Tips and Frequently Asked Questions

Check out our https://www.raftadventure.com/stanislaus-river-flows/ page for updated flow information.

Remember that you will be on the water for around 4 hours, so plan accordingly. Some common items are: sunscreen, water and snacks, a small ice chest (they fit easily on the raft), sunglasses that either have a leash or that you do not mind losing, a hat or visor, and clothing that can get wet.

Do not bring glass bottles. Do not bring coolers above 60 quarts. When alcohol is allowed (read below)-do not bring hard alcohol or any alcohol over 8%. Do not bring anything made of Styrofoam.  Do not bring any pets (this is an adventure activity, and while some pets might be able to handle it, most absolutely freak out when going through rapids, and not in a good way). Don’t bring an expensive pair of sunglasses, an expensive watch, or an expensive cell phone onto the boat. A good guideline is: if you can’t stand losing it, don’t bring it.

We at Sunshine would prefer our guests to not drink.  That being said...

Alcohol is NOT allowed on any rafts or kayaks at flows at or above 1000CFS and alcohol is NOT allowed on June trips as flows are routinely above this flow.  Alcohol is not allowed on ANY Saturday or holiday weekends (July 3-5 and Labor Day Weekend).  The only exception to this is the Riverbank to McHenry Float trip, which is a Saturday trip where alcohol is allowed in the amounts below.

When allowed, a maximum of TWO 12-packs are allowed per raft (yes, 24 cans). You are allowed ONE 60-quart cooler (or smaller). Hard alcohol (anything over 8% alcohol) and glass bottles are not allowed.  When we say 12-pack, we mean a 12-pack of normal-sized, 12-ounce cans.

There are two main reasons that alcohol is banned during these times:

1) We want to give family groups the space to have a nice time on the water without worrying about groups drinking alcohol.  Holiday Weekends are popular family weekends, as are Saturdays when a lot of kids are out of school.
2) These time periods have large crowds, and in our experience, large crowds + alcohol = issues.  We want to be able to give groups an opportunity to enjoy the Stanislaus with a more mellow vibe.

*The only exception to this is the Riverbank to McHenry float trip, where alcohol is allowed, with limits, on Saturdays.  This is because of the MUCH smaller crowds on this section.

Children need to be 5 or older to raft at normal flows between 150-1299CFS.

Children need to be 7 or older to raft at high flows (1300CFS+)

Children need to be 10 or older to kayak.

Our last day of operation in 2026 will be Monday, September 7th (Labor Day Weekend).  We will not be open after this in 2026.

Parking at the Knights Ferry Recreation Area is $10 per car, and can be paid at the kiosk upon arrival. Parking areas are under surveillance from either Army Corp or rafting staff. Rafters will need to park in the rafters’ parking lot after they check in at their pre-determined check-in location.

During your float trip, there is one main area that is clearly marked where you can stop on the side of the river: Horseshoe Park, which is on river right, and is about 4 miles into the trip.  The rest of the land on the sides of the rivers is private, and stopping on that land is considered trespassing.  Groups that trespass during their trip can face fines, citations, and possibly more serious consequences, including arrest.

For groups that don't want to complete the full 7 mile trip, there is the option to stop at the 4.5 mile mark at the end of Horseshoe Park.  Please either let the managers at the put in location know, or let the office know (by calling 209-848-4800), and we can arrange employees and shuttle from the Horseshoe Parking Lot area.  This takes about 1.5-2 hours off the trip, depending on flow.  Also, shuttles do not start running until ~1PM on any day, so please do not check in early and rush to Horseshoe Park, or you will be waiting for the first shuttle of the day to start their route.

No! We don’t mix groups, so the group you book with is the group that is in your boat. While we do suggest that you bring at least 4 people in your group, we won’t ever make you share a boat with participants that are not under your same reservation.  Most of our boats are 8-person boats that are 13' long.  We do have a handful of 10-person boats that are only for groups of 9 or 10.

Yes, there are limits to how long you can be on the water.

The last shuttle runs at 5:30PM from Orange Blossom each day.  So you need to be to Orange Blossom by 5:30.  In turn, if you are not past the END of Horseshoe Park by 3:30PM, your trip will end once you reach the end of Horseshoe Park.  Groups that are not past the end of Horseshoe Park by 3:30PM will not make the takeout in time for the last shuttle, which is why the cutoff exists.  If you know your group is going to move slowly, please choose an earlier reservation time.

Absolutely! This trip is good for ages 5 and up, so do feel free to bring the kiddos along!  If you want to go on the Knights Ferry to Orange Blossom on a peak weekend, we recommend checking in at either 9:00 or 9:30AM as the crowds are typically smaller.  Also, in 2026 we are not allowing alcohol on June weekends or on Saturdays, so we are projecting those to have a nice, family-friendly vibe.

Lastly, remember that while kids love the trip, they usually don't love to help you paddle.  Make sure you have at least 2 good (adult) paddlers in each raft, and if you have a group of 9 or 10 with a handful of kids, we highly recommend opting for a 10-person boat so that you can consolidate paddling power!  And if you think the trip might be a little long for the kiddos in your group, know that you can end your trip at the end of Horseshoe Park (the 60% mark) upon request.

For rafting, you need at least 4 people to go rafting, with rare exceptions.  Having 4 people allows you to balance the boat out front to back and side to side.

During higher flow releases (700CFS+) we do not make exceptions to this rule.  If you have less than 4 people and want to go rafting, feel free to call us and we can discuss if there are any options for your group.

When flows are below 700CFS, we do offer kayaking, so if you have a group of 2 this could be a good choice if/when kayaks are available.

Groups trips (groups of 10-200 or more) are a common sight on the Stanislaus River, so don't get overwhelmed!

For large groups we can help in a number of ways:

a) We can set up group pricing so that you are getting an awesome deal.

b) We can set up payment methods so that everyone pays for their own spot, either online or over the phone.  You don't have to track down everyone's payments!

c) We can actually arrange transportation through Delta Charter Bus.  We can come grab your group (groups of 30+ usually), and take you to the river, then take you back home at the end of the day.  Fees do apply for group transportation.

d) We can apply our 35+ years of customer service to help you make plans, communicate with the group, get them the info they need, and make sure they have an excellent day on the water.

Big groups are a big part of what we do, so if you need help setting up a large party, don't be shy- give us a call at 800-829-7238!

We are open from mid-June until early September.

In 2026 we will be open until September 7th.

In June, July, and August we are normally open 4-5 days per week.

Even when open, reservations are required, so make sure to book online or call ahead of time.

Participant Requirements

Sunshine Rafting Adventures’ trip is designed for people in good health. Although the trip is mellow enough for a wide range of ages, it is still an outdoor activity, and as such, there is always a certain element of risk present. For this reason, we reserve the right to turn away any participants we deem unfit (although this is highly unusual). Reasons one may be turned away are outlined below.

All Participants Must:

• Sign a liability waiver.

  If a participant is under 18 years of age a parent or legal guardian must also sign the waiver.

• Be able to fit into a life jacket. Our jacket sizes range from small child to chest sizes of 56 inches. If a participant cannot fit in a life jacket with a chest-size of 56 inches, they must bring their own Coast Guard approved life jacket.
• Be at least 5 years of age to raft, and 10 years of age to kayak.
• Be in good health and prepared to participate in an active day of rafting.
• Be able to comfortably swim 100 feet with the aid of a life jacket.

You cannot participate if:

• You are pregnant
• You have had a recent injury or have an existing injury that could be re-aggravated in an outdoor recreation activity.
• Have epilepsy or a seizure disorder that does not permit you to drive.
• Have hemophilia or are currently taking high doses of blood thinning medication.
• Have a known health condition that requires immediate medical attention in the event of an emergency.
• Are under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or prescription medications that limit your physical abilities.
• Have an innate phobia of moving water.

Yes, there are restrooms on the trip. There are formal, park restrooms at the beginning point at Knights Ferry, the mid-way point at Horseshoe Park, and at the end point at Orange Blossom Park.  Do note these are not Sunshine Rafting's restrooms; these are public park restrooms.

Water temperatures in season range from 55-60 degrees depending on flow and time of year.

Water depths range from 2 feet to 20 feet deep depending on where you are on the water. Typically you will find more shallow water where the water is moving quickly, and deeper water where the river has slowed down.

On weekdays, rafting trips start between 10AM and 11:30AM. Kayaking trips start at 11AM.

On weekends, rafting trips start between 9AM and noon, every half hour.  Kayaking trips start at 11AM.

Most of our trips start in the historic town of Knights Ferry, which is about an hour and a half to two hours east of the Bay Area.

The closest address is 18000 Covered Bridge Road.  Once you get within a couple hundred feet of this address, keep your eyes open for the "Rafters' Parking Lot" signs!

Prices for trips do vary on a number of factors such as date of the trip, number of people in your party, the type of trip you want to book, etc. Assume most trips are going to cost between $45-$57 per person for each day of rafting, and know that weekends are more expensive, and are busier, than weekdays. Consult our pricing page or booking pages for a full breakdown. Group discounts are available!

YES, you really do! Most weekends are booked up in advance (sometimes 2-3 weeks). Last minute reservations are accepted if space permits. A 50% deposit will hold your reservation date. The full balance is due fourteen days prior to your trip.  You can reserve online or by calling 800-829-7238.

This trip is NOT guided.  There will not be a guide in your raft.

Because this trip is beginner friendly (class I with one small class II rapid), a guide is not needed.  At most flows, this is a very mellow, lazy river float trip, which is easy to navigate as long as you have at least 2 decent paddlers.

We do not allow pets on our rafts, for a few reasons.  The main reason is that most animals are not good around/in moving water.  They don't understand when/where to go, not to swim into dangerous strainers, etc.  In short, animals can easily drown in moving water, even when it is shallow, and not moving very quickly.

We do not make exceptions to this rule. We know that your pet is extremely good around water, but the answer is still that pets are not allowed.

In short, no we don't.  We don't rent any equipment built for one person, for safety reasons.

It is also worth mentioning that at flows above 700CFS, tubes are fairly dangerous on the Stanislaus River.  At lower flows (200-400CFS), it'll take 4-5 hours to take a personal tube from Knights Ferry to Horseshoe Park (the halfway point).

The quickest way to change an existing reservation is to call us at 209-848-4800.

If the people you want to add fit in your existing rafts, then there will not be any issue in adding the people, it will just come down to how you want to pay for those individuals.  Once a reservation is "full" (meaning you have paid for all of the spots on the original reservation), the only way to pay for more is by calling in.

If the people you are adding on will not fit in your existing rafts, then it comes down to whether or not we have availability or not.  If your boats are full, and we are sold out, we cannot add them.  If we do have extra rafts available, then we can add those people onto the reservation and increase the number of rafts for your group.

No, we do not have a waiting list for any trip or trip date.

Our website does have real-time availability though, so you can always click the "book now" button and check the current availability on any date!

Common lodging areas in our area include Horseshoe and Valley Oak Campground (209-881-3517).  A full list of local lodgings can be found on our lodgings page.

If you have an interest in joining the Sunshine Rafting Adventures staff you can call our office at 1-800-829-7238.

Sunshine trips are run by permission of US Army Corps of Engineers – Sacramento District, US Bureau of Reclamation – Tracy, USDA.

We do have insurance.  We have general insurance to run rafting trips, auto insurance to run commercial vehicles, and workers compensation insurance for our employees.  We are a fully-formed and mature company that operates under the rules laid out by the Army Corps of Engineers concessionaires agreement.

While not expected, tips are a nice way to show your appreciation for exceptional customer service. Our employees take great pride in making your day special.

More than 95% of our customers just fill their liabilities waivers out once they arrive.  If you'd like to get yours done beforehand, access our pdf here: printable liability waiver.

Filling out a liability waiver beforehand is most important for minors that are participating without a parent or legal guardian.  In these cases, please fill it out for your minor, and make sure they bring the form with them on the day of the trip.