California whitewater, Merced River Mariposa county, Red Bud to Bagby Reservoir section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS IV     17 miles   The scenic beauty of Mariposa County and the cool fresh water will make you feel great. The Red Bud to Bagby Reservoir section of Merced River in California is 17 miles long and is a class IV section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. If you have the time you can make this a two day trip, so why not pack your camping stuff too. The beauty of the Central Sierra Nevada is a great plus for this river. If you're coming from Madera     it's not a long drive at all to the starting location, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. The average California whitewater rafting or kayaking river tends to be a bit harder to master than those in other states, so better not forget that quite a few of the sections here are not easy. Getting some good exercise and just being out on the river for a while are sure to keep you coming back for more. The campgrounds here at Merced River are pretty good. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, but you'd better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up quick.   Whether you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this is an area with plenty of places for that. This river system is full of great paddling sections, the Red Bud to Bagby Reservoir section is just one of them. Briefly about the general area: A delightful place in close proximity to Merced River is North Fork Halls Gulch, and there are good locations to explore along the Hite Cove Trail. Whohoo, so many fun things in one place! The Central Sierra Nevada rules! You'll meet a lot of people from Midpines here, and you can go for a hike on the Pilot Ridge Trail. At this river you will never have a bad time. Merced River, Red Bud to Bagby Reservoir 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 Merced River.   Whitewater Near Merced River: Merced River - North Fork, Mariposa County, 7 miles away       Class IV-V(V+) - 17 miles long (Greeley Hill Road to Merced confluence) Tuolumne River - South Fork, Tuolumne County, 11 miles away       Class IV-V - 7 miles long (Highway 120 to Rainbow Pool Picnic Area) Merced River - South Fork, Mariposa County, 11 miles away       Class III-IV - 7.4 miles long (Snyder Gulch to Route 140 Bridge) Merced River, Mariposa County, 11 miles away       Class IV - 17 miles long (Red Bud to Bagby Reservoir) Tuolumne River, Tuolumne County, 12 miles away       Class IV-V - 18 miles long (Lumsden Campground to Wards Ferry Bridge) Merced River, Mariposa County, 13 miles away       Class II-V - 29 miles long (El Portal to Route 49 at Lake McClure) Tuolumne River, Tuolumne County, 14 miles away       Class IV-V+ - 9 miles long (Cherry Creek to Meral's Pool) Clavey River, Tuolumne County, 16 miles away       Class V+ - 20.8 miles long (Lower Bridge to Ward's Ferry) Clavey River, Tuolumne County, 20 miles away       Class V+ - 8.5 miles long (Upper Bridge to Lower Bridge) Chowchilla River, Madera County, 20 miles away       Class III-IV - 7 miles long (Road 810 to Road 800)   Ski Areas Near Merced River: Badger Pass, California , 22 miles away, 540 foot drop, 5 lifts, 10 runs Dodge Ridge, California , 30 miles away, 1600 foot drop, 10 lifts, 59 runs Bear Valley, California , 47 miles away, 1900 foot drop, 11 lifts, 67 runs Kirkwood, California , 57 miles away, 2000 foot drop, 15 lifts, 65 runs Sierra Summit, California , 61 miles away, 1679 foot drop, 11 lifts, 45 runs June Mountain, California , 62 miles away, 2580 foot drop, 7 lifts, 37 runs Sierra at Tahoe, California , 64 miles away, 2212 foot drop, 12 lifts, 46 runs Mammoth Mountain, California , 67 miles away, 3100 foot drop, 27 lifts, 156 runs Heavenly, California , 71 miles away, 3500 foot drop, 31 lifts, 94 runs Homewood, California , 80 miles away, 1650 foot drop, 8 lifts, 56 runs   Hotels Near Merced River: Yosemite Bed And Breakfast, Mariposa , 8 miles away Americas Best Value Inn Mariposa Lodge, Mariposa , 9 miles away Comfort Inn Yosemite Valley Gateway, Mariposa , 9 miles away Best Western Plus Yosemite Way Station Motel, Mariposa , 9 miles away Z-TO BE DELETED - Little Valle, Mariposa , 13 miles away   Campgrounds Near Merced River: Willow Placer, Midpines, 3 miles away McCabe Flat, Midpines, 3 miles away Railroad Flat, Midpines, 3 miles away   Trails Near Merced River: Hite Cove Trail, Mariposa , 9 miles away,  14.4 hiking miles, 1185 feet elevation difference Pilot Ridge Trail, Mariposa , 10 miles away, 2.1 hiking miles, 1023 feet elevation difference   Public Lands Near Merced River: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite National Park - CA , 22 miles away Stanislaus National Forest, California , 30 miles away Columbia State Park, California , 36 miles away Calaveras Big Trees State Park, California , 40 miles away   Lakes Near Merced River Cherry Lake, Tuolumne , 19 miles away Pine Mountain Lake, Tuolumne , 20 miles away