Pit

Below Bieber the Pit meanders and braids through a wide wetlands. The various channels rejoin near Bull Run Slough and enter a canyon about 5.5 miles directly south of Bieber. The first mile is flat, but after a diversion dam, rapids pick up. The river flows through an undeveloped canyon.

It is not at all clear whether there is any easy public access to this section of river. Boaters will have to carefully study maps, then do some investigation on the ground.

Put in:

Charles Martin wrote that they put in from Lower Muck Valley Road which was dirt and rutted. Our maps show a Babcock Road which is probably the same dirt road. (Update: Muck valley road is a different dirt road that leads to the diversion dam. It starts at the intersection of rt 299 and Old Cemetery Rd. As of 2025 Muck Valley Rd isn't gated at the start but it may be further down) We have no idea if Babcock Rd is accessible or gated. It may be possible to access Bull Run Slough at Babcock Road and then float the slough a short distance to where it joins the Pit. It might be possible to drive to the diversion dam. For a significant river in California, there is very little information about boating here and now that there are schedule whitewater boating releases downstream on the Pit 1 and Pit 5 runs, not many boaters are looking at this upper reach of the Pit.

Take out:

A bridge crosses the river in Pitville, but parking appears to be quite a ways away from the river. There may be other options upstream from residential streets.

Flow:

Flow information is also problematic. Check the flow tab to see what clues might help to find out the flow in this reach.

Flow Update: As part of the FERC license, essentially this entire section is dewatered from the diversion dam shortly downstream of the put in. Only 50 cfs is required to be released downstream of the dam. License is up for renewal in 2036.

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