I’m planning a trip to Yosemite (for next May/June). Everything I’ve seen on the net is about rafting inside the park, not kayaking. I’d like to rent a non-whitewater kayak and do a stretch of the river in or near the park.
Anyone knowledgeable about this?
web search
I just did a quick web search and found out that you can kayak, but no rentals are available.
Merced River
Many, many, years ago I floated the river inside the park on an air matress in late summer. Very mellow, very shallow in some places. I got the worst sunburn of my life. Outside the park as you drive in from Merced I’ve seen many WW paddlers, but I wouldn’t dream of taking a seakayak through there.
May/June
Timing is everything with the level of the Merced, between a warm spring and heavy snowpack, I have seen it in the spring as the THUNDERING RIVER OF DEATH.
Other times, it can be calm, and amazingly beautiful, more like the PLACID RIVER OF PEACE.
Do your research, and obey bear regs in the park (food storage, trash, items in the vehicle), I hear they are writing a lot of tickets these days.
May/June
In summer I used to take $50 Sevylor raft down the Merced, but depending on the snow pack and spring weather, it could be running too fast for a non whitewater boat, or boater
Call the park office
the rangers can probably answer your question pretty well.
Or, call some of the rafting companies. If they say rafting is still on, it’s pretty obvious you can’t float it.
My guess is it’s too early for float trips.