Mother Lode Field Office

Merced Wild & Scenic River

Briceburg Visitor Center at Hwy 140 along the Merced RiverView of Redbud in bloom along the Merced RiverBLM Photo of Merced River and BLM Wild and Scenic River sign.

General Information

From the high country of Yosemite National Park, the Merced River shows no mercy on its headlong rush through glacially-carved canyons, rugged mountains and foothills to the San Joaquin Valley.  Ample access points allow you to punch rapids at your own pace. After a full day on the river, check out the Wilow Placer,  Railroad Flat or McCabe Flat campgrounds.

Merced River Recreation Area Map (pdf 478 kb)

Wild and Scenic Rivers are a component of the National Landscape Conservation System.

When to go: April-August

Getting there: Highway 140 to Foresta Bridge. Take left on Foresta Bridge to Incline Road. Take left on Incline Road.

Put-in: Redbud, Cranberry, Briceburg and Indian Flat.

Take-out: Briceburg, McCabe Flat, Railroad Flat, Bagby Reservoir.

Portage: Mandatory at North Fork Falls.

  River Class:III-IV

River Recreation