1. Owens River
Pleasant Valley Reservoir to Pleasant Valley Campground Footbridge
| Difficulty | II-III |
| Length | 1.3 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Reach Info Last Updated | December 22, 2025 |
River Description
This short section of river offers unique basalt boulders in the riverbed and a few rapids. The river splits into two channels before crossing under Pleasant Valley Rd. The left fork has more interesting whitewater. The right fork has the largest rapid of the run just before the take out. You can have the best of both worlds by switching from left to right fork at 37.40923, -118.50801 to 37.40858, -118.50846.
Flows: 250-600 (600 is optimum).
Season: year round.
The AW system isn't currently able to read the gauge for this section, but a map and links to gauges for the Northern Owens Valley can be found here.
Caltopo map for this run: https://caltopo.com/m/11UR4US/AJ90H2A7TQN1K32G.
Watch for stinging nettles along the banks in summer.
River Features
Put In
in the large dirt lot on the left just before the gate.
Weir Drop
Go through a little weir and then navigate through some rocks when below 550 cfs. Can scout relatively easily from boat in eddy above this rapid.
Twin Culverts
The left culvert is usually better. Small drop then some rocks to navigate at the end.
take out to switch forks
switch forks here to avoid overgrown veg and to get to Pleasant Falls. use trail through a campsite to other side of road.
put in to switch forks
put in to the right fork below the Death Culvert.
Death Culvert
this culvert is too low to pass through, has deteriorating metal poking out everywhere, and most importantly has had logs jammed in it for many years. do not got through here.
Pleasant Falls
a 5ish ft drop over a dam. can scout from right bank. river left overgrown with trees.
lapping/ take out option
Can lap the III rapid by walking through this campsite if no one is there or they let you.
Take Out
usually best on river right before the bridge, otherwise willowy but there are still options. sometimes there is stinging nettle blocking the way (Aug 2025).
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportWhere the right branch of the river goes under the road, there is a large log jammed sideways through the end of the culvert, which seems deadly.
The lower section of the left branch, once you get much below the twin culverts there, has gotten very overgrown and unpleasant.
This leaves a still somewhat enjoyable run (by local standards), where you start up at the gate below the reservoir, run down, take the left branch, run the weir drop, descend through the twin culverts and down the last tiny drop. Then take out immediately (on the right if you can), and hike over to the right branch below the road, and run down to the big drop.
The LADWP gauge can be found here: http://wsoweb.ladwp.com/Aqueduct/operations/northowens.htm