Yosemite - Rafting, Swimming, Picnic on Beaches

A gentle float trip down the Merced River in Yosemite National Park offers unparalleled views of Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, and it’s an ideal way for families to beat the summertime heat. Although it’s possible to paddle the three-mile route in little more than an hour or two, make a day of it and allow the current to carry you through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

Renting a Raft

Rent rafts for four to six people at the Curry Village Recreation Center (Tel. 209-372-4386; adult rentals are $20.50 per person; children 12 and younger are $13.50) from late May through the end of July—the season varies, based on rain fall, snow melt and water temperature. Cost of the rental includes a ticket for the bus at the end of the line (readily marked with buoys—you can’t miss it), where you’ll pull out your raft, carry it to a waiting trailer and leave it behind as you are driven back to your point of origin.

Rafting this portion of the river requires very little exertion and poses little risk, because the current is slow in most spots and there is no white water during the summer months. This activity is suitable for children 6 and older—although parents should exercise caution when boating with kids of any age, especially those who cannot swim. Set firm ground rules about what is and is not allowed on your raft, and insist that life jackets be worn at all times.

Note that children of any age must weigh at least 50 pounds to raft the Merced within the park; the Yosemite concessionaire is unbending about this rule. Several summers back, my petite daughter was just one pound shy of the target weight and the rental center refused to allow her to raft. (They also refused to weigh her again later in the day, to dissuade us from filling her pockets full of rocks.) It was a family trauma that I wouldn’t wish on anyone else.

• Half Dome as seen from the Merced River
• Debbie K. Hardin

Regardless of age, each rafter must wear a life vest and attend a short safety demonstration. Afterward, renters pick up a pre-inflated raft and two oars and carry them about one-eighth mile to the water. The pathway from the rental center to the river is heavily wooded and narrow and you must cross a busy road to get your raft to the water. Therefore, be sure there are at least two strong adults in your party or it’ll be next to impossible to get your raft to the water.

Bring Your Own Raft

We bring our own four-person inflatable raft (and oars) every summer to Yosemite. These portable rafts can be stored easily in the trunk of a car when deflated. This allows us the flexibility of visiting the river whenever we want and ensures that we won’t be turned away if all the rafts have been rented before we arrive (not an unlikely event, as the river is generally jammed with rented rafts). The rental office at Curry Village has an air hose available to the public where you can inflate your own boats.

If you use your own vessel, you can still hitch a ride back on the Curry Village bus. Purchase tickets at the rental kiosk for about $2 per person. On the way back, you can transport and store your raft in the bottom of the bus, but you must deflate it first.