Tuolumne River Rafting Near Yosemite National Park

Information for this Mile by Mile guide was gathered from the books “California Whitewater” and “A Guide to the Best Whitewater in the State of California,” as well as from a variety of sources on the Internet.

• Mile 0

  MERAL’S POOL Put-in (start) of OARS Tuolumne River Whitewater Rafting trips. This section of the Tuolumne River is named for Jerry Meral who was one of the first people to kayak the Tuolumne and is a crusader for river preservation.

• Mile 0.1

  ROCK GARDEN (IV) At lower water flows, this boulder-strewn section is extremely technical.  Rafts typically have to cross from river right to river left.  At higher flows there is a large reversal near the bottom of the rapid.  There is a beautiful sandy beach and campsite on river right.  OARS sometimes uses this camp for multi-day trips on the Tuolumne River.

• Mile 0.4

  NEMISIS (IV). Found just after a sharp left-hand bend, this is another very technical rapid at low-water flows.  It is a fun, wild ride at higher flows.  The Nemesis is a big boulder cluster about half way down.

• Mile 0.8

  SUNDERLAND’S CHUTE (IV+). This rapid is named for Dick Sunderland, one of the Tuolumne River’s early kayak explorers.  The river turns right and then drops over a rough gravel bar/chute on the left.  The river’s gradient here is 80 feet per mile.

• Mile 1.0
  HACKAMACK HOLE (IV) There is a sharp drop divided by two big rocks near the center at low flows.  At high flows they form a river-wide hole* that is hard to miss.  This rapid was named for Bob Hackamack, a river enthusiast who has been involved with Friends of the Tuolumne, the Sierra Club, and numerous other conservation groups.

  Interesting fact: *A ‘hole’ is created when the river current drops over a rock or ledge and circulates back on itself instead of continuing its downstream flow.
• Mile 1.5

  RAM’S HEAD (IV; V above 3500 cfs) The Tuolumne bends left and drops.  At medium and high flows the boulder creates a powerful spouting hole. There is a good recovery pool below.

• Mile 1.9-2.1

  INDIA & LOWER INDIA (IV) There are two short chutes separated by a small pool.  According to private boater and geologist Terry Wright, PhD., this rapid is named after India Fleming, who was 14 years old when she first ran the Tuolumne during one of the early exploratory kayak runs.  Apparently, she was the first female to run this river.

• Mile 3.3

  Tin Can Cabin.  Found on river left, this camp is occasionally used by Tuolumne River fishermen.   The Tuolumne River is stocked by the California Department of Fish and Game with salmon, rainbow trout and brown trout.  There are several mines up the gully on the left where it is possible to find mining artifacts.  It is proper etiquette to leave what you find.

• Mile 4.4

  STERNS (IV) When the water flow is low, rafts must run a narrow chute between the left wall and a van-sized rock.  Get turned sideways heading into this rapid and you will be sure to experience some real whitewater excitement!

• Mile 4.7

  EVANGELIST (IV) The river bends right into a series of short drops with a big rock/hole right of center.  This infamous Tuolumne River rapid is so named because it is “holey.”

• Mile 5.4

  The confluence of the Tuolumne and Clavey Rivers.  The Clavey River enters from river right.  Small campsites can be found on either side of Clavey Falls, the biggest rapid on your Tuolumne River whitewater rafting adventure.   It is often fun to camp here and anticipate throughout the night your upcoming ride through Clavey Falls Rapid.

  There are many good hiking and fishing opportunities up the Clavey River; however, both activities are dangerous at high water.  Always check in with your guide(s) before venturing away from camp.  Be on the lookout for poison oak.

• Mile 5.4

  CLAVEY FALLS (IV+) This rapid is one of the reasons the Tuolumne River is considered the jewel of California whitewater rafting.  Your thrilling California whitewater experience in this rapid begins with two big drops.  The first drop is considered “The Falls,” and it can push boats into a frothy current, sending rafts into the left wall.  There is a very large hole across the left half of the river just prior to the second drop.  It is hard to miss the hole when the river flow is above 2000 cfs.  Navigating your way through this rapid earns bragging rights in any setting.

• Mile 5.9

  Access to the Hamby Trail is found on river left.  This two-mile trail leading to Ferretti Road has approximately 40 switchbacks and an 1850-ft elevation gain (and a startling quantity of ticks).

• Mile 7.5

  Powerhouse Campsite.  This wide, sandy campsite is found on the right side of the Tuolumne River.  Destroyed by flood in 1937, this powerhouse originally provided electricity for miners early in the century.  A trail on the left bank leads out of the canyon.

• Mile 7.9

  Grapevine Creek enters the Tuolumne river on the right.  Grapevine Campsite can be found downstream on the left.

• Mile 8.2

  Your Tuolumne River whitewater rafting experience is not always about the whitewater.  History avails itself to those seeking hidden treasures:  an abandoned hard rock mineshaft is on the left.  Be on the lookout for artifacts, and practice proper Leave No Trace etiquette:  leave historical artifacts where you find them.

• Mile 8.3

  Indian Creek enters from the left.  There is a campsite on river right, and an old mining road climbs out of the Tuolumne Canyon just downstream.

• Mile 9.5

  GRAY’S GRINDSTONE (IV) Gray’s Grindstone, one of the longest rapids on your Tuolumne River whitewater rafting trip, is over one-half mile long.

• Mile 11

  THREAD THE NEEDLE (IV) Rocks block most of the river.  There is a “Chicken Chute” on river left, but only the truly adventurous have been known to “thread the needle” between the rocks in the center.  There are two campsites on river left near this rapid.

• Mile 12.2

  The quartz mine shafts found on both banks were abandoned around 1909.   Be on the lookout for remnants of a steam engine on river right.

• Mile 12.6

  CABIN (IV) There is a big hole just below the entrance to this rapid.  The river then bends right and drops down a curving chute.  On the left is Big Humbug Creek.

• Mile 12.8

  Big Creek enters from the left, where there is a large, unshaded campsite.  Follow the creek a short way to a waterfall.  There are Indian mortar holes near the creek’s mouth.

• Mile 12.9

  HELL’S KITCHEN (IV) This rapid starts with Class III drops over a jumble of boulders, and it then turns into a slalom between large rocks.

• Mile 14.4

  There is an old, tattered suspension bridge which marks the site of abandoned quartz mines.  There are still remnants of old mining equipment found on river left.  The Mohican trail leads out of the canyon from river left.

• Mile 15.1

  The North Fork of the Tuolumne enters from river right, and there are campsites here.  Found upstream on the tributary is the site of an old bridge, which once linked Tuolumne City with the Mohican Trail.

• Mile 15.8

  High-water mark of New Don Pedro Reservoir.  There are more whitewater rapids from this point when the reservoir is low.  When the reservoir is full the river is flat and still.

• Mile 16.5

  Turnback Creek enters on the right.  History states that an abundance of gold was located here in 1856.

• Mile 17.5

  PINBALL (IV+) Pinball Rapid is exposed only when Don Pedro Reservoir is low.

• Mile 18

  Ward’s Ferry Bridge. Cold drinks and a return shuttle to your vehicle await at the take-out of your OARS Tuolumne River rafting trip.