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Trinity River

Whitewater Rafting in California with Turtle River Rafting Co.

Highlights

  • Inflatable kayaks on all trips
  • Riverside camping
  • Professional photographers
  • Nearby Bed & Breakfast Inns

Full Description

The best of both worlds - Warm summer days and a cool flowing river.

The Klamath’s largest tributary, the Trinity river, forms the southern boundary to the rugged Salmon-Trinity mountains. Located in a wooded canyon west of historic Weaverville, it flows through a region long revered for its scenic beauty.

Easily accessible and a welcome alternative to the crowded American River, it is fast becoming one of our more popular summer trips. With many Class 2 and 3 rapids, the Trinity is ideal for summer rafting and inflatable kayaking—warm days and a cool flowing.

A day of whitewater rafting is the perfect complement to camping in the backcountry, exploring old mining towns, or fishing the lakes and streams of the Trinity Alps.

Includes:

  • Rafts, life jackets, dry storage bags
  • Professional guides & instruction
  • Meals from lunch on the first day through lunch on the last day
  • Water & snacks during the day
  • Shuttles from the take-out point back to the departure point
  • Camp chairs on two-day trips

Excludes:

  • Transportation to or from the departure point
  • Personal beverages (sodas or alcoholic drinks)

Day by Day Itinerary

One-Day Trip

Our camp on the Trinity is at Pigeon Point, where we’ll meet you at 9am the first morning of your trip. There will be a short orientation and safety talk followed by paddle instruction and an inflatable kayak demonstration. The first of many rapids begins immediately at the bend in the river; a good warm up for the bigger rapids to come. We’ll stop at one of the larger rapids and you can carry the kayaks up for another try while we prepare our deli-style lunch. The day is complete with a jumping rock and beautiful pools to swim in. Our take out is at Big Flat where professional photographers will have digital photos of the largest rapid and we’ll break out the cold sodas.

Two-Day Trips

After a break at Big Flat to check out the photos, we’ll continue down to our riverside camp at Skunk Point. An afternoon of swimming, snacks, and relaxing by the river completes your first day on the Trinity. The next day on the river you’ll get an opportunity to switch from the larger rafts to one- or two-person inflatable kayaks. Stable and very forgiving, these are the sports cars of rafting. In addition to some of the fun rapids, we’ll have time to explore an old mining tunnel at French Gulch and gather fresh blackberries along the river. You’ll arrive at the take-out around 4 pm where, once again, the cold drink cooler awaits. Optional for groups of 8 or more is another day on the Pigeon Point section.

About The Operator:

Turtle River Rafting Co.

Headquarters:

Mount Shasta, CA

Turtle River Rafting Company is based in Mount Shasta, California just below the Oregon border. We have trips on six rivers in the mountains surrounding our home in addition to the Owyhee River in the high-desert of southern Oregon. The rivers running through the Siskiyou and Marble mountains offer some of the best whitewater rafting in the western United States. This rugged, mountainous country is also treasured for its solitude, exceptional wildlife, and fabulous scenery. We invite you to travel with us on a river rafting adventure and share our love of whitewater, wilderness, and friendship. 

Safety is a top priority at Turtle River. Now in our fourth decade of operation, most of our guides have been running rivers for 8 to 29 years. All are certified in first-aid and CPR and many have Swiftwater Rescue training & EMT certification.

From April through September, we offer 1- to 6-day river rafting vacations: one- & two-day river trips where families can take children as young as four; more adventurous multi-day wilderness journeys; and some of the wildest Class 4 and Class 5 whitewater in California and Oregon.