Arroyo Seco, |
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| Usual Difficulty | IV(V) (may vary with level) |
|---|---|
| Length | 3 Miles |
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARROYO SECO NR SOLEDAD CA | ||||
| usgs-11152000 | 250 - 400 cfs | IV(V) | 01h01m | 48 cfs (rc= -1.3 ) |
Large areas of Los Padres National Forest, including this river section, are presently closed to public access. Large wildfires in 2008 increased erosion danger, so the forest service wants people to stay out till ground cover grows out somewhat. Read the closure order and see the attached map Contact the Monterey Ranger District (King City, 831-385-5434) for further information.
Christina Starr contributes:
Arroyo Seco is one of the top class IV runs in California. Do not bother with the brushy lower sections. All the action is in the
Gorge above the picnic area.
To reach the put-in, park at the upper parking lot and carry your boat around the locked gate
across the dirt road. It is about a three-mile hike; not too bad, though. Put in at the Willow
Creek packbridge.
The first two miles are class IV with one class V. You can scout the major rapids from river
left, right after Santa Lucia Creek enters from the right.
First two miles are in a spectacular gorge and the rapids are mostly class III-IV with one class
V: "MUCHOS CAJONES."
Other Information Sources:
Los Padres National Forest: Monterey Ranger District (King City, 831-385-5434)
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARROYO SECO NR SOLEDAD CA | ||||||||||||
| usgs-11152000 | 250 - 400 cfs | IV(V) | 01h01m | 48 cfs (rc= -1.3 ) | ||||||||
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No guide books for this stream. If you know of a book that describes this stream please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. No rapids entered. If you know names, and locations of the rapids please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. 
River Alert
State News
River Links
NWRI - Arroyo Seco 1) Willowcreek Bridge to Arroyo Seco Picnic Area (mobile)
User Comments
This rock is incredible and the rapids are fun. *NOTE. Muchos Cajones is easily run with speed and
a strong boof. I have heard of people messing it up and flushing right away. I almost drowned here.
I was getting the beatdown in my boat before I pulled, expecting to flush. Instead, I was recirced
underwater for a very long time. I truly thought I might drown and I tried everything I knew to get
out of there. Finally I did flush and there was a big chill pool below. My boat was stuck in an
eddy upstream and would have been very difficult to get without someone still up there. Climbing
back is not really an option as it is cliffed out. Have fun but be careful. Jeremy L Edit
closed to paddlers and hikers as the USFS closed the National Forest around the river because of
the fires last summer. The closure has been in effect for several months. They may lift it as early
as June. So if you want to paddle the Arroyo Seco, you will have to put in at what would normally
be the take out for the gorge run. You can paddle to 5 miles or so to Millers Lodge or the 9 more
miles to the Green Bridge. We did it last year by the way. It wasn't much whitewater, but very
scenic through the "Grand Canyon of the Central Coast".
stream through the canyon walls just down stream. The 2 friends I was paddeling with went down
stream before me. The swim was fine no rocks no bruises the problem was the boat. Just down stream
is a strong eddie on left the will suck you equipment in. This may not sound so bad but access from
downstream is next to impossible. the cliff wals are 40 feet and shear with only manzanita bushes
to make anchors out of. After 1.5 hours of planning crappy anchors and throw rope harnesses were
were saved by the party upstream of us who disloged my boat for me. -To run Mucho I would sugest
scouting on Left, setting safety and having you best paddler go first and catch the eddy just down
stream to do equip recovery in case of a swimmer. (the hole is sticker than it looks). Steven
Vaniman Edit