California whitewater - Merced River, Central Sierra Nevada, Mariposa County Mariposa county, El Portal to Route 49 at Lake McClure section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS II-V     29 miles   If you've been whitewater rafting and kayaking outside this state you might find the rivers here a bit more challenging, so you'd better keep in mind that rivers here are less forgiving. This stretch of Merced River in California is 29 miles long and it is classified as a class II-V section by American Whitewater. The wonderful Mariposa County scenery and the beautiful way the water current moves down the stream are in themselves reasons enough to come here to paddle. No matter if you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this area has a large number of     paddling spots. Getting some good exercise and just being out on the river for a while are sure to keep you coming back for more. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, but if you don’t have reservations you might end up sleeping in your car. For all you camping people there are campgrounds nearby. If you have the time you can make this a two day trip, so go ahead and pack your camp stove. The put-in is not too far from Madera, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. The El Portal to Route 49 at Lake McClure stretch is one of many paddling stretches in this river system. The beauty of the Central Sierra Nevada is a great plus for this river. Briefly about the general area: At Merced River during the summer months highs are in the   90's while overnight lows are usually in the 50's. All through the winter highs are in the 50's while Merced River nighttime low temperatures throughout the winter are in the 30's. Merced River is a good site of typical rainfall; of all the months in a year January is the one with the most rain, and July is the month with the least moisture. Merced River, El Portal to Route 49 at Lake McClure road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: II-V Length: 29 miles Average Gradient: 40 fpm    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 37.67169 Longitude: -119.79011 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 37.61289 Longitude: -120.13121 Paddler input for Merced River, California: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Merced River, Central Sierra Nevada, California Local climate location: SONORA R S 18 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. Americas Best Value Inn - Mariposa Lodge, Mariposa 9 miles away The Americas Best Value Inn- Mariposa Lodge is truly a unique 45 room lodge centered in the heart of historic Mariposa Village only 28 miles from Yosemite National Park. The property is surrounded by ... Comfort Inn Yosemite Valley Gateway, Mariposa 9 miles away Shops and restaurants within walking distance. California State Mining and Mineral Exhibition 2 miles. Hotel located in historic Gold Country on year round highway to Yosemite National Park. Boating, ... Super 8 Mariposa/Yosemite Ntnl Prk Area, Mariposa 9 miles away * Gateway to Yosemite National Park * Enjoy Skiing, Fishing, Hiking, Golfing * Located in Historic Town Mariposa * Yosemite Tour Bus Pick-up Site * 35 miles from the west entrance to Yosemite Nat...   Central Sierra Nevada Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in the Central Sierra Nevada. Central Sierra Nevada Outdoors Info Complete outdoors info for the Central Sierra Nevada. All California Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in California. Books about whitewater paddling on Merced River, California List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Merced 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 Madera, California Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Madera, California, the metro area neareast to Merced River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Merced River.   Whitewater Near Merced River: Merced River, Mariposa County , 1 miles away, Class IV - 17 miles long (Red Bud to Bagby Reservoir) Merced River - North Fork, Mariposa County , 6 miles away, Class IV-V(V+) - 17 miles long (Greeley Hill Road to Merced confluence) Merced River - South Fork, Mariposa County , 7 miles away, Class III-IV - 7.4 miles long (Snyder Gulch to Route 140 Bridge) Tuolumne River - South Fork, Tuolumne County , 10 miles away, Class IV-V - 7 miles long (Highway 120 to Rainbow Pool Picnic Area) Tuolumne River, Tuolumne County , 14 miles away, Class IV-V+ - 9 miles long (Cherry Creek to Meral's Pool) Clavey River, Tuolumne County , 18 miles away, Class V+ - 8.5 miles long (Upper Bridge to Lower Bridge) Tuolumne River, Tuolumne County , 18 miles away, Class IV-V - 18 miles long (Lumsden Campground to Wards Ferry Bridge) Merced River, Mariposa County , 18 miles away, Class V - 4.8 miles long (Routes 120-140 Junction to Arch Rock Entrance Station) Chowchilla River, Madera County , 20 miles away, Class III-IV - 7 miles long (Road 810 to Road 800) Clavey River, Tuolumne County , 20 miles away, Class V+ - 20.8 miles long (Lower Bridge to Ward's Ferry)   Ski Areas Near Merced River: Badger Pass, California , 21 miles away, 540 vertical feet Dodge Ridge, California , 30 miles away, 1600 vertical feet Bear Valley, California , 47 miles away, 1900 vertical feet Kirkwood, California , 57 miles away, 2000 vertical feet Sierra Summit, California , 60 miles away, 1679 vertical feet June Mountain, California , 61 miles away, 2580 vertical feet Sierra at Tahoe, California , 64 miles away, 2212 vertical feet Mammoth Mountain, California , 66 miles away, 3100 vertical feet Heavenly, California , 71 miles away, 3500 vertical feet Homewood, California , 80 miles away, 1650 vertical feet   Hotels Near Merced River: Americas Best Value Inn - Mariposa Lodge, Mariposa , 9 miles away Comfort Inn Yosemite Valley Gateway, Mariposa , 9 miles away Super 8 Mariposa/Yosemite Ntnl Prk Area, Mariposa , 9 miles away Best Western Yosemite Way Station Motel, Mariposa , 9 miles away Americas Best Value Inn Yosemite Westgate Lodge, Buck Meadows , 10 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Merced River: Yosemite/Mariposa KOA, Midpines, 4 miles away Yosemite Trail Campground, Midpines, 5 miles away Midpines Koa Kampground, Midpines, 6 miles away   Trails Near Merced River: Hite Cove Trail, Mariposa County , 8 miles away,  14.4 hiking miles, 1185 feet elevation difference Pilot Ridge Trail, Mariposa County , 10 miles away, 2.1 hiking miles, 1023 feet elevation difference   National Parks Near Merced River: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite National Park - CA , 21 miles away