San Joaquin, S. Fork

The South Fork San Joaquin basin is an amazingly beautiful area that is worth visiting even if you don't kayak. To paddle this section either take the ferry across the reservoir or paddle your kayak, then hike 9 miles on good trail to Piute Creek (8050 ft elevation) or any point in between (only 2.5 miles of hiking is required for the best bang-for-buck section), launch onto the river and paddle the distance you hiked back to Florence lake (7328 ft. elevation).   There is even camping near the take out, so you could set up base camp and hike unloaded boats up multiple days in a row.

The last 2.5 miles from Blayney Meadows to Florence is reported to be excellent class 4 & 5 and the best whitewater on this section of the south fork. From Piute Creek to Blayney is reported to be mostly class 2 with one portage around a gorge. Piute Creek itself is reported to be continuous class 4 & 5 in the 1/4 mile below the bridge to the SF confluence. See Trevor's trip report, posted below.

Driving Directions: From Fresno, take highway 168 to Huntington Lake,(1.5 - 2 hours), turn onto Kaiser Pass road to Florence reservoir, (60 minutes). Highway 168 is excellent and fast. Kaiser Pass road is narrow, windy and slow. Kaiser Pass road is also closed during the winter and tends to open in May or by memorial weekend. Call Sierra Nat. Forrest for road info. (559) 855-5360

Holbek and Stanley guidebook

The owners of the Muir Trail Ranch - provide a ferry service across Florence Reservoir every few hours during the day. The ranch, located at Blaney Meadows approximately 5 miles upstream from Florence offers lodging and meals with advance reservations only and during the peak season only for those staying a full week at a time.

On the way to Florence reservoir,

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