Tuolumne River GETTING THERE The American River Touting Associa (ion ARIA meets rafters at la Casa loma General Mote, on California Highway 120 seven miles east ol Groveland and transports them to and from the river RUNNING II you're a real daredevil, raft the Tuolumne in early May when the wa ter is high and flowing swiftly White wafer wimps should wait until the end of the summer. ARTA sends rafters a list ol camping eguipment and clothes to pack, and rents sleeping bags and tents Contact ARIA for reservations and information at Star Rt 73. Groveland. LA 95321. 800 323 2782 SLEEP CHEAP For accommodations before and alter the ratting trip, try Yosemite National Park Ihe park has cabins lor S38 75 lo S5I 25 a night at the Yosemite lodge, and tent cabins in the luolu mne Meadows lodge for S29 a night For reservations and information on park lodging call 209 252 4848 FEASI FOR IHE LEAST Ihe Evergreen lodge an old log building in Gtovelands woods, may be secluded, but most everyone finds his or her way there in the summer for burgers rS5 95 > pasta steak about S10) and other specialties Highway 120 off Evergreen Road 209 379 2606> Ihe Iron Door Grill, on Highway 120 m Groveland has S4 to $5 burgers and an old fashioned soda fountain that serves S3 50 shakes 209 962 6244 ACCESS AFTER HOURS Gtoveland is rather desolate, so the Histone Iron Door Saloon downtown is your best bet The bar. decorated with stuffed foies bison heads, and other Bon 6. Point Arena. CA 95468. 800 88? 7238 for cheap student trips on California rivers 544 a day call Outdoor Adventures at the University ol California at Davis at 7 1 V- I Jl I 77J Ihe five rivers below are some of the best in Ihe coun try, and you can raft each of them tn three days or less in the spring and summer Ocoee River. Tennessee ((lass lll-IV) Ruer Runner magazine called the Ocoee which flows through the rugged Cherokee National forest of creatures, claims to be the oldest sa loon in California (est 18521 The live music on weekends draws a rowdy crowd ol locals and tourists Other Rivers Spring is usually the best time tor while water ratling rivers aren't crowded and the water is high It you plan to go in the summer though, make reservations at least two months in advance And look tor a dam con trolled river it the summer's been dry lo find outfitters, write to these associations lor tree regional ditec tones The Eastern Professional River Outfitters Association 531 S Gay St Suite 600. Knoxville IN 37902 615 524 1045 and The Western River Guides Association 360 S Monroe Suite 300 Denver CO 80209 303 37 7 4811 Also the River Travel (enter is a clearinghouse lor more than 100 op erators Contact 15 Riverside Dr PO tasT lennessee one ot me iu Dei! while water stretches in the United States Ihe river is lour and a hall miles long, but the rapids are almost continuous And since the lennessee Valley Authority regulates the Ocoee's flow you can count on wild rapids like the Class IV Hell Hole all summer trips average $20 to S32 a day Rogue River. Oregon (Class III) This national wild - and scenic river known tor its salmon fishing and wiid lile. Hows lot 33 miles through the Siskiyou Mountains ol southwest Ore gon Although rapids like Blossom Bar make many a stomach lurch, calmer stretches and warm swimming side pools allow rafters a chance to catch their breath At camp, rafters may see deer grazing nearby or hear black bears crashing through the lores! Trips average StOO to St SO a day Penobscot River, Maine (Class III-V) Ihe west branch ol this river in north central Maine tears through Ripo genus Gorge and otters spectacular views of Mount Katahdin. the state's highest point this river has twice the volume ol water and halt the crowds of the Ocoee, and sometimes it seems as if there's no letup between rapids. For instance, right alter the Class V Crib works rapid, rafters have to paddle fiercely to maneuver through the rocks and tunnels ol the Class V Extermina lor No one stays dry. A one day autumn trip is a great way to see fall colors Trips average $75 a day The Cataract Canyon Section of the Colorado River, Utah (Class V) this stretch ol the famous Colorado River squeezes through the sandstone spires and cliffs of Utah's deepest canyon in Canyonlands National Park Run this river in the spring, when high flows result in the biggest white water in the United States Big Drop II. the largest rapid on the run. plunges down a steep staircase of water be tween 5,000 tool high canyon walls. After navigating it, rafters must avoid Satan s Gut one of the most treach erous holes on the river trips average S100 a day Klamath River, California (Class III) This section of the Klamath (the river actually begins in Oregon) runs through the forested canyon of the Siskiyou Mountains in Northern Cali torma It's protected Irom overuse un der the state's wild-and-scenic-river act, the Klamath has the reputation as the most reliable summer river in the state, even in a drought. 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