Some US National Parks have historical bans on paddling while others have a rich culture of paddling as one of the most coveted modes for users to experience the park. Grand Canyon is one example with a long history of paddlers being a valid user group. While Yellowstone has severe limitations on where one can put a boat in the water.
Yosemite National Park is renowned for its soaring cliffs and bold rock climbs, but is also a treasure for any paddler, offering a range of difficulties from a meandering class 1 family float all the way up to raging class V expert terrain.
Peter taking in the views of El Capitan from the Merced River.
I’ve been visiting Yosemite for two decades, mostly to climb the huge granite faces. Oftentimes while looking down from a ledge high above, I’ve wondered what it would be like to float through the Valley on the Merced River.
With great efforts from American Whitewater and a new perspective from the National Park Service, paddling is now allowed in Yosemite for the first time in a very long time, and hopefully is the start of a new norm for all the other National Parks as a wonderful, low impact way to enjoy our national treasures.
Here is a little video about my culmination of a dream to paddle through Yosemite Valley. The water was on the low side due to the drought conditions California is facing this year, but I still had an amazing personal adventure. I encourage you all to get out there and enjoy these treasures.