Merced River Rafting Trips

2025 Season: April-June

Trip Options: 1-Day

Who Should Go: Adventure-Seekers

Difficulty: Class III-IV | Exciting Lively Whitewater

Meet Place: Midpines, CA
(45 min from Yosemite Valley)

Per-Person Rate: $209 - $229

Usual Min Age: 12 years old (90 lbs)

Big Waves Just Outside Yosemite

Ready for fast-paced whitewater and front-row views of spring in the Sierra?

Continuous Class III-IV rapids fueled by Yosemite snowmelt

Big-wave fun and splashy excitement from start to finish

Scenic canyon views and wildflower blooms along the way

Easy add-on to your Yosemite National Park visit to catch the world-famous waterfalls

Great for adventurous first-timers and seasoned paddlers alike

Fueled by a steep gradient and few obstacles to hinder a raft’s momentum, the Merced River packs nonstop fun into one thrilling day on the water.

Merced 1-Day Rafting Trip

 

Trip Pricing

$209 Monday - Friday
$229 Saturday, Sunday

Book Now

Sample Itinerary

Indian Flat put-in to Railroad Flat take-out described below*

  • Meet mid-morning in Midpines
  • Sign-in, shuttle, instruction
  • Class III-IV rapids
  • Lunch
  • Class III rapids
  • Class III-IV rapids
  • Take-out, shuttle
  • Trip ends in mid-afternoon to late afternoon

Your trip starts with a quick Class IV treat--Cranberry Hole Rapid. From there, a fast long succession of rapids gives you the chance to hone your whitewater paddling skills on their gigantic Class III wave trains. Once we reach our most challenging rapid--Class IV Ned's Gulch--we'll break for a quick snack and scout the rapid from shore.

After you've successfully navigated the intimidating obstacles in Ned's Gulch, we'll stop for lunch and dry out on a warm nearby hillside. Once you've boarded your raft again you will enjoy an easier section of Class II-III whitewater that leads to the grand finale, three miles of exciting Class III-IV rapids.

*The itinerary above may be altered due to a range of variables, including river flow levels, time of year, and other factors. Our standard trips run from Indian Flat put-in to Railroad Flat take-out. Occasionally river conditions on the day of the trip dictate running trips from Red Bud put-in to Railroad Flat take-out, or from Briceburg put-in to Bagby Reservoir take-out. Contact us if you have any questions.

More about the Merced River


GETTING THERE

Meet Place for Merced River Trips

Midpines Store (Also known as Midpines Food & Gas)
6428 Highway 140
Midpines, CA 95345

Note: If you plan to use a GPS navigation system or online mapping service, please use in conjunction with the driving directions we provide.

Meet Time

9:00 am for most trips

This time may change. Please refer to the information sent to you in your Trip Confirmation email, check with your group’s organizer, or contact our office. Plan to be on time; guests that arrive late may miss their trip.

Where to Stay / Points of Interest

Local Information

Driving Directions to the Merced River

Traveling EAST on Hwy 140:
The Meet Place is 7 miles east of the Mariposa Hwy 49/140 junction.

Traveling WEST on Hwy 140:
The Meet Place is 35 Miles west of the Hwy 140 Yosemite Park Entrance.

NOTE: The most direct route from the San Francisco Bay Area is east on Hwy 580 to 205 to 99 to 140. The most direct route from Southern California is Hwy 5 to 99 to 140.

We encourage you to print and use our driving directions and not rely strictly on GPS navigation. GPS / cellular service is limited to nonexistent in outlying areas.

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