2026 Feather River Floating Classroom - October 3rd
About this Event
The 2026 Feather River Floating Classroom includes:
- F REE public tours on one Sunday, September 27th, 2026, to extend the Oroville Salmon Festival weekend;
- FREE public tours EVERY Saturday (October 3rd through November 7th, 2026);
- FREE tickets available every Friday at NOON two weeks before each public tour.
The Feather River Floating Classroom was developed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to improve community awareness of research and restoration projects within the Feather River watershed. All rafting tours are led by DWR Environmental Scientists who specialize in Feather River Fisheries Research and include an electric shuttle bus to return participants to the hatchery.
~ 2026 FEATHER RIVER FLOATING CLASSROOM ~
Rafts will depart from beneath the Table Mountain Blvd. bridge at the Feather River Fish Hatchery as soon as introductory and safety talks are completed. Rafts will leave without you if you're late!
Please use the restroom prior to walking to meet under the historic green bridge. Then, please check in and pick up your life jacket promptly at your event time!
An expert DWR Environmental Scientist will lead each tour, assisted by Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission Fisheries Biologists who will guide the rafts and answer any questions while underway.
The guided tour will end at Bedrock Park, where an electric shuttle bus will be waiting to return everyone to the hatchery.
The entire Feather River Floating Classroom tour will take 2 hours and 15 minutes, including the return shuttle to the hatchery.
Each registered guest MUST be willing and able to:
- Properly complete form acknowledging potential risks following registration and prior to boarding rafts (online >24 hours in advance, or in person 15 minutes prior to the event);
- Navigate steep hills, rocky and/or muddy terrain, and slippery rocks;
- Dress in suitable clothing and shoes to walk in water;
- Wear a provided life jacket when near the water and on rafts;
- Bring sun, wind, and/or rain protection (depending on forecast) and a plastic or stainless steel (non-glass) water bottle to stay hydrated;
- Cancel ticket(s) promptly if you learn you cannot attend so another person or group will be able to participate;
- Only reserve 4 tickets per adult each fall season.
- Park in the east (lower) parking lot at the Feather River Fish Hatchery and walk along the fish ladder to check in under the historic green bridge at the start of the tour.
TICKET DETAILS
This fall, our first public Floating Classroom will occur on Sunday, September 27th, during the Oroville Salmon Festival weekend. Then, held every Saturday from October 3rd through November 7th, during the best weeks to view spawning on the lower Feather River.
Free tickets will be available on a rolling basis, approximately two weeks before each public tour date, beginning Friday, September 11th for the first tour through Friday, October 23rd for the last tour.
Floating Classroom tickets are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis with up to 4 free tickets available per adult each fall season. If you have a big family, multiple adults from the same family can reserve tickets for the same trip as long as tickets are available. However, there is no guarantee that everyone will be on the same raft.
Ages 5 and up only. Everyone will be fitted with a Coast Guard approved Type III personal flotation device. Please read the FAQs to determine which size you will need.
If you have a ticket and your plans change, please cancel your reservation in Eventbrite as soon as possible (or email [email protected]) so the free ticket(s) can be used by someone else.
If the date you want to attend is full, please check Eventbrite for cancellations 1-7 days before.
All registered participants, or the legal guardians of participating minors, are required to submit the form acknowledging the potential risks online via DocuSign a MINIMUM of 24 hours in advance OR to plan to 15 minutes arrive early to sign the required form prior to boarding rafts.
Your feedback is vitally important and offers the best way to improve these educational tours. Thank you for taking the time to complete the online survey that will be emailed to you after your Feather River Floating Classroom tour!
To learn more about the work being done by DWR’s Feather River program visit its webpage or watch a YouTube playlist.
Agenda
Register and pick up life jackets (15 minutes)
Introduction, Safety Discussion, and Board Rafts (20 minutes)
Rafting and Takeout Discussion with Feather River scientists (1.5 hours)
Electric Salmon Shuttle return to the hatchery (10 minutes)
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
