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
  Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in this state tend to be more challenging than the national average, so better not forget that many runs in this state are not easy. The starting location is a short drive from Madera, as you can see on the road map further down. The scenic beauty of California and the water flowing gracefully down Merced River will make you feel great. The El Portal to Route 49 at Lake McClure stretch of Merced River is 29 miles long and has been rated as a class II-V section by American Whitewater. There aren’t any hotels right
    nearby but if you're willing to drive a short distance then no problem but if you don’t have reservations you might end up sleeping in your car. This section has enough mileage for an overnight trip, so go ahead and pack your camp stove. You might be into whitewater rafting or
kayaking or both, doesn't matter, there are lots of good rivers for that around here. The wild scenery of the Central Sierra Nevada is great. If you're a camper you can camp at one of the great campgrounds nearby. This river system is full of great paddling sections, the El Portal to Route 49 at Lake McClure section is just one of them. Getting your paddling muscles activated and just hanging out with mother nature have people coming from far and near.

Briefly about the general area:
An average amount of precipitation falls at Merced River; of
 
all the months in a year January is the one with the most rain; July on the other hand is the driest.
High temperatures at Merced River through the summertime months are in the 90's, and during summer nights temperatures are in the 50's. High temperatures all through the wintertime are normally in the 50's while the cold winter nights at Merced River are in the 30's.

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

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Current weather conditions at Merced River, Central Sierra Nevada, California
WXPort

Local climate location: SONORA R S 18 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Comfort Inn Mariposa, 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 Motel Mariposa /Yosemite National Park 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...

Best Western Yosemite Way Station, Mariposa
9 miles away
This Mariposa, California hotel offers convenient access to Yosemite National Park, the Sierra National Forest and the Giant Sequoia Trees. Welcome to the peace and beauty of central California's Si...



OTHER_INFO
  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.
 

   

OUTDOORS
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, 800 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, 1600 vertical feet
June Mountain, California , 61 miles away, 2590 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:
Comfort Inn Mariposa, Mariposa , 9 miles away
Super 8 Motel Mariposa /Yosemite National Park Area, Mariposa , 9 miles away
Best Western Yosemite Way Station, Mariposa , 9 miles away
Little Valley Inn, Mariposa , 13 miles away
dnc -- Wawona Hotel, Yosemite National Park , 23 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

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