Kern River (Kernville)
Kernville / Sequoia NF · near Kernville · Sierra Nevada / Yosemite
Fishing · Rivers & Whitewater
At a glance
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best season
- Spring–fall (flows dictate)
- Season
- March–September · Peak May–June · Upper Kern runs from dam releases into July
Permits and booking
- Licence required
- Yes
- Licence detail
- CA license (16+) required. The Kern offers planted trout in the accessible lower river near Kernville and wild trout (including the native Kern River rainbow) in the upper wild-and-scenic reaches. Powerful, dangerous whitewater — the Kern has claimed many lives; NEVER wade or fish beyond your ability near fast water.
- Permit
- Commercial outfitters operate under Sequoia National Forest special use permits. Lower Kern: no private boater permit. Upper Kern: depends on section. Forks of the Kern: permit required, managed lottery through Recreation.gov.
What is here
- Features
- Native Kern River rainbow trout · Accessible lower-river trout · Wild upper-river reaches · Southern Sierra canyon
- Activities
- guided-rafting · kayaking · self-guided
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
- Minimum age
- 5 (Lower Kern) · 12+ (Upper Kern) · 18+ with paddler screening (Forks)
Guides, rentals and operators
- Operators
- Kern River Outfitters · Whitewater Voyages · Sierra South
- Outfitters
- Whitewater Voyages · Sierra South Mountain Sports · Kern River Outfitters
Fishing detail
- Water type
- river
- Water
- fresh
- Methods
- Fly · Bait · Casting
- Boat
- shore
- Target species
- Rainbow trout (incl. Kern River rainbow) · Brown trout · Wild trout (upper Kern) · Planted trout (lower)
- Intl tip
- License required. Planted trout in the accessible lower river (family-friendly around Kernville); wild native Kern River rainbows in the upper reaches (hike in). DANGER: the Kern is a powerful, deadly river — many drownings; never wade beyond your ability or fish alone near fast water. Flows dictate the fishing. Combine with the southern Sierra and Sequoia. Respect the water.
Rivers & Whitewater detail
- Nickname
- LA's River
- Class min
- II
- Class max
- V
- Trip options
- Half-day · Full day · 2-day (Forks) · Family floats on Lower Kern
- Key rapids
- Thunder Run (Upper Kern) · Forks of the Kern (80+ rapids) · Lower Kern Family Section
- Intl tip
- Kernville sits at the north end of Lake Isabella, a reservoir popular for boating, waterskiing, and camping. The Sequoia National Forest road above Kernville leads to the southern approach to Mount Whitney and the Kern River canyon backcountry — one of the most remote and spectacular in the Sierra. A weekend combining Lower Kern rafting with a drive up the Kern River Highway into Sequoia NF covers a dramatically wide range of California terrain.
The guide
The Kern River, tumbling out of the southern High Sierra through a dramatic canyon to the town of Kernville, offers a range of …
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Kern River (Kernville) — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 35.753, -118.425