Merced River

The main fork of Merced River at Yosemite National Park is a perfect place to fish, swim, raft, and even pan for gold.

The river circles around the center of Yosemite Valley, and almost every point on the river has views of the most breathtaking parts of the park, from Yosemite Falls to Glacier Point.

Merced River is one of the few places in Yosemite that offer whitewater river rafting. The rapids go from Redbud to Briceburg and range from levels 2 to 4. It's a class IV run at peak snow melt, but it does get lower and slower as the season goes on. There are also several pullouts along the river canyon where people can get their own flotation devices and float the river themselves, although it's not recommended until late June, when the river has slowed down a bit.

It's also around this time that many people choose to go swimming in the river. The main fork is the ideal place for this. There are several places to camp along the river, such as Dirt Flat, Dry Gulch, McCabe Flat, Willow Placer, Railroad Flat, and more.

Fishing is also a favorite activity of those who come to the Merced River, but there are a few more conditions on fishing than usual. Catch and release is strongly encouraged, and only fish larger than 12 inches can be taken from the river.