Spring into Outdoor Activities
Whitewater or flatwater, heart-pumping or slow-flowing, the Yosemite rafting experience covers all your floating needs with epic aplomb. Solo or accompanied by experienced guides from expert local outfitters, and surrounded by dramatic, waterfall-decorated cliffs, the fun takes place on one dynamic stage: the Merced River.
Beginning in April and running through early summer, the Merced River offers a range of rafting experiences. Winding through the flatter, smoother waters of Yosemite Valley, rafters can admire what Ansel Adams deemed “a vast edifice of stone and space” as they bounce downriver. For a more challenging whitewater rafting trip, the Merced gets attitudinal during peak snowmelt as it leaves Yosemite Park and drops dramatically through the narrow canyons near the town of El Portal. If dangling your feet in cool water is more your thing, then summer provides ample opportunity to beat the heat as you float lazily from pool to pool staring up at the deep blue Sierra sky. Whatever your thrill level, Mariposa County has you covered.
Merced River Canyon (Highway 140) Whitewater Rafting
Thrill-seekers thirst for the haystacks, funnels and hairy drops of Yosemite whitewater rafting. Located just outside the Park in the steep Merced River Canyon, a Merced River rafting trip is the ultimate choice for edge-of-the-raft excitement. In spring these Class II to Class IV rapids are all the rage with names such as Nightmare Alley, Stark Reality and Corner Pocket. As the summer heats up and the flow decreases, much of the river becomes easy Class I ripples perfect for sun-bathing on calm backwaters and chilling with friends.
The fun starts in El Portal along all-season Highway 140, and features nearly 30 miles of navigable river all the way down to Lake McClure. Another popular put-in is the Briceburg Suspension Bridge, where the nearby campgrounds and beaches of the Wild & Scenic Merced River Recreation Area provide their own picnic-worthy destinations. plit Rock (Class IV), stopping for a deli-style lunch (provided) on a sandy beach. The perfect complement to your Yosemite mountain getaway.
Read more on rafting the Merced at yosemite.com/ yosemite-rafting-fun-top-drops/ Trout to Tout
Okay, we’ll try to rein in the puns about how it’s easy to get hooked, or quips about keeping it reel, but fishing in Yosemite Mariposa is indeed recognized as having just the right amount of too many trout. With pristine lakes (both high and low country), National Forest streams and the mighty Merced River weaving through Yosemite Valley before plunging down the steep Sierra Foothills, fishing in Mariposa County provides a unique array of breathtaking backdrops for flicking a line.
Whether fly fishing, bait fishing or catch & release, anglers can enjoy ample amenities from minimalist camping to worldclass resorts, from solo forest forays to guided backcountry excursions and foodie haunts to hand-crafted brewpubs where fish stories bounce off the rafters.*
Want to drop a lure from shore? Check. Bring your boat? Yep. Just want to meditate hip-wader deep in some of the purest water in the country? Now we’re talking. Whatever your lean, one thing’s for certain — Yosemite Mariposa is oFISHally (sorry, couldn’t resist!) a trip worth making.
In Yosemite National Park, and the Merced River Canyon above Foresta Bridge/Red Bud Picnic area, rainbow trout are catch and release only. Brown trout have a limit of 5 per day or 10 in possession.
Yosemite National Park is the crown jewel of Mariposa County. Covering 1,169 square miles and with elevations ranging from 3,000 feet to 13,000 feet in the High Sierra, the water features runneth over creating a fishing mecca the size of Rhode Island and Luxembourg where anglers can cast to their heart’s content.
Fly fishing in Yosemite’s beautiful waters offers multiple locations for an unforgettable fishing adventure, so grab your fly rod and wade out! Who knows, you might even catch one of the rare and prestigious golden trout.
To learn more about how to create your own “fish story”, see yosemite.com/fishing-yosemitemariposa-county-trout-to-trout/