River Recreation Northern California

Plenty folks asking about "where to go rafting or river tubing" in Southern California. HINT: You need water! (lack of rain means SoCal is nearly a desert region)

While SoCal has ocean access with hundreds of miles of shoreline; the fresh, clean, clear big water only flows from the mountains. Better yet from the Sierra Nevada or Northern California. Southern California has a few rivers & most seasonal streams dry up before mid-summer. You're lucky to see a trickle, yet a waterfall, inland.

HEAD NORTH: The biggest river driving distance to Los Angeles is the infamous Kern River. The western side of the Sierras has many main tributaries flowing west from granite alpine of the high country. Kings River, the longest river in the Sierra Nevada, flows from where else - Kings Canyon National Park, San Joaquin River tucked way back near Mono Hot Springs in Sierra National Forest & the Merced, which flows through Yosemite National Park.

The real river recreation, kayaking & rafting starts well above Sacramento, where there is a body of water in every county. Much of which feeds the world, with agricultural irrigation of the Central Valley. The Yuba River flows past the Sierra Buttes & through Northern Gold Country. The Pit River & Feather River surrounding Lassen Peak are perfect for fishing & camping. The Russian River leads from Sonoma Wine Country to the coast of Mendocino. The Klamath, in the far north portion of California, is the river for rafting.

Happy Camp California is located deep in the Klamath National Forest, along the river & highway 96. But beware, once you are there, you wont wanna leave.