One of California's original whitewater rafting outfitters, Zephyr Whitewater has been offering wilderness whitewater rafting trips to the general public since 1973. Starting with the Stanislaus River (currently under water from the filling of New Melones Reservoir in the early 1980s), Zephyr Whitewater Expeditions, aka Zephyr, has grown to become one of the largest outfitter in the Yosemite region of California on the Merced and Tuolumne rivers, and 1 of only 3 outfitters permitted to operate trips on the Kings river near Kings Canyon National Park.

Our guests experience the extraordinary. From whitewater thrills on a 1/2 day trip, to the extended serenity and wilderness commune on our 3-day Tuolumne trips, our trips offer something for everyone. From the advanced thrill-seeker to the first time family rafting experience, our guides cater to all levels of expertise.

We are a family owned business, and we have operated out of Columbia, California since our inception in 1973.

Zephyr has changed a lot since 1973. We now use state of the art self-bailing rafts designed for whitewater rafting instead of military surplus "bucket boats"; our guides wear Teva river sandals and hi-tech river shorts instead of cut-off Levi's (which never seemed to dry) and bare feet; our busses are painted, inspected annually by the California Highway Patrol and our food is "river gourmet"!

Our philosophy, however, has not changed at all. Our reason for being in this business is the same as it has always been...we get great joy in seeing our guests experience magic. We also take great pleasure in being able to experience that magic ourselves.

Our river trips range from 1/2 day to 3 days in length, and all meals (read: river gourmet cuisine) and camping are included.  Our river trips are great for individuals, families, groups of all kinds, including first time rafters and advanced thrill seekers.

Please contact us for details.

We depend on our rivers. Their power and striking beauty sustain us, and naturally motivate us to participate in conservation efforts year round. As river stewards, we pack it in and pack it out and encourage our guests to do the same through education and example.