Central Valley Whitewater Rafting - Kern, Kings,& Tuolumne River Trips
- Lacey Payne
- Jun 3, 2019
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 6, 2019
So you're adventurous, like to be outside, and looking for an activity? Want something to cool off, bring out a smile you can't hold back, and make your heart go pitter patter with a rush of adrenaline? Awesome, get yourself out on the wild river this summer and I promise you won't be disappointed.
Here are the details from my adventures that may help with planning your trip:
Things I've learned:
Don't bring anything on the river you're not ok with the river taking away - forever.
You will get drenched, splashed, soaked, dripping soaking sopping wet. Embrace it.
Camping is the go to for these trips. It's cheap, easy, fun and provides an opportunity to sleep under the stars with the soothing sounds of a rushing river nearby. Plus it's good for you to get a little dirty every now and then. You'll get wet, it will wash off.
Listen to your guide and paddle hard!
What to bring/wear: No cotton, wear sunscreen, even when it's cloudy out.
Checklist:
Synthetic top. I use the Free Fly sun hoodie.
Board shorts or synthetic bottom. Something that stays put!
Water shoes/sandals. Make sure they strap on. I had a Chaco or Teva style sandal on.
Water bottle with carabiner.
Sunglasses with strap
Sunscreen. I like a zinc style because I look awesome with a ghostly white face and I save time reapplying because the sunscreen doesn't wash off in the water.
If it's cold: splash jacket, wool base layer and wool socks with closed toed water shoes to keep my toes from turning into ice cubes.
Kern River
Where: Kernville, Ca
With a gradient of 30 feet per mile, the North Fork Kern is one of the steepest and wildest whitewater rivers in North America. The river has a nearly continuous series of Class IV and V rapids and waterfalls. The Upper Kern is a popular stretch of river for whitewater boating, camping and fishing. The Lower Kern runs 32 miles from Isabella Dam to the canyon mouth above Bakersfield, California. - National Wild and Scenic River System
There are plenty of options for rafting outfitters in the little town of Kernville, but ultimately we chose Whitewaater Voyages because,
"Voyages is awesome at training their staff." - Trent Sherman, Guide
I think we can all relate to fact that a good guide is the most important piece to making or breaking a trip down the river. I don't know about you but, even as a proficient swimmer, I am not a hug fan of becoming a swimmer at the bottom of the river. So, we went with the company that the guides recommend and I am still here to breath in another day!
Details:
Getting There: 3 hour drive south east of Fresno, 45 minutes east of Bakersfield, near Lake Isabella, CA
Staying There:There are plenty of campgrounds along Upper Kern if you drive down Mountain Highway 99. There are RV campgrounds, tent campgrounds, campground with amenities, free campgrounds with no amenities.. etc. We stayed at Chico Flat Campground and it was perfect for our group. Chico was great for the rooftop tents, free and had porta potties for public use. Fire permits are required and there is no glass allowed in the campsite. The campsite is close to the river and climbing.
What Trip to Choose: Luckily for you, Whitewater Voyages offers lots of options. Unfortunately for you, Whitewater Voyages offers lots of options and if you're anything like me, you want to do all the things but are limited by time. Deciding on the right trip can be a tad bit overwhelming so I would highly encourage you to call and find the best option for your calendar, budget and experience. There is a trip for everyone on the Whitewater Voyages roster. We did the half day Lower Kern Jungle Run and it was an absolute blast! Dilly was my favorite rapid and well worth the trip. However, if I went again I would opt for a full day Upper Kern trip, enjoy lunch on the water and experience some more of the larger rapids and drops the Kern has to offer. For those of you that catch the bug or are looking for a level up, Voyages runs their own guide school in May you can also check out!
Pricing: Pricing Varies by trip and length. Trips average between $150 - $210. They do offer discounts for large groups, military and youth.
Equipment Provided: Helmet (Go-Pro capable if you want to capture the epic helmet cam footage), life jacket, paddle. If It's chilly they will provide a farmer john wet suit and splash jacket.
Other activities: Mountain biking, fishing, camping, hiking, kayaking, boating and climbing are all options around Kernville. The Kern Slab looked like it has some fun routes to explore near the Chico Flat Campground. Whatever activity you decide to do, be sure to look out for poison oak and rattle snakes native to the area.
Food/Drink: Kern River Brewing - this was our first, second and third stop because of their outdoor seating and well crafted brews. Their double unfiltered IPA and waffle fries are a really tasty way to replenish all those calories we burned on the river.
Kings River
Where: Pine Flat Reservoir, Ca
The Kings River traverses through the second deepest canyon in North America with 15.5 miles of recreational miles and a solid 10 mile run with almost 1,000' of vertical drop to offer plenty of whitewater rafting fun.
Kings River Expeditions is a fun family friendly environment with wonderful food and entertaining guides. As a current Fresno/Clovis local it's nice to support a local business that gets people outside to play in the surrounding wilderness. Their guides are local teachers, students, professionals... etc. Most of the guides come up to play part time or full time for the river season because of their love for the river and sport. It's truly a talented group ready to share their passion for the water with you.
Details:
Getting There: 1.5 hour drive east of Fresno towards trimmer springs and Pine Flat Reservoir.
Staying There: Overnight camping is free at base camp. Pitch a tent and enjoy! There are restrooms at camp for relief when nature calls.
What Trip to Choose: KRE offers a one and two day trip. The one day trip can either be a morning or afternoon start and the two day trip does an afternoon and morning run down the river. I would say morning one-day is the best bang for your buck but would gladly be on any of their trips. Plus they all include food!
Pricing: $99- $325 depending on the day the length of your trip. KRE offers special pricing for students and large groups.
Equipment Provided: Life jacket & paddle. If It's chilly they will provide a farmer john wet suit, booties and splash jacket for a small fee.
Other activities: Fishing, gravel biking, and visiting Boyden Caverns. I however, found a great spot for some yoga by the river.
Food/Drink: Meals are provided by KRE for the duration of your trip. The one-day trip includes breakfast or lunch. The location is pretty desolate so whatever food and water you need for your whole trip should be packed in and out of the area.
Tuolumne River
Where: Groveland, Ca
"The Tuolumne River, designated in 1984, originates high in the Sierra Nevada on the eastern side of Yosemite National Park and flows westward for 62 miles before it continues into Stanislaus National Forest. The Lower Tuolumne is prime for whitewater activities. The section from Lumsden Bridge to Wards Ferry provides one of the finest boating experiences in the nation. It combines a series of demanding rapids spaced at close intervals with the power and waves of larger rivers and requires no portages during the 18-mile run."
"For left-brained people" - That's ME
The Tuolumne in one word: world-class
No other trip has:This many rapids
Expect to:Not want to leave
You can also:Visit Yosemite National Park
Signature Rapid:Clavey Falls
Types of boats:Oar, paddle and combo
Meeting Place: Groveland, CA
Length in days: 1, 2 or 3
Length in miles: 18
Overall difficulty: IV
Highest difficulty (#): IV+ (1)Rapids/day: ~ 15* Gradient: 38 feet/mile
Rapids, Scenery, Wilderness, Swimming, Hiking, Campsite, Wildlife, Fishing
That pretty much covers it! This was a fantastic trip we took in June, 2018 and I can personally say that it was in fact, "world-class."
My Trip Details:
Getting There: 2.5 hour drive north- east of Fresno on the way to Yosemite National Park Via the El Portal entrance.
Staying There: In the Yosemite area overnight camping is all over the place but it is Yosemite, so make sure you get there early or make reservations. We camped at the Pines campground. It was a perfect location and provided vault toilets. Make sure you bring exact cash for the camp site reservation.
What Trip to Choose: Our group did the one-day Tuolumne run. I enjoyed it because of the fast pace and non-stop action. If you're looking for something a little more relaxed and want to enjoy some down time by the river I would suggest a longer trip option for you.
Pricing: $260- $690 depending on your group size the length of your trip.
Equipment Provided: Helmet, life jacket, paddle, farmer john wet suit, and splash jacket.
Food/Drink: We had an awesome sandwich lunch on the river provided by ARTA for the one-day trip. There are some small restaurants and stores nearby, in Groveland, to pick up supplies and food.
Hopefully this is a helpful guide to get you out and on the river this summer! The snow pack is huge this year so you can expect the river season to run long and strong. Take advantage of the long season to plan a trip and go have some fun!
As always, if there are any questions about my experience on these trips please don't hesitate to reach out!
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