Napa
county,
St. Helena to Napa section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.
CLASS III 18 miles
The river is only safe in the late spring when there is only enough flow to avoid scraping bottom. Many unseen snags and isolation. If you do this in flood stage you will float above trees. Says Bryan Poli
Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in California tend to be more challenging than the national average, so if you're visiting here do keep in mind that rivers here are less forgiving. The wonderful California scenery and the cool fresh water are reasons enough to come here and paddle. The St. Helena to Napa section of Napa River in California
is 18 miles long and is a class III section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. The St. Helena to Napa section is the only paddling section along Napa River. This section is long enough for an overnight trip if you take your time, so why not pack your sleeping bag too.
The put-in location is a short drive from Napa, as you can see on the road map further down. You can pitch a tent or park your RV at a nearby campground. Whether you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this is an area with not too many other rivers for that. Great exercise and a chance to spend some time outdoors are great reasons to come. There are plenty of hotels here if you want to spend a night, but you'd better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up quick.
Briefly about the general area: You'll meet a lot of people from Napa here,
and Napa River lays in the shadow of the Yountville Hills. Summer at Napa River comes with high temperatures in the 90's. During the dark hours of summer temperatures dip down into the 50's. High temperatures through the wintertime are normally in the 50's with temperatures at
Napa River dipping down into the 20's all through winter nights. Napa River is a rather wet place ordinarily with much rain; throughout the month of January you get the most rain around here; July meanwhile is the driest month.
The Napa Valley Lodge, set among vineyards and lush gardens, is reminiscent of a Mediterranean villa, with rich detailing and luxury amenities. The Lodge is a small, personal-sized hotel, that comb...
Named to Travel + Leisure Magazine's '500 Best Hotels in the World', Vintage Inn, a AAA Four Diamond Award property, is an intimate French country-style inn that blends 19th century romance with simpl...
All California Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in California.Books about whitewater paddling on Napa River, California List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Napa River, California.Find a whitewater outfitter in CaliforniaWhitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info.Outdoors Recreation Near Napa, California Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Napa, California, the metro area neareast to Napa River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
These outdoors activities are available near Napa River.