California whitewater, Bear River Nevada Placer county, Highway 174 Bridge to Lake Combie section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS II-V     11 miles   Whitewater rafting and kayaking in California is often tougher than elsewhere, so if you're not from around here don't forget that many of the sections here are not safe for beginners. This stretch of Bear River in Nevada / Placer County is 11 miles long and is a class II-V section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. Getting a good workout and just hanging out with mother nature will have you coming back for more. The river winds     through the Northern Sierra Nevada and you get great scenery. If you hurry you can run this stretch in a day but why not make it an overnighter, so go ahead and pack your sleeping bag. Since you're on this site you are probably into whitewater rafting or kayaking, either way around here you'll find a large number of good rivers. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. The put-in location is a short drive from Truckee-Grass Valley, please print out a copy of the road map further down the page so you won’t get lost. The Highway 174 Bridge to Lake Combie stretch is one of a few paddling stretches in this river system. The nature scenery of California   and the beautiful way the water current moves down the stream are in themselves reasons enough to come here to paddle. 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. Briefly about the general area: Hiking is a popular thing to do around Bear River; South Yuba Trail is a perfect local trail. Hidden Valley is a glorious place to spend some time at, and why not take a refreshing hike along the Green Valley Trail. If you come to this river you will have a good time for sure. Bear River, Highway 174 Bridge to Lake Combie road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.     Map Detailed Map Stats Stats for this river stretch Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near Bear River.   Whitewater Near Bear River: Bear River, Nevada / Placer County, 4 miles away       Class II-V - 11 miles long (Highway 174 Bridge to Lake Combie) American River - North Fork, Placer County, 4 miles away       Class IV-V - 4.8 miles long (Colfax-Iowa Hill Road to Colfax-Foresthill Road Bridge) American River - North Fork, Placer County, 7 miles away       Class II-III - 5 miles long (Colfax-Foresthill Road Bridge to Ponderosa Way Bridge) American River - Middle Fork, Placer / El Dorado County, 8 miles away       Class I(II) - 7.1 miles long (former Greenwood Bridge to Mammoth Bar) American River - North Fork, Placer County, 9 miles away       Class II - 3 miles long (Confluence with Middle Fork to Folsom Lake) Whitewater Outfitter - Sierra Outdoor Center, Placer County, 11 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Whitewater Outfitter - Canyon Raft Rentals, Placer County, 11 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Yuba River - South Fork, Nevada County, 13 miles away       Class IV - 4 miles long (Edwards Crossing to Purdon Crossing) Yuba River - South Fork, Nevada County, 13 miles away       Class IV-V - 7.2 miles long (Route 49 to Bridgeport) Yuba River - South Fork, Nevada County, 14 miles away       Class IV-V - 4 miles long (Purdon's Crossing to Route 49)   Ski Areas Near Bear River: Soda Springs, California , 44 miles away, 625 foot drop, 5 lifts, 16 runs Boreal, California , 46 miles away, 500 foot drop, 10 lifts, 41 runs Sugar Bowl, California , 47 miles away, 1500 foot drop, 13 lifts, 85 runs Donner Ski Ranch, California , 48 miles away, 750 foot drop, 7 lifts, 52 runs Alpine Meadows, California , 52 miles away, 1802 foot drop, 14 lifts, 100 runs Squaw Valley, California , 52 miles away, 2850 foot drop, 33 lifts, 177 runs Tahoe Donner, California , 53 miles away, 600 foot drop, 4 lifts, 14 runs Homewood, California , 57 miles away, 1650 foot drop, 8 lifts, 56 runs Granlibakken, California , 58 miles away, 300 foot drop, 2 lifts, 1 runs Northstar at Tahoe, California , 61 miles away, 2280 foot drop, 17 lifts, 70 runs   Beaches Near Bear River: Pine Island Beach, Nevada , 17 miles away   Hotels Near Bear River: Sierra Sun Cloud Inn, Colfax , 3 miles away Stagecoach Motel, Grass Valley , 8 miles away Gold Miners Inn, An Ascend Hotel Collection Member, Grass Valley , 9 miles away Best Western Gold Country Inn, Grass Valley , 9 miles away Grass Valley Courtyard Suites, Grass Valley , 9 miles away   Campgrounds Near Bear River: Bear River Campground, Colfax, 0 miles away Orchard Springs Resort, Colfax, 2 miles away Long Ravine Campground, Placer County, 5 miles away   Trails Near Bear River: South Yuba Trail, Nevada , 14 miles away, 2.3 hiking miles, 929 feet elevation difference Green Valley Trail, Placer , 15 miles away, 2.8 hiking miles, 2371 feet elevation difference Humbug Trail, Nevada , 15 miles away,  4 hiking miles, 1041 feet elevation difference Euchre Bar Trail, Placer , 18 miles away, 3.3 hiking miles, 1947 feet elevation difference American Eagle Trail, Placer , 20 miles away,  1.8 hiking miles, 190 feet elevation difference   Public Lands Near Bear River: Empire Mine State Park, California , 8 miles away Auburn State Park, California , 10 miles away Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, California , 16 miles away   Golf Courses Near Bear River: Darkhorse Golf Club, Auburn , 5 miles away Lake Of The Pines, Auburn , 6 miles away Winchester County Club, Meadow Vista , 6 miles away   Lakes Near Bear River Lake Combie, Placer , 6 miles away Lake Theodore, Placer , 6 miles away Halsey Forebay, Placer , 7 miles away