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
Whitewater rafting and kayaking in California is often more difficult than elsewhere, so better not forget that rivers here are less forgiving. The Highway 166
to Twitchell Reservoir section of Cuyama River in California is 15 miles long and has been rated as a class III-IV section by American Whitewater. This stretch is long enough for an overnight trip if you take your time, so go ahead and pack your sleeping bag. When you're paddling
down a Sierra Madre river like this one you always get great scenery along the way too. The wonderful California scenery and the cool fresh water attract people from near and far. You can pitch a tent or park your RV at a nearby campground. Getting a good workout and just being out on the river for a while are great reasons to come. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, and if you make reservations in advance you're all set. This is the only paddling stretch along Cuyama River.
Briefly about
the general area: Take a hike on the Willow Spring Trail, and hiking along the Lake Ridge Trail is delightful fun. At Cuyama River through the summertime months highs are in the 70's. When the night sets in temperatures descend down into the 50's. The winter comes with highs
in the 60's, and after the sun is down through the winter temperatures at Cuyama River plunge into the 40's. Now, you may imagine that's lots but there's even more amusing stuff to do here in the Sierra Madre. Not much rainfall falls here at Cuyama River; the month with most of the rain is January while July is the month with the least amount of precipitation.
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Sierra Madre Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in 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 CaliforniaWhitewater 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.