Merced Whitewater Rafting Trip Logistics

Below Is All The Information You Should Need For Your Trip.

If you have any further questions not answered here, please give our friendly team a call

at 1 800 750 2386 and we will be happy to talk to you.

Getting Here

Merced River Trip Information PDFs

Merced River 1-Day Check-in time

The Merced River Trip meets at 8:30 am in the town of Midpines just past the Mountain View Grocery Store . Please be on time as we only wait a short time for late arrivals. Please check in with our staff and they will be happy to answer any questions. Once everyone has checked in, we begin your trip with a 20 minute shuttle ride to where we put in. Your car keys will be kept in a locked location while rafting.

Meeting Location Link

Directions

Driving Times / Distances

Whitewater Excitement Merced Meeting Location Link

San Francisco: 180 mi/ 3.5 hrs
San Jose: 165 mi/ 3 hrs
Sacramento: 150 mi/ 3 hrs
Los Angeles: 310 mi/ 5.5 hrs
Merced: 50 mi/ 1 hr
Mariposa: 7 mi/ 10 min
Yosemite National Park: 35 mi/ 45 min

Directions from San Francisco/ San Jose Bay Area

Drive to Highway 99 to Manteca (from I-880 S, I-580 E, I-205)
Take Hwy 99 South to the town of Merced
Exit Hwy 140 East towards Mariposa/Yosemite National Park
Follow Hwy 140 through the town of Mariposa
Seven miles past Mariposa is the town of Midpines
Look for the Mountain View Grocery Store on the right
Just past the Mountain View grocery store, on the LEFT SIDE of Hwy 140, is our meeting area. Look for the WWE vans.

Directions from Sacramento

Take Hwy 99 South to the town of Merced
Exit Hwy 140 East towards Mariposa/Yosemite National Park
Follow Hwy 140 through the town of Mariposa
Seven miles past Mariposa is the town of Midpines
Look for the Mountain View Grocery Store on the right
Just past the Mountain View grocery store, on the LEFT SIDE of Hwy 140, is our meeting area. Look for the WWE vans.

Directions from Southern California

Take Hwy 99 North to the town of Merced
Exit Hwy 140 East towards Mariposa/Yosemite National Park
Follow Hwy 140 through the town of Mariposa
Seven miles past Mariposa is the town of Midpines
Look for the Mountain View Grocery Store on the right
Just past the Mountain View grocery store, on the LEFT SIDE of Hwy 140, is our meeting area. Look for the WWE vans.

What To Bring

What Is Provided

Skilled, professional guide service.
High-quality inflatable rafts, paddles, helmets, personal flotation devices.
Wetsuits and splash jackets for spring trips only – (if needed).
Transportation from the meeting place to the river and back.
Drinks and snacks at river’s end.
River Clothing

What To Bring

River Clothing is very casual and you should expect to get wet!
Bathing suit/trucks, lightweight quick drying top (rash guard works well)
Lightweight windbreaker for cool mornings. Sweatshirts for cool evenings
River sandals or old tennis shoes work great (No flip flops or bare feet allowed)
Hat (Optional under helmet)
Sunglasses (suggest retaining device so they don’t end up in the river)
Waterproof sunscreen and lip protection
Bottle of water (drinks provided at lunch and end of trip)
Inexpensive waterproof camera (professional pictures are taken at one of the rapids)
Dry clothes for trip home (to be left in your car)
Tent and ground cloth

What Not To Bring

Pets, fireworks, firearms or high pressure water guns

Places To Stay In The Area

Campgrounds

We have our own private camp area, only for WWE Guests, right on the banks of the South Fork of the American river. Our facilities include: bathrooms with hot showers, flush toilets, sinks and mirrors, recreation areas with volleyball, and horseshoe pits. All of our camp areas are group areas that are assigned prior to your arriving. Smaller sized groups could be sharing an area with another smaller sized group.

Reservations for the WWE Camp Area can be made by calling our office at 1-800-750-2386. Cost for camping is $15.00 per person per night. We do also have areas for RV’s, however, we do not have any hook-ups available.

Lodging

Hotels / Motels
Holiday Inn, Auburn (530) 887-8787
Best Western, Auburn (800) 201-0121
Springhill Suites (Marriott), Auburn (530) 492-5656

Where To Eat

Local Eateries

Restaurants are located in the nearby town of Mariposa from fast food to fine dining.

Other Options And Things To Do

Other Local Places Of Interest

Yosemite National Park is located about 45 minutes away from our location on the Merced River. This is a must see park!

Weather

Weather Info

Our area can experience extreme changes in weather especially in the months of April, May and June, so please check the weather (www.weather.com) for Midpines, CA prior to your trip.