next spring!

Photo 7: The final day of Professional Guide School!

Photo 8: Ready for a busy July day!

Photo 9: River Kids prepare for a day of South Fork shenanigans.

Photo 10: Best day ever!

Photo 11: The best crew ever!

Photo 12: A gorgeous day on the gorge.

Photo 13: If you hang around camp long enough, you might also end up becoming a mechanic.

Photo 14: Private boater guide school student styles Hospital Bar!

Photo 15: Liliana, Scotty, and Frankie are ready for safety talk.

Photo 16: The next generation of River Runners guides.

Photo 17: River Kids surfing lesson. We’re dead serious about hands-on learning.

Photo 18: First trip of the year on the North Fork of the American!

Photo 19: Jumping for joy!

……

“The face of the water, in time, became a wonderful book […] And it was not a book to be read once and thrown aside, for it had a new story to tell every day.”
— Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi

08/01/2026

That’s a wrap on an incredible RIVER KIDS Camp season! 🌊☀️

Here are a few highlights from our older kids group, the Voyagers—filled with adventure, learning new river skills, and unforgettable memories. Thanks for an amazing summer, and we’ll see you next year! 💙

📸 - Scott Blankenfeld

Voyager guiding a rapid with style😎

A Voyager learning how to use a throw bag (and absolutely nailing it!).

Swimming every opportunity they get…

…and of course jumping off of rocks 🪨

River Kids guide Ben showing the Voyagers how to surf Barking Dog🌊

Playing in our favorite eddy on the South Fork of the American!

Cooling off in Turtle Pond 🐢

Voyagers guiding Class III 🥳

Last but not least… picking blackberries!

06/27/2026

Our first River Kids camp session of the season is officially in the books, and what an incredible start! 🌊☀️

We had an amazing time exploring, learning, making new friends, and creating unforgettable memories on the river.
A huge thank you to all of our Explorers, Voyagers, and families for making our first session such a success! The fun isn’t over yet—we have many more sessions to come. Check out the link in our bio for more information. See you at the river!

06/06/2026

Today we wrapped up our first week of private boaters guide school. What an amazing group of people that came together to learn about the river and how to guide their friends and family down it!

🌊Starting on Monday June 8th we have another session beginning and have spots available. Check out our bio to sign up🌊

05/09/2026

We’ve received a lot of questions regarding water levels of the American rivers. Here is a short summary of what the 2026 water season is going to look like. Don’t hesitate to DM us with any questions!

05/08/2026

We are excited to announce River Runners is hosting a Swiftwater Rescue Course!

🛟Level IV ACA
🛟May 21-22
📍Nugget Campground
ℹ️ For more information or to sign up check out the link in our bio!

05/05/2026

Surfing, scouting, and smiling our way down river with scouts!

Make sure to check out our website for Merit Badge info (link in bio)!

04/12/2026

🌀Before and after the North Fork of the American River! We had an incredible day out there and can’t wait to go back🌀

01/13/2026

☀️ Are you looking for a summer day camp for 2026? ☀️

Check out RIVER KIDS youth whitewater rafting guide school -- for kids aged 6-16, located on the South Fork of the American River.

→ Full days on the river
→ Hands-on learning
→ Expert River Runners instructors
→ Unforgettable adventure
→ Lunch & Snacks provided
→ All safety gear & transportation included
→ No experience neccessary!

2- and 3-day sessions available in June & July 2026.
Learn more here or sign up today!
🔗https://riverkidsusa.com/

🌊 We love to talk about rafting 🌊
Call or text us at 530-622-5110

Address

5461 Bassi Road
Lotus, CA
95651

Telephone

(530) 622-5110

Website

https://www.riverrunnersusa.com/

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