Merced River Trip Details

The following whitewater rafting information should answer your logistical questions concerning your Merced river whitewater rafting trip. If you still have questions after reviewing this material, please feel free to call our office.

Printable (PDF) Trip Details for El Portal

Meeting Time & Place

Trips meet at our office/parking area next to Indian Flat Campground on Highway 140, just outside the Yosemite Park Highway 140 entrance, and about 3 miles downstream from the town of El Portal. Indian Flat Campground is itself next to Cedar Lodge, a major hotel/motel complex next to our meeting spot

1-day trips meet at 10:00 a.m
Morning 1/2-day trips meet at 8:30 a.m.
Afternoon 1/2-day trips meet at 2:00 p.m. 
2-day trips meet at 9:00 a.m.

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Directions

If you are coming from Yosemite Valley, just follow the Merced river out of the valley on highway 140, all the way down to the small town of El Portal.  Indian Flat Campground is just about 3 miles downstream from El Portal, and if you see Cedar Lodge, you have gone about 200 yards too far.  Driving time from Yosemite Valley floor is about 30 - 45 minutes

If you are coming from the Mariposa area, follow highway 140 through the town of MidPines, and then down into the Merced river canyon.  Continue up canyon, following the river, all the way to Cedar lodge.  And we are just past Cedar Lodge.  Driving time from Mariposa is about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

If you are coming from the Tenaya Lodge / Fishcamp areas, go into Yosemite on Highway 41 and continue into Yosemite Valley.  Immediately take the "All Park Exits" out of Yosemite, and take the Highway 140 route out of Yosemite Valley.  You will be following the Merced river all they way to our meeting spot at Indian Flat.  Driving time from Tenaya Lodge is about 1.5 hours.

Map of the Merced river and Yosemite

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Meals

Half-day trips do not include lunch, but do include cold beverages at trips end.  One-day trips include a full lunch served on the river, as well as cold beverages at the end of the day. Two-day trips include 4 meals starting with lunch on day one and ending with lunch on day 2.. We do offer wine with dinner and cold beer and soda at camp. No alcohol of any kind is allowed during the day.

Wetsuits

As a service to our clients, Zephyr provides wet suits and paddle jackets free of charge. Wetsuits are recommended on all trips through about mid June, depending on previous winter snowpack. The wetsuits are designed for whitewater rafting, and are very comfortable. The suit is a full-length "farmer-john" style, with sleeveless tops. We also provide an optional nylon paddle jacket which can be worn over the suit when necessary. You are welcome to provide your own suit if you wish.

"What do I wear underneath my wetsuit?"  An important question that comes up often.  We recommend wearing a thin nylon swim suit, or other non-bulky swim attire, underneath your wetsuit.  Also, to provide some friction between you and the raft ( to help keep you from sliding off the raft into the river ), we recommend bringing along a large pair of old shorts to wear on the outside of your wetsuit.

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What to Bring

On the river

In camp (2-day trips only)

Optional (2-day trips only)

Cool weather items

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Motels

          The closest motels to Mariposa are:

Mariposa Lodge - (209) 966-3607 (800) 341-8000
Mother Lode Lodge - (209) 966-2521 (800) 396-9770
Miners Inn Motel - (209) 742-7777 (800) 237-7277
Comfort Inn - (209) 966-4344 (800) 321-5261
Best Western - (209) 966-7545 (800) 321-5261
Sierra View - (209) 966-5793 (800) 627-8439
Yosemite Motels -a series of 6 great motels in the Yosemite area.
Yosemite Bug Hostel-a unique low cost hostel with camping, dorm type rooms, private rooms, and a great restaurant, and only 30 minutes from our meeting spot.  Located in Midpines, only 8 miles from Mariposa on the way to Yosemite
Miners Inn Motel-in the heart of Mariposa, this motel is very convenient and has a good restaurant as well.

Indian Flat Campground - Our meeting spot just 3 miles from El Portal offers both tent and RV camping with hot showers and flush toilets. This location is right next door to Cedar Lodge, and only 4 miles from Yosemite View Lodge. For reservations, call (209) 379-2339.

          The closest motels to Yosemite Valley, and also to our Indian Flat Campground meeting    spot are:

Cedar Lodge - (209) 379-2612...(800) 321-5261...1 minute from our meeting spot!
Yosemite View Lodge - (209) 379-2581...(800) 321-5261...4 miles from our meeting spot!
Yosemite Valley - (209) 252-4848...30 minutes from our meeting spot!

If you plan on staying in the Oakhurst or Fishcamp areas:

Narrow Gauge Inn in Fishcamp, charming and great food. For reservations, call (888) 644-9050.
Tenaya Lodge, also in Fishcamp, is a wonderful resort hotel with great restaurants and both indoor and outdoor pools.
Chateau du Sureau is a 5 star, 5 diamond inn near Oakhurst.
Hounds Tooth Inn is an excellent Bed and Breakfast near Oakhurst and the Southern entrance to Yosemite.
Homestead Cottages offers rest and relaxation near Oakhurst.
Vultures View is also a great Oakhurst B&B option.
Sierra Mountain Lodge B &B is located in Ahwahnee, just 10 minutes from Oakhurst

For vacation home rentals inside Yosemite:

Yosemite Vacation Homes is an excellent link.
Yosemite Scenic Wonders provides cabin, home, and condominium rentals inside historic Yosemite.
Redwoods in Yosemite offers year-round vacation home rentals.
 

For lodging between Groveland and Yosemite:

Evergreen Lodge is located just north of Yosemite off Highway 120, and offers a rustic, historical stay in its recently remodeled cabins. The food is excellent and the ambiance relaxing.  Very close to Hetch Hetch reservoir.

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Bed & Breakfast Inns

 Indian Peak Ranch Mountain Top Hideaway is an excellent choice just south of Mariposa on 122 beautiful acres.
 Little Valley Inn also in Mariposa is close to restaurants and services.

Camping

KOA in Midpines....about 1 mile from our Midpines meeting spot. 
Indian Flat Campground...our meeting spot close to Yosemite.
Yosemite...a list of campgrounds inside Yosemite Valley.

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Breakfast

Breakfast the morning of the trip is your responsibility. There are many good restaurants in the Mariposa area, and if you are staying at either the Cedar Lodge or Yosemite View Lodge or camping at Indian Flat Campground, both the Cedar lodge and Yosemite View Lodge have very fine restaurants.

One-Day and 1/2 day Trip Logistics

Your head guide will meet you the morning of your trip at our Indian Flat Campground location. Meeting time for our full day trips is 10:00 a.m. 

Morning 1/2 day trips meet at 8:30, and afternoon 1/2 day trips meet at 2:00 p.m.

Two-day trips meet at 9:00 a.m

Please make sure you know how long it will take you to get to Indian Flat Campground from where you are coming from.  If you are not there on time, you will keep others waiting, and you may miss your trip.  There are NO REFUNDS or CREDITS for missed trips.  If you are unsure about your driving times, please call our office.

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Two-Day Trip Logistics

Same as for one-day trip logistics, except that when we reach the end of the first day, we are in the heart of the Merced River Canyon and near our overnight campsite. Our gear vehicle (which had been loaded with your overnight gear that morning) will meet the trip in the afternoon, and we will transfer all gear and food onto the rafts and float across river to our beautiful on river campsite. We will enjoy a wonderful evening meal prepared by our multi-talented guides/chefs and then bedtime. Breakfast will be served the next morning, and then depending on water levels, we will continue on downstream through quarter mile rapid, portaging a waterfall, and ending the trip at Bagby. Or if water levels are high, we will float across river, load up in the bus, and drive upriver to put in at Redbud (one mile above where we launched the first day) and enjoy this great Class 4 section in addition to repeating the best of the whitewater of the first day. The trip will end at Briceburg on day 2, and you will be bussed back to your cars between 4:00 and 5:30 p.m.

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How to Pack

For all 2-day trips, please have all your gear in a duffel or similar bag when your trip leader meets you. Overnight gear will be trucked close to camp and then we will ferry it across the river to camp. Having all of your personal items in one large bag reduces the chance of loss and makes it easier to handle. The gear that you pack in your duffel will not be accessible during the day. We suggest placing small items that you wish to use during the day (sunscreen, lip ointment), in a plastic ziplock bag which we can place in our day bag.

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Cameras

If your camera is small and inexpensive, a large ziplock bag will give sufficient protection. More expensive cameras can be protected with a watertight inflatable "sports pouch" available at sports stores. Camera insurance is recommended.

Tipping

We are frequently asked whether it is appropriate to tip guides. While our guides are well compensated for their skills, if you feel your trip was exceptional, or that your guide or guides went out of their way to make the quality of your experience a notch above the norm, tipping is a nice way of saying thank you.

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