Stanislaus
Goodwin Dam to Knights Ferry(Goodwin Canyon)
| Difficulty | III-IV+ |
| Length | 3.8 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 30 fpm |
| Gauge | Stanislaus R at Orange Blossom Bridge |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 1450 cfsrunnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | April 7, 2014 |
River Description
Getting There: The take out is at Knights Ferry's Recreation Area, approximately 30 miles northeast of Modesto, CA. From this public park, drive about 2-3 miles east along Highway 120/108 to Tullock Road (a left turn). Drive another 1.6 miles to the put-in. GPS Coordinates at Google Maps. If you can see the Goodwin Dam, you've gone too far.
There is limited parking along both sides of the road. From here it is a short walk to the river.
Scouting Mr. Toad's: After turning onto Tullock Road, there is a dirt road 1.3 miles down on the left hand side. From here you can scout Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Park on the dirt road and its a short hike to the overlook. From this spot it is only another 0.3 miles to the put in.
Local Clubs:
For more information on this and other local paddling areas, please feel free to contact these local clubs: Gold Country Paddlers.
Online:
You can get more information from California's Whitewater Community at boof.com.
Goodwin-Canyon.com is a website that has a lot of useful information about the river and area. They have a river map that you can print out and take with you.
There is also a write up on California Creeks.
Goodwin Dam is 80 feet high and was completed in 1913. It is jo
...River Features
Goodwin Dam
Laundry Chute
Surf City
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
This is the first Class IV rapid, and it comes up fast. It is a nightmare to portage so if you scout it from the road and don't feel up to it just put in lower at 2 Mile Bar. The rock wall at the bottom river right is under cut, and the far left side of the rapid has some dangerous rocks if you are out of your boat. At flows from 500cfs and up start right and stay right all the way down. If you flip your best option is to stay upside down until you reach the bottom. At flows below 500cfs start left and scoot through two tight slot drops, then ferry far right and run out the rest as you normally would. This rapid goes at flows all the way down to 200cfs.
Willow Rapid
Matterhorn
**Hazardous Rapid, Portaged at most flows!** This is the only Class V-VI rapid, and it is portaged at most flows. If portaged on river left, you'll have a great view of the rapid, but have to seal launch to get back in. River right would be easier to portage if you have a raft. I have seen this rapid run at flows as low as 300cfs, and as high as 2000+cfs. At flows between 1300-2000 there is a line straight over the middle. Otherwise it is run far left against the wall or in the left seam. The right side is very junky and rocky in the landing. At very high flows this supposedly turns into a river wide ledge hole.
Upper Pinball
I have seen more swims in this rapid than anywhere else on the river, there's just something about it that trips people up. The higher the flow, the easier this one is. Under 900cfs it gets a bit technical. The bottom right wall is undercut. I have seen someone flat pin under it and it took almost an hour to retrieve the boat. Just finish left and you'll be fine.
Haunted House
Under 500cfs this is a mandatory portage. Below 500cfs, portage right. Above 500cfs, portage left. Below 1200cfs, run the middle. Above 1200cfs, drive hard right to left. You want to be able to reach out and touch the left wall when you go through, otherwise you are likely in for the most savage beatdown of your life in a hole that you will have to swim out of. It only flushes down. At flows starting somewhere between 1800-2000cfs, ride a green tongue around the right side of the hole. This can be scouted from either side at all flows. After the main drop the river pushes left into a room of doom, but as long as you get your bow to the right after the drop you will be able to miss it. It is shallow enough that if you get stuck you can stand up and walk out of it.
The Narrows
The Shallows
From 1300cfs and up there is a surf wave here. The higher the flow the better the wave.
Knights Ferry Public Park
GPS Coordinates at Google Maps.
A public park that has an easy takeout on river right. There is free parking, port-a-potties, hiking trails, boat launching areas, and picnic tables. The Army Corp of Engineers also maintains a free visitor center at Knights Ferry, (209) 881-3517.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportAt this flow, there was a smooth tongue into a hole with a narrow path on the left side of this hole. Evan figured if you are going to buy an E ticket, you might as well go for the most fun.
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Daniel did not see Evan's line, but went for the hole also, with even more fun results.
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Dan making this sport look way to easy on Haunted House, a Class IV.
After the rapids, enjoy the beautiful canyon scenery.
Evan making a great run on Class IV rapid Mr. Toad's WIld Ride.
This Class V/VI rapid, looks pretty nasty at this low flow, exposing all the rocks.
Daniel finds a nice line down Toad's, avoiding the
undercuts on river right.
An overview of Matterhorn, the only Class V-VI rapid, as viewed from river left. With Dan seal launching in after our portage.
One of the signs in the public park.
Mr. Toad's Class IV+ from the overlook.
From the overlook.
The park at the put in just below the Goodwin Dam. It was closed off so you couldn't park down there, you had to park along the road. Bathrooms if needed.
A pretty good drop in the river taking place at Matterhorn.
Another helpful sign in Knights Ferry.
Just below the put in.
Dan playing and warming up for the run. First set of small rapids on the run.
Just below Laundry Chute.
The entrance to Matterhorn, where you can see spray come up downstream, makes this a more easily recognized rapid on this river.
Not too bad looking from this angle.
Look possible....
Dan thinking 'you go first,' while Evan's thinking 'I'll follow your line.'
Looking upstream at Upper Pinball.
Evan approaching Lower Pinball.
A better shot of Lower Pinball from below, sorry about the water, its hard to keep it off the lense.
This is the Wall of Pain, because after you run Haunted House at this flow the river was pushing everything into this wall and it made it close to impossible to get out. Two of us got stuck, and only one of us was able to paddle out of it. The river was really surging up and down in this spot.
The entrance of Haunted House.
The meat of Haunted House.
Sorry about the water spot. But taken behind the Wall of Pain, looking back upstream at Haunted House.
Evan and Dan paddling through one of the more beautiful places along the river.
Looking up stream at Air Mattress.
Dan paddling downstream around the Narrows Rapid. Very neat gorge...
Looking up stream at Air Mattress.
A Public Message for everyone at Knights Ferry Park!
Dan and Evan at the dirt road that is next to the overlook of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.