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 | 2055 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
GPS Coordinates at
[Google Maps.](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=37.8552**
**+-120.6370+(Mr.+ToadâÂÂs+Wild+Ride)**
**&hl=en&ie=UTF8&z=17&ll=,**
**37.8552-120.6370&spn=0.00376,0.010632&t=h&o**
**m=1)
This is the first Class IV rapid, and it comes up fast!
This rapid is a possible portage and hazard.
However, if you run it correctly you'll have a ton of
fun! The rock wall on river right is under cut, and
the far left side of the rapid has some dangerous
rocks.
This is the horizon line right before
the rapid begins. Notice the rock wall on the
right.
Best to start on river right in the last eddy against
the larger rock. Begin this run by sliding down the
tongue that is just to the left of the rock, and paddle
toward the left. You will encounter two diagonal
waves that you'll want to be paddling into, because
they will be trying to flip you and force you into the
rock wall on river right.
At the bottom, is a small hole that will also try to flip
you and pull you into the right wall.
Willow Rapid
Matterhorn
Haunted House
Haunted House was tricky, it drops into a hole, and then has a very strong flow that pushes you into 'The Wall of Pain.'
This is 'The Wall of Pain,' a rock slab that everything was getting washed into. Its a tight rock crevice with strong boils and surging water levels, that made it extremely difficult to paddle out of. Only one of us was able to paddle out after putting up a strong fight.
Paul Martzen writes, âÂÂThis reminds me of the time that I flipped a raft in Haunted House rapid.
I came up underneath the raft and I had a moment or two of thinking I
should get out from under there, until the current sucked me deep and the
raft was no longer a concern. I remember being stable for a while and
swimming up towards the surface, but not making any progress. It was
very puzzling. I was not being tumbled or anything. I was suspended
vertically. I could not see the surface, but I knew it was up. I
was not swimming hard, but taking long strokes. Nothing seemed to be
happening. So I thought that maybe, I should conserve oxygen and not
swim at all. Worrying about oxygen always sort of detracts from these
experiences. I try not to, but it seems hard to help. Any rate,
swimming definitely was not helping so I stopped and just hung there,
trying to think deep Zen, hibernation sorts of thoughts. I can't
remember exactly what I felt as far as the current, but it seemed like I
was shuffling sideways. After a little while I was shuffled sideways
far enough and I felt myself rising and saw the water getting brighter.
Then I allowed myself a stroke again and I surfaced without any more
delays. I assume that I was floating down in the room of doom area. The current
drops over a wide ledge into narrow channel between the ledge and a
wall. There is no room for the current to resurface so it goes deep
then moves sideways out to the main channel. I was probably floating
above the main sideways flowing current at a level where my lifejacket
and neoprene buoyancy were just equal to the downward flowing current.
It was an interesting sensation, though I suppose, I should not
recommend repeating it.âÂÂ
The Narrows
The Shallows
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.