Where is the best place to go rafting (self-guided with own raft) in the Reno/Lake Tahoe Area?

Question

Not really looking for some high-class rapids, but a little turbulance would be nice :)

Answer 1

The South Fork of the American River is very popular, and it is somewhat near Tahoe (less than 1.5 hours). There are two sections, the upper called Chili Bar and the lower called The Gorge, both with an excellent assortment of Class III rapids. The river is very popular and can get somewhat crowded on warm weekends, but the shuttle drive is easy (you can even hitch hike!) and the rafting is fun.

The North and Middle forks of the American are slightly closer, but much harder (IV - V) with tougher logistics.

Answer 2

A lot of people do this kind of thing on the Truckee River.  It's fairly turbulent in spots.  Enjoy!