Cherry Creek—Upper Tuolumne, CaliforniaA whopping 15 Class V rapids punish paddlers from mid-summer to September, because the high flows of spring make Cherry Creek too dangerous. Be prepared for drops, undercurrents and lots of boulders on this tough and technical section.
Upper Tuolumne River (Cherry Creek), CaliforniaCherry Creek is the gold standard for Class V and is the hardest section of commercially rafted whitewater in the United States. Rapids like Mushroom (V), Toadstool (V), and Lewis's Leap (V) challenge even the most experienced river guides.
While other rivers follow a whitewater rating system of I-V, Grand Canyon rapids are rated on a scale of 1-10. Some of these rapids are extremely difficult to run unless you are a very experienced river runner who has run similar-sized rapids in the past successfully.
The Yellowstone River is classified as Class II-III rapids from Yellowstone National Park to Paradise Valley (the first 18 miles of legally navigable whitewater on the Yellowstone River).
The 31.5-mile section of the river between Hells Canyon Dam and Upper Pittsburg Landing is designated as the Wild river section. Rapids vary from Class II to Class V.
Great Falls of the Potomac River is a major set of rapids located about 15 miles upstream of Washington, DC. The main Falls lines drop fifty feet in one-tenth of a mile, creating a Class V+ set of waterfalls.
The mystery of the Great UnconformityWhat's tricky about the Grand Canyon is that the rocks in its walls seem to be missing a big part of the picture. In 1869, a man named John Wesley Powell observed that several layers of rock that should've been in the Canyon walls were not present.
Futaleufu River, ChileA number of river rafting pros and enthusiasts consider it to be one of the most challenging rapids in the world. The white water rafting river is ensconced in the valleys of brooding cliffs. Especially, the Upper Section of the Futaleufu River is navigated by only expert rafters.
With eight deaths in 2022, it's now at 325 people lost over the past 55 years. Of those, 106 have drowned just since 2000. But what would you expect from the deadliest river in America? That's right – the Kern is considered the most dangerous river in the United States.
Feel the thrill of being at the river's edge! White Water Walk offers a first-hand lesson in the raw power and peril of the Niagara River's Class 6 whitewater rapids, some of the wildest in North America.