California's Best Rafting Trips: Kern River
Continuing our best rafting trips series we are heading to California to learn more about the Kern river. The Kern is an extremely popular river being the closest whitewater run to the Los Angeles Area. Just a 3 hour drive north is some of the best whitewater rafting in the Sierras.
We linked up with our friend Matt Volpert at Kern River Outfitters to get some more insight on the best whitewater rafting in southern California. Matt shared what he loves about the Kern along with the best river trips on the Kern.
Reasons to love the Kern River
There is so much access and variability, any type of boater is going to have fun. Class V? We have that and it's easy to get to with hard whitewater. Something mellower? Intermediate Class III and IV? Tons of this as well. Also, none of it requires hours and hours of shuttling. It's common to decide to go boating last minute, round up friends within shouting distance and be on the water within 30 minutes. From sitting on a couch to sitting in a raft, that type of turn around is hard to find.
Best River Trips in Southern California
Forks of the Kern
Difficulty: Class IV and V
This is an outstanding overnight Class V trip. It's hard, exciting whitewater, blended with amazing scenery and is typically all to yourself. This trip can also be done as a one day "bullet run" but it's a big day. It does require a permit, with just one launch per day. However it is easy to find launches where no one has applied allowing you to walk-in and snag it. Highly recommended your first run is with someone that has recent Forks experience.
Upper Kern
Difficulty: Class II to V
What makes the Upper Kern so amazing is its access and variability. Are you looking for Class V? We have that on the Thunder Run, and it's just fifteen minutes from town. Class II and III to introduce your kids to whitewater? The Lickety Split section is five minutes from town and ends in Kernville. Stout Class IV? Plenty of, from the Cables section to Limestone, we have tons of it. Mix and match to create just about any type of trip.
Lower Kern
Difficulty: III (Jungle Run) or IV (Miracle Run)
Once the snowpack has thawed and water flows ebbed to 'bony' the Lower Kern offers consistent flows until Labor Day in most seasons. This is the only segment of the Kern that is classic pool-drop and without the disruption of dams and unrunnable rapids (well, there is one) you can do a long trip of up to 19 miles. The top section of the section is the Jungle Run, which is a busy Class II and III stretch. Below that starts the Miracle Run which gets you into the Class IVs that pepper the course its entire length until the takeout at Democrat.
Accommodations near the Kern River
Campgrounds are abundant in the area from free with limited (if any at all) accommodations such as toilets and water to paid with electric hookups and hot showers. Some favorites though:
Limestone Campground: Beautiful, reservable campground located adjacent to Limestone Rapid on the Upper Kern. No cell phone service and town is 30 minutes away so plan accordingly.
Rivernook: Private campground, close to town on well-kept grounds. Right alongside the river.
Lake Isabella KOA: Great for young families and spaced out between the Upper and Lower Kern so you can run both pretty easily.
Getting to the Kern River
From Downtown Los Angeles: The Kern River is located about 3 hours north up Interstate 5, then to 99 towards Bakersfield. From Bakersfield take CA 178 to Kernville.
