The Middle Fork American also makes for a beautiful one or two day kayaking run with fun play spots and great rapids, although because of the difficulty of Tunnel Chute rapid and the portage at Ruck-a-Chucky, many kayakers prefer either the North Fork or the South Fork. Our all day rafting trip along the Middle Fork is perfect for whitewater enthusiasts who are looking for a bit more excitement and adventure than the South Fork.

Caution: Flows fluctuate depending on rainfall and temperature, and the gauges may not always be accurate. Rich in gold rush nostalgia, and blessed with breathtaking beauty, the Middle Fork American River is located in the heart of the Tahoe National Forest, it winds its way through a deep …

An very narrow 20 foot wide chute that drops you into gold miners tunnel.

There are eight solid Class IV rapids, numerous Class III’s, uncountable Class II’s and the infamous – Tunnel Chute.

Refer to the daily flows to see the pattern, but don’t make your final boating decision until you’ve looked at the water. Middle Fork American River When you begin to feel comfortable on the South Fork and ready to take the next step in whitewater rafting, the Middle Fork is where you belong.

Middle Fork American River Fly Fishing and Rafting Day Trip.
Current River Levels. The rapids on the Middle Fork American are characterized with steep drops and large hydraulics. The Middle Fork American River (Tunnel Run) is an 18-Mile, Class III-IV section of river.


Mi. TUNNEL CHUTE (IV+) Crowds of miners came to the Middle Fork American River canyon in search of gold in the late 1800s.

The Middle Fork's most well known rapid is Tunnel Chute–a steep and narrow chute of frothy whitewater that crashes over a 6-foot drop and then through a 90-foot long rock tunnel! A rewarding day of fly fishing and white water rafting on the Middle Fork American River! The Middle Fork of the American River runs through the scenic Sierra Foothills of Tahoe National Forest.

Other popular drops and rapids include, Kanaka Falls, Chunder, Bus Crash, … Dreamflows-generated graph of estimated/predicted flows for Middle Fork American River Above Tunnel Chute. The river continues to build excitement until you get to the infamous “Tunnel Chute”, where gold miners back in the 1880’s blasted a diversion chute and tunnel into the rocks to divert the river around and into Horseshoe Bend. The Middle Fork of the American River is a fun and full day of Class III/IV water rafting.

You'll experience "Tunnel Chute". Halfway through the trip, a calming Class II section allows paddlers time to relax and play in the clear water. Middle Fork American River Rafting- Class III-IV; Lower Middle Fork American River Rafting- Class II; ... (we can and will portage if you do not want to run Tunnel Chute Rapid). They realized that gold probably settled into what was formerly a slow-moving, horseshoe bend in the river. ... We will tackle several the Class 4 Tunnel Chute rapid early on in the trip, followed by several miles of Class 4 rapids. After a morning of fishing and rapids we will enjoy a nice lunch and then ripper streamers for the next 4 miles.as we float toward camp.

The Middle Fork of the American River is chock full of whitewater action.