Floatable rivers · California

California rivers you can float

17 rivers where the gauge sits on the water people actually run. Each page shows the year as a flow ribbon — typical highs, typical lows — with today's live reading pinned on top.

Pick your river

• American River

  Lower American, Sunrise Avenue to River Bend through Sacramento

  Fullest: May–Jul Leanest: Sep–Nov rafttubing

• Cache Creek

  Cache Creek canyon from Rumsey through Camp Haswell

  Fullest: May–Jul Leanest: Oct–Dec rafttubing

• Klamath River

  Mid-Klamath canyon around Seiad Valley and Happy Camp

  Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Jul–Sep raftkayak

• Merced River

  Yosemite Valley bridges and the El Portal canyon below Redbud

  Fullest: Apr–Jun Leanest: Sep–Nov rafttubing

• North Fork American River

  Chamberlain Falls canyon above Lake Clementine

  Fullest: Mar–May Leanest: Aug–Oct raftkayak

• Russian River

  Forestville to Guerneville past Johnson's Beach

  Fullest: Jan–Mar Leanest: Jul–Sep canoetubing

• Sacramento River · Red Bluff

  Red Bluff through the valley oaks toward Woodson Bridge and Chico

  Fullest: Jun–Aug Leanest: Oct–Dec tubingcanoe

• Sacramento River · Redding

  Redding town float, Posse Grounds to Anderson River Park

  Fullest: Jun–Aug Leanest: Nov–Jan driftboatraft

• San Joaquin River

  Lost Lake Park to Skaggs Bridge below Friant Dam

  Fullest: Apr–Jun Leanest: Nov–Jan tubingkayak

• Smith River

  Gasquet and the Forks of the Smith down to Jedediah Smith Redwoods

  Fullest: Jan–Mar Leanest: Aug–Oct kayakraft

• South Fork American River

  Chili Bar and the Coloma–Lotus valley

  Fullest: Mar–May Leanest: Oct–Dec raftkayak

• South Fork Eel River

  Through the Avenue of the Giants near Miranda

  Fullest: Jan–Mar Leanest: Aug–Oct canoekayak

• Stanislaus River

  Knights Ferry to Oakdale and the Caswell park floats near Ripon

  Fullest: Apr–Jun Leanest: Jul–Sep rafttubing

• Trinity River

  Pigeon Point run, Junction City to Helena

  Fullest: Apr–Jun Leanest: Oct–Dec raftkayak

• Truckee River · Tahoe City

  Tahoe City to River Ranch

  Fullest: Jul–Sep Leanest: Mar–May rafttubing

• Tuolumne River

  La Grange Dam to Basso Bridge on the lower Tuolumne

  Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Jul–Sep tubingdriftboat

• Yuba River

  Lower Yuba, Parks Bar at Highway 20 to Sycamore Ranch

  Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Sep–Nov tubingkayak

Flow seasonality is context, not a safety rating — every river page opens with the safety notes that actually matter. Checking dates? Try the trip-window checker.