Whitewater Rafting on Goodwin Canyon

Goodwin Canyon, also known as the Lower Stanislaus, is a Class IV- V (Intermediate-Advanced) river, depending on water flow. This river is located in the lower central valley about 60 minutes from Yosemite National Park. The Lower Stanislaus flows through a narrow volcanic gorge in the Sierra foothills. Goodwin Canyon was opened for commercial whitewater rafting as mitigation for the loss of the late Camp 9 Section of the Main Stanislaus to the New Melones Reservoir. This 4 mile whitewater rafting run has a moderate gradient dropping at an average 30 feet per mile, however the major rapids are long and steep. Since the damming of the main Stanislaus, the US Army Corp of Engineers has developed a network of river parks along Goodwin Canyon. These parks enjoy river access, many historical attractions and many recreational opportunities. General Information Put-In: Goodwin Dam (1/2 mile downstream) Length: 4 miles Difficulty: Class III - IV with portages. Gradient: 30 feet per mile overall Runnable Flows: 600 - 5000 cfs Season: Year round but dependent on reservoir releases. Take-out: Knights Ferry River Park Photos courtesy of All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting

Goodwin Homepage River Descriptions Mile-by-Mile River Map River Conditions Camping River Access Rafting with an Outfitter History of the Stanislaus About this Website

Other California Whitewater Rafting Rivers:
Kaweah River	Tuolumne River	Merced River	Goodwin Canyon
North Fork Stanislaus	American River	Klamath River	California Salmon