Kaweah River

Bird’s Eye View

Only a few hours north of the greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, and 45 minutes east of Visalia, the Kaweah is one of the best rafting and kayaking options in California for more experienced boaters with continuous Class IV-IV+ rapids. The upper stretch begins at the park boundary and is recommended only for expert kayakers.

Kaweah River Whitewater Photo Gallery

The Kaweah in a Nutshell

Difficulty: Class IV+

Gradient: 50 ft/mi

Length: 10 miles

Season: April – late June

Put-in: East Fork confluence

Take-out: Terminus Reservoir

Who should go:Adrenaline seekers who want fun, exciting rapids.

Whitewater & Scenery

Technical and continuous, the Kaweah is a solid Class IV run. Views of Sequoia National Park backdrop the run, but boaters usually don’t have much time to look around.

Read more about Kaweah River Whitewater.

River Flows

Flows fluctuate regularly in the springtime, and higher flows = harder, more continuous whitewater.

Learn more about Kaweah River Flows.

Logistics

Commercial raft trips begin just a little way downstream of the Sequoia National Park entrance at a private put-in. Most of the land along the Kaweah is privately owned, so scouting and finding alternate put-ins or take-outs is challenging.