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 has been determined by American Whitewater to be a class V+ section. The scenic beauty of Mariposa County and the playfulness of the water are reasons enough to come here and paddle. If you've been whitewater rafting and kayaking outside this state you might find the rivers here a bit more challenging, so don't forget that many of the sections here are not safe for beginners. If you have the time you can make this a two day trip, so why not pack your sleeping bag too. If     you're coming from Madera it's not a long drive at all to the starting location, as you can see on the road map further down. Great exercise and just being out on the river for a while will make you glad you came. Whether you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this area has a large number of paddling places. Whitewater paddling here in the Central Sierra Nevada is a great experience. The nearby hotels are a bit away from the river, but if you don’t have reservations you might end up sleeping in your car. There are plenty of other stretches in this river system that can be paddled as well. The campgrounds here at Merced River - South Fork are pretty good. Briefly about the general area: The high level of rain makes Merced River - South Fork a reasonably wet location; through January this area sees the most rain, and July meanwhile   is the driest month. For the duration of the warm months here at Merced River - South Fork, high temperatures frequently reach the 80's. During the dark hours of summer temperatures dip down into the 50's. The winter brings highs down to the 40's; through the dark hours in the wintertime at Merced River - South Fork temperatures sink 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, 800 vertical feet Sierra Summit, California , 31 miles away, 1600 vertical feet June Mountain, California , 33 miles away, 2590 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 Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite National Park , 9 miles away Curry Village, 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