California whitewater - Merced River - South Fork, Central Sierra Nevada, Mariposa County Mariposa county, Upper section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS V+     16 miles   The Upper section of Merced River - South Fork in California is 16 miles long and is rated by American Whitewater as a class V+ section. The scenic beauty of Mariposa County and the cool fresh water will make you feel great. You can pitch a tent or park your RV at a nearby campground. If you've been out of state whitewater rafting and kayaking you might find the rivers here more demanding, so if you're not from around here don't forget that a lot of the rivers here are not suitable for beginners. 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. This stretch is long enough for an overnight trip if you take your time, so why not pack your sleeping bag too. The starting location is a reasonable drive from Madera, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. Getting your paddling muscles activated and spending some quality time in nature are great attractions for lots of people. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way this is an area with plenty of rivers for that. The Upper section is one of many paddling sections in this river system. Whitewater paddling here in the Central Sierra Nevada is a great experience. Briefly about the general area: All the water falling down from the sky makes   Merced River - South Fork a wet place; January is when you get the most rain here while July is the month with the least amount of precipitation. Summertime at Merced River - South Fork arrives with high temperatures in the 80's, and during summer nights temperatures are in the 50's. For the period of the winter this place gets highs in the 40's, and during the dark hours in the wintertime at Merced River - South Fork temperatures drop to the 20's. Merced River - South Fork, Upper road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: V+ Length: 16 miles    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 37.546 Longitude: -119.45311 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 37.5423 Longitude: -119.62581 Paddler input for Merced River - South Fork, California: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Merced River - South Fork, Central Sierra Nevada, California Local climate location: CHERRY VALLEY DAM 2 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, Fish Camp 8 miles away Experience the breathtaking splendor of Yosemite National Park from the award-winning Tenaya Lodge. Awarded with the prestigious AAA Four Diamond award every year since opening, Tenaya Lodge proudly f... dnc -- Wawona Hotel, Yosemite National Park 9 miles away Wawona is one of the oldest mountain resort hotels in California and a National Historic Landmark. Its verdant meadows, rushing streams, and tranquility make this a favorite of those who prefer a rela... Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, Yosemite National Park 9 miles away As the closest property to Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Lodge is an idyllic spot for families, group retreats and visitors seeking to blend the comforts of a hotel while exploring the wilderness. In 1998,...   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 - South Fork, California List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Merced River - South Fork, 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 - South Fork. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Merced River - South Fork.   Whitewater Near Merced River - South Fork: Big Creek, Mariposa County , 9 miles away, Class IV-V+ - 1 miles long (Chowchilla Mountain Road to South Fork Merced River) Willow Creek, Madera County , 10 miles away, Class V - 3 miles long (Greys Mt. Campground to Chilkoot Campground) Willow Creek, Madera County , 11 miles away, Class V - 3 miles long (Chilkoot Campground to Bass Lake) Merced River, Mariposa County , 14 miles away, Class V - 4.8 miles long (Routes 120-140 Junction to Arch Rock Entrance Station) Tenaya Creek, Mariposa County , 14 miles away, Class V - 1 miles long (Super Slide) Yosemite Creek, Mariposa County , 15 miles away, Class IV-V - 8 miles long (Tioga Pass Road to Yosemite Falls) Fresno River, Madera County , 17 miles away, Class III-V - 3 miles long (Goldside Drive off road 600 to Road 600) Tuolumne River, Tuolumne County , 20 miles away, Class IV-V+ - 32 miles long (Tioga Road Bridge to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir) Fresno River, Madera County , 21 miles away, Class IV-V(V+) - 11 miles long (Road 600 to Road 415) Coarse Gold Creek, Madera County , 21 miles away, Class IV-V - 5 miles long (Coarsegold to Spinelli Road)   Ski Areas Near Merced River - South Fork: Badger Pass, California , 11 miles away, 540 vertical feet Sierra Summit, California , 31 miles away, 1679 vertical feet June Mountain, California , 33 miles away, 2580 vertical feet Mammoth Mountain, California , 38 miles away, 3100 vertical feet Dodge Ridge, California , 46 miles away, 1600 vertical feet Bear Valley, California , 63 miles away, 1900 vertical feet Kirkwood, California , 72 miles away, 2000 vertical feet Sierra at Tahoe, California , 78 miles away, 2212 vertical feet Heavenly, California , 81 miles away, 3500 vertical feet Homewood, California , 95 miles away, 1650 vertical feet   Hotels Near Merced River - South Fork: Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, Fish Camp , 8 miles away dnc -- Wawona Hotel, Yosemite National Park , 9 miles away Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, Yosemite National Park , 9 miles away dnc -- Housekeeping Camp, Yosemite National Park , 9 miles away Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite National Park , 9 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Merced River - South Fork: Fresno Dome Campground, Madera County, 5 miles away Little Sandy Campground, Madera County, 5 miles away Big Sandy Campground, Madera County, 5 miles away   Trails Near Merced River - South Fork: Chilnualna Fall Trail, Mariposa County , 6 miles away,  7 hiking miles, 2879 feet elevation difference Mono Meadow Trail, Mariposa County , 8 miles away,  5.2 hiking miles, 1019 feet elevation difference Buena Vista Trail, Madera County , 9 miles away,  22.4 hiking miles, 2797 feet elevation difference Panorama Trail, Mariposa County , 9 miles away, 7.1 hiking miles, 3896 feet elevation difference Mist Trail, Mariposa County , 10 miles away,  2.8 hiking miles, 1214 feet elevation difference Four Mile Trail, Mariposa County , 11 miles away, 3.7 hiking miles, 3869 feet elevation difference Half Dome Trail, Mariposa County , 11 miles away,  11.6 hiking miles, 5142 feet elevation difference   National Parks Near Merced River - South Fork: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite National Park - CA , 9 miles away Devils Postpile National Monument, Mammoth Lakes - CA , 55 miles away   Lakes Near Merced River - South Fork