California whitewater - Cuyama River, Sierra Madre, San Luis Obispo / Santa Barbara County San Luis Obispo / Santa Barbara county, Highway 166 to Twitchell Reservoir section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS III-IV     15 miles   Be advised, this river's headwater starts on private, sporatically goes through USFS, back to private. From Cuyama down to Santa Maria is mostly private. Beware of me & my neigbors barb wire fences. Very seasonal to paddle if your lucky. Draws down to a trickle. Twitchel Reservoir, Vaqueor Dam is NOT OPEN to the public. It is on private land. Being seasonal, it has many hazards. Says Steve If you've been whitewater rafting and kayaking outside this state you might find the rivers here a bit more challenging, so if you're visiting here do keep in mind     that quite a few of the sections here are not easy. There aren’t any hotels right nearby but if you're willing to drive a short distance then no problem but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination. The beauty of the Sierra Madre is a great plus for this river. This is the only paddling stretch along Cuyama River. The beautiful scenery of San Luis Obispo / Santa Barbara County and the beautiful way the water current moves down the stream are reasons enough to come here and paddle. If you hurry you can run this stretch in a day but why not make it an overnighter, so pack your camping stuff. Great exercise and just hanging out with mother nature will have you coming back for more. This section of Cuyama River in San Luis Obispo / Santa Barbara County is 15 miles long and has been determined by American   Whitewater to be a class III-IV section. If you're a camper you can camp at one of the great campgrounds nearby. Briefly about the general area: Have a magnificent hiking adventure along the Willow Spring Trail, and while you're here you can take a hike along the Lake Ridge Trail. At Cuyama River through the summertime months highs are in the 70's; the overnight is rather cooler of course, commonly in the 50's. For the period of the winter highs are mostly in the 60's with winter lows in the 40's overnight here at Cuyama River. So much amusing stuff in the Sierra Madre, just impressive. Cuyama River is regularly a reasonably dried out site; most of the rain falls during January, and July meanwhile is the driest month. Cuyama River, Highway 166 to Twitchell Reservoir road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: III-IV Length: 15 miles Average Gradient: 35 fpm    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 35.1052 Longitude: -120.07171 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 35.0255 Longitude: -120.2584 Paddler input for Cuyama River, California: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Cuyama River, Sierra Madre, California Local climate location: PISMO BEACH 14 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. Quality Inn & Suites, Santa Maria 19 miles away Centrally located near Hancock College and Fairgrounds and across the street from the Marian Medical Center. Easy freeway access. Guest rooms with patios or balconies facing the swimming pool and cour... Americas Best Value Inn - Santa Maria, Santa Maria 19 miles away A quaint two story Inn located in the Santa Maria Valley we are nestled in the foothills of Santa Barbara County's wine country. Located in the heart of California's Central Coast, here you will disco... Candlewood Suites SANTA MARIA, Santa Maria 19 miles away Discover Santa Maria®s newest extended stay hotel, Candlewood Suites. See why our guests consider us home. Featuring Candlewood Cupboard, Gazebo Grill, free guest laundry and our Priority Club Rew...   Sierra Madre Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in the Sierra Madre. Sierra Madre Outdoors Info Complete outdoors info for the Sierra Madre. All California Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in California. Books about whitewater paddling on Cuyama River, California List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Cuyama River, California. Find a whitewater outfitter in California Whitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info. Outdoors Recreation Near Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, California Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, California, the metro area neareast to Cuyama River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Cuyama River.   Hotels Near Cuyama River: Quality Inn & Suites, Santa Maria , 19 miles away Americas Best Value Inn - Santa Maria, Santa Maria , 19 miles away Candlewood Suites SANTA MARIA, Santa Maria , 19 miles away Fairfield Inn & Suites Santa Maria, Santa Maria , 19 miles away Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites SANTA MARIA, Santa Maria , 19 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Cuyama River: Brookshire Campground, Santa Barbara County, 4 miles away Colson Canyon Campgrounds, Santa Barbara County, 7 miles away Agua Escondido Campground, San Luis Obispo County, 8 miles away   Trails Near Cuyama River: Willow Spring Trail, Santa Barbara County , 1 miles away,  4.2 hiking miles, 1637 feet elevation difference Lake Ridge Trail, Santa Barbara County , 4 miles away, 4.5 hiking miles, 1833 feet elevation difference Indians Trail, Santa Barbara County , 6 miles away, 7.5 hiking miles, 1444 feet elevation difference Machesna Trail, San Luis Obispo County , 11 miles away,  4.2 hiking miles, 1390 feet elevation difference Hi Mountain Trail, San Luis Obispo County , 20 miles away, 3.7 hiking miles, 1419 feet elevation difference