California whitewater - Kern River, Southern Sierra Nevada, Tulare/ Kern County

Tulare/ Kern county, Johnsondale Bridge to Powerhouse #3 section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 

CLASS III-V     17 miles
 
the river is rough. many rapids. Says bob reall

Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in California are harder than the national norm, so if you're visiting here do keep in mind that lots of rivers here are not for beginners. The natural beauty of California and the cool fresh water attract people from near and far. This stretch of Kern River in Tulare/ Kern County is 17 miles long and is a class III-V section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. A bit of exercise and just being out on the river for a while will make you glad you came.
    The beauty of the Southern Sierra Nevada is a great plus for this river. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. This section is long enough for an overnight trip if you take your time, so why not pack your camping stuff too. Not too many hotels nearby, you'll
have to drive a bit to get to one, and if you make reservations in advance you're all set. There are plenty of other sections in this river system that can be paddled as well. Whether you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this area has a large number of paddling spots.

Briefly about the general area:
Ant Canyon is a perfect site to discover, and you can have a pleasant hiking adventure along the Tobias Creek Trail. All through the days of summer at Kern River temperatures are frequently in the 90's, and through summer nights temperatures are in the
 
60's. All through the winter this place gets highs in the 50's while Kern River overnight low temperatures through the wintertime are in the 30's. From a rainfall point of view Kern River is a reasonably typical location; January is when you get the most rain here, and July on the other hand is the driest.
Yep, outdoors enjoyable things truly is plentiful here in the Southern Sierra Nevada.

Kern River, Johnsondale Bridge to Powerhouse #3 road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: III-V
Length: 17 miles
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 35.9681
Longitude: -118.4854

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 35.81
Longitude: -118.45491

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Current weather conditions at Kern River, Southern Sierra Nevada, California
WXPort

Local climate location: THREE RVRS EDISON PH 22 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Best Western Porterville Inn, Porterville
39 miles away
A warm and inviting staff welcomes you at the Best Western Porterville Inn. We just completed a 1.2 million dollar renovation and can't wait for you and your guests to enjoy all we have to offer. Exp...

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites PORTERVILLE, Porterville
39 miles away
Welcome to the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites in Porterville, CA. A warm and friendly staff awaits you at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites in Porterville, California. We are minutes away fr...

Fairfield Inn & Suites Tehachapi, Tehachapi
42 miles away
Newly built Fairfield Inn & Suites located in beautiful downtown Tehachapi. Featuring the luxurious 'Green Tea Package' complete with vibrant colors and rich decor. We have stunning balcony views, i...



OTHER_INFO
  Southern Sierra Nevada Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in the Southern Sierra Nevada.

Southern Sierra Nevada Outdoors Info
Complete outdoors info for the Southern Sierra Nevada.

All California Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in California.
Books about whitewater paddling on Kern River, California
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Kern 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 Bakersfield, California
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Bakersfield, California, the metro area neareast to Kern River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Kern River.
 Whitewater Near Kern River:
Brush Creek, tulare County , 4 miles away, Class V - 1.5 miles long (Rincon Camp to Kern River)
Dry Meadow Creek, Kern County , 6 miles away, Class V - 1.5 miles long (to North Fork Kern)
Kern River, Tulare County , 9 miles away, Class III-V - 16.8 miles long (Forks of Kern to Johnsondale Bridge)
Kern River, Kern County , 16 miles away, Class II-III - 7 miles long (Lake Isabella to Sandy Flat)
Kern River - South Fork, Tulare County , 20 miles away, Class III-V+ - 22 miles long (Kennedy Meadows to Long Valley)
Kern River, Kern County , 21 miles away, Class III-V - 11.5 miles long (Sandy Flat to Democrat Hot Springs)
Kern River - South Fork, Tulare County , 25 miles away, Class V - 17 miles long (Monache Meadows to Kennedy Meadows)
Kern River, Tulare County , 26 miles away, Class II-V+ - 37 miles long (Junction Meadow to Forks of Kern)
Kern River, Kern County , 28 miles away, Class V+ - 12 miles long (Democrat Hot Springs to mouth of canyon)
 Ski Areas Near Kern River:
Shirley Meadow, California , 12 miles away, 600 vertical feet
Sierra Summit, California , 89 miles away, 1679 vertical feet
Mt Waterman, California , 98 miles away, 1300 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Kern River:
Best Western Porterville Inn, Porterville , 39 miles away
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites PORTERVILLE, Porterville , 39 miles away
Fairfield Inn & Suites Tehachapi, Tehachapi , 42 miles away
Best Western Country Park Hotel, Tehachapi , 42 miles away
Best Western Mountain Inn, Tehachapi , 42 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Kern River:
Gold Ledge Campground, Tulare County, 1 miles away
Upper Springhill Campground, Tulare County, 2 miles away
Lower Springhill Campground, Tulare County, 2 miles away
 Trails Near Kern River:
Tobias Creek Trail, Tulare County , 4 miles away, 6.5 hiking miles, 4434 feet elevation difference
Bull Run Cattle Drive, Tulare County , 9 miles away, 3.6 hiking miles, 1739 feet elevation difference
Cannell Meadow Trail, Kern County , 9 miles away,  21.4 hiking miles, 5112 feet elevation difference
Virginia Trail, Kern County , 12 miles away, 4.1 hiking miles, 2879 feet elevation difference
Summit Trail, Tulare County , 12 miles away,  51.4 hiking miles, 3514 feet elevation difference
Old Sled Trail, Tulare County , 12 miles away, 2.1 hiking miles, 1313 feet elevation difference
 National Parks Near Kern River:
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, Three Rivers - CA , 42 miles away

Outdoors related information copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. - Detailed hotel information copyright © Interactive Hotel Solutions
Some content, including Reach Name, Class, and Length, comes from American Whitewater