Kern
8) Rancheria Road to Hart Park
| Difficulty | I-II |
| Length | 7.3 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 14 fpm |
| Reach Info Last Updated | September 18, 2012 |
River Description
Below Rancheria Road, the Kern is scenic and relatively flat. There are a number of rapids or sections of swiftwater along the length. Much of this section flows past public parks, so there are many options for access. Below Hart Park the river is lined with private residences.
Put in:
There is a large parking area on the south side of Rancheria Rd bridge.
Take out:
There appear to be a number of options for take out at either Kern River State Park (Lake Ming), or at the Kern River County Park. There may be even more options further downstream, but boaters will have to portage various diversion dams.
Other Information Sources:
Cassady & Calhoun, Martin, Alan Baty
River Features
Put In
Take Out
Trip Reports
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Kyle Rushing
Sep 14, 2012
The run from the mouth down to the Rancheria Run the water is diverted so you need high water to run this but is an amazing run with water. The Rancheria run as posted below is off the hiking trail on the east side of rancheria rd. We call this the Rancheria Run or Play Spot. Its the best place to teach new kayakers and also has some very fun playboating and practice spots. Fun waves and holes at different levels even low water is fun. Great place to fine tune your play boat or river running skills 15 minutes from Downtown Bakersfield.
Kyle Rushing
Sep 14, 2012
This is one of the best play waves on this run. It seems to stay steady at most levels. So far I have been able to surf this as low as 250 cfs
Kyle Rushing
Sep 14, 2012
This is the put in at the top of trail paddle up the channel to the river where it opens up into a supreme flat water play spot or practice rolls.
Kyle Rushing
Sep 14, 2012
There are a few small rapids in between that at different flows have some play holes and waves
Kyle Rushing
Sep 14, 2012
River splits around a small island with some small holes and waves then comes back together and creates the mt. whitney wave. At normal flows there are several routes and makes this a very fun rapid with the best play on the run.
Kyle Rushing
Sep 14, 2012
Rancheria Rapid Is the last but longest rapid on this run. It has a great play wave a few play holes and one hole in the middle you want to miss we like to call bottoms up. Take out river left after this and walk trail back to parking lot. Or you can keep floating down river to lake ming campgrounds, golf course, even Hart park. I will try to get more photos of this rapid and a few that I missed along this run.
Kyle Rushing
Sep 14, 2012
Start of the Hiking trail from parking lot, trail is on the east side of Rancheria Rd.
Kyle Rushing
Sep 14, 2012
This Is the flat water play spot on the run looking back on the put in channel. You can warm up here or practice flat water play boating or just head down stream. You can also paddle upstream to a small rapid with a huge returning eddy perfect for teaching how to ferry or roll in moving water.
