My friends and i float this fairly regularly, and drive from the Bay Area to do it. Your best bet is launching at Hazel ave and floating past Goethe to Gristmill. You dont have to pay at Hazel, and Gristmill is self payment so you only need to pay for the vehicle you leave there, rather than Goethe which charges entry for EVERY vehicle.

Be prepared to be surrounded by trashy rednecks if you opt to tube on the American River.

When we moved to Sacramento last year in July, we went to the American River off Sunrise Blvd our first weekend just to walk around and went in to complete culture shock--I grew up in Denver and want nothing more to do with this foul city. We're moving in just two months.

you launched at sunrise which is where all the idiots on rental rafts launch from.

Let me know if you would like to give it another try and i will be happy to show you how it is done in style

unless of course having a cooler floating in a tube filled with cheap beer is also too redneck for you.

Frasier78, so sorry you don't like Sacramento and had a bad experience on your first weekend. We moved to the area 8 years ago and love it here. Yes, I've heard that there are a lot of trashy people who do raft rentals on the lower American, and so our family hasn't gone there, yet. But all of the greater Sacramento area is not "foul." Renting a kayak at Lake Natomas is lovely, and the upper American River is where we spend most of our summers. And I've heard that the lower American river tubing/floating is at its worst on holiday weekends. I haven't been, but now with your comment, we'll be trying it out to give some firsthand feedback!

Hope you will be happy back home in Colorado. Sometimes moving to a different place IS a culture shock - it was for me, moving from urban Southern CA. But I just wanted to say, although you have a different opinion, my opinion is that all of Sacramento is not a foul place, in fact, just the opposite; most of it is VERY nice; there are a couple of places that attract foul people, just like in any city. But, to each their own.

Ruth: are you sure you are rafting on the North Fork in July? North Fork is a wild river and not dam controlled. It usually dries up to a trickle by end of May/beginning of June (my dh works for a rafting company). Maybe you are going on Middle Fork? Whoo-hoo! Tunnel Chute, how fun is that???!!

Another option for tubing is in Tahoe City (the northwest part of Lake Tahoe). It's about 1.5 hours away, gorgeous scenery. They rent you the tube, and you go on your own, and they have a bus bring you back.

Have fun!

We will be camping at Folsom Lake and am also looking for a spot on the American to go tubing. Please advise on a good put-in location and tube rental locations. Thank you!

I am planning a Tubing excursion for a friend's bachelor party down the American. I am planning on putting in at Sailor Bar, but was wondering whether it is safe to end around Sac State? Perhaps ending at Paradise Beach or around that area.

Can someone tell me if that trip is safe? How long of a trip would that be? I see the suggestion to end at Goethe Park, but we'd like to go further. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Would someone kindly tell me what kind/type of inner tubes are save to go down American River and where I can buy them. Thank you!

Personally ive never heard of anyone tubing much past watt due to the river going slow, but that doesnt mean it cant be done

as for purchasing tubes, les schwab tire center has em, and if they dont they are bound to know someone who will

if you want to get fancy, big 5 has them asweel but they arent as strong as the ones that are used for cars / trucks.

Here is some more information about river tubing on the American River and other nearby rivers.

<a href="…blogspot.com/2009/08/river-tubing-skills-te…">River Tubing Techniques & Safety Skills - BRT Insights.</a>