Making the Most of Your Visit to the Kern River Valley

A whitewater rafting trip on the Upper, Lower, or Forks of the Kern is certainly the highlight of a visit to the Kern River Valley however, many times our guest ask us what they can do to extend their visit beyond a day or two on the water. Our office staff are all experts at helping our guests plan their summer vacations and they have plenty of suggestions for activities to augment your visit to the Kern River. Here are a some great suggestions to add a day or two to your visit:

1. A day hike to a grove of Giant Sequoia trees in the high country about an hour away from Kernville.

2. Spend a day learning the art of fly fishing with Guy Jeans of Kern River Fly Fishing Guide Service. Guy is an expert fly fisherman and knows exactly where the hungry trout lie.

3. Check out the activities available on Lake Isabella. Jet skis, pontoon boats, fishing and water skiing boats and kayaks are available at the North Fork Marina. Give Deb a call at

1-760-376-1812 for more information.

4. Spend a leisurely day or afternoon playing a round of golf at the Kern River Golf Course. It’s a great nine hole course nestled in the middle of the scenic Kern River Canyon. You can’t beat the views. and the course is beautifully maintained.

5. Check out the haunted Silver City Ghost Town. It’s packed with historic buildings and has a few “certified” ghosts reported to be lurking in the woodwork.

6. The Kern River Brewing Company (KRBC). Admittedly, you probably won’t be spending an entire day at the KRBC, however Eric, Rebecca, and Kyle have perfected the art of brewing some of the tastiest craft beers (and root beer) ever to grace your taste buds. It’s a great place to relax after a day running the rapids, a hike, or a playing a round of golf.

Our office staff has plenty of other great ideas to help make your visit to the Kern River a fun and memorable experience. Feel free to give them a call at 1-800-323-4234 for more information.

Clear Skies Return To The Kern River Valley

Photo by Brett Duxbury:

The "Bull Fire" that raged through the Upper Kern Canyon only a couple of days ago has moved away from the Kern Valley. This photograph, taken a few hours ago, clearly shows the area north of Kernville scarred by the blaze.

Contrary to recent reports, the sky above is crystal clear and beautiful. Although this fire is still burning in the back country, the Kern River Valley's picture perfect blue sky has returned. Nature's recovery efforts are already in full swing and our trips on the Lower Kern River are running uninhibited by the recent event. Still flowing at levels around 2,000cfs, the Lower Kern is the perfect place to spend a couple of days with friends and family. The water's great, the air is clear, and the scenery is fabulous. Call 1-800-323-4234 to check for availability and reserve your seat in our whitewater playground.

Casa Colina's Annual Lower Kern Trip

Every year, Kern River Outfitters hosts a group of rafters from Casa Colina Rehabilitation Center on our Two Day Lower Kern trip. Guide Kristen Finstad is pictured above coming through Possum Rapid with a boatload of grinning guests from last year's Casa Colina trip. Anne Johnson, founder and director of Casa Colina's Outdoor Adventures program, organizes this group every year. This inspiring group makes up one of the most rewarding trips we run every year. Today is day two of their 2010 Lower Kern trip. We'll post photos of this year's trip when they come off the water this afternoon.

Kern River Outfitters Teams up with U.S. Forest Service and California Land Management for River Clean Up Day on Saturday, June 12th

Kern River Outfitters has teamed up with California Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service for the 2010 Upper Kern River Clean Up Day scheduled for Saturday, June 12th at 9:00am. Participants meet at Corral Creek along the Upper Kern and will spend a few of hours helping beautify the Upper Kern River. A BBQ lunch at Headquarters Campground will follow the clean up. This is a great opportunity to do something good for the Kern River and have some fun to boot. If you would like more information, please call Debbie Campbell at 1-760-376-1815. You can also call our office at 1-800-323-4234.

National Geographic Adventure Magazine Dubs the Kern a Must Do Rafting Trip

National Geographic Adventure Magazine just listed Kern River Outfitters and our Upper Kern River as a must-do rafting trip. The August/September edition highlights the Class Five Thunder Run stretch on the Upper Kern in this list of six Wild and Scenic river trips that should not be missed.

Our sister companies, Rogue River Journeys and Idaho River Journeys, round out the list offering trips on the Rogue River in Oregon and the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho.

We feel lucky to be able to offer trips on three of the six Wild and Scenic Rivers listed in this piece. If you would like further information on any of these fantastic trips, feel free to give our office a call at 1-800-323-4234. We would be happy to help you organize your visit to any one of these fabulous rivers.

Forks of the Kern Guide Trip Summary

Kern River Outfitters completed its annual guide training trip on the Forks of the Kern this past week. The trip had its usual mixture of beauty and adrenaline and many lessons were well received by all of our guide staff. The trip is a great refresher for our Forks guides and also an excellent learning tool for training Forks guides or just any of our guides who want to see big water.

Oops. Catching some air on class V Carson Falls, Forks of the Kern:




The Forks season will be short this year, but we hope to get up there at least a couple of times before we switch our focus to the Lower Kern for the duration of the summer. So... if you want to do a Forks trip reserve your spot ASAP!

-Posted by Luth

It's beginning to feel a lot like... rafting season!

We are just a week away from our season-opening trip on the class V Forks of the Kern and we are just itching to get on the water. Our guides are starting to filter back into Kernville to get ready for the upcoming season. Like a kid before Christmas, everyone at Kern River Outfitters is just trying to fill the time with productive chores: checking equipment, buying rolls of duct tape (a guide's best friend), and, of course, telling each other river stories from seasons in the past.

Below: Dropping into class V Carson Falls on the Forks of the Kern

Now is a great time to book a "Forks" trip with KRO. Our first Forks trip launches May 6 and from then on we launch every five days. On May 16th, May 31st, June 5th and June 15th our prices have been reduced to $798. Call us at 1-800-323-4234 to book your Forks trip today. We all hope you can join us for another exciting season on the Kern.