Kings, S. Fork, California, US

2. Park Boundary to Boyden Cave

Gate of the Kings

Gate of the Kings
Photo by Paul Martzen taken 08/16/11 @ 750 cfs

River Description

The South Fork Kings is very pretty and worth visiting just for the spectacular scenery.   The whitewater is also excellent with two sections of class 4 boating, seperated by a section of class 5+ and class 6.    The river is all roadside so it is easy to pick and choose what you feel like boating.   Flows on this section drop into runnable range after many other rivers have dried up, so it is an excellent late season destination. 

Directions: From Fresno, take highway 180 through Grant's Grove towards Cedar Grove. Highway 180 climbs over Cherry Gap (6800 feet) then drops down into Kings Canyon. The road finally reaches the river at Boyden Cave, then follows the river to Cedar Grove.

Boating is not allowed on the SF Kings inside Kings Canyon Nat. Park from the confluence with Bubbs Creek to the park boundary.   See: Seki boating.   The river through Cedar Grove is mostly class 1 & 2 and would attract the unskilled.  There is at least one short section of class 5 and perhaps a section or two of class 4 or class 3.

There are two sections of moderate whitewater between the Park boundary and Boyden Cave, seperated by a long section of very big drops and monstrous cascades.

The lower moderate section is about 1 mile long and ends at or just downstream of Boyden Cave. It is class 4 at reasonable flows but quite continuous. Put-in below the obvious monster rapids.

There is also a 3 mile moderate section from the park boundary to the Grizzley Falls picnic area. (Grizzley Falls is on a side creek) Depending on flow, the bigger rapids in this section are class 4 to class 5.

Put-in: Drive along the river till you see the park boundary sign. Park next to it but downhill and carry boats through the woods to the river. The Park boundary rapid is a wonderful, long, steep slalom, so it is nice to boat all of it.

Take-out below Grizzley Creek where the river comes back to the road, but upstream of a big cascade.

Much of the difficult section between Grizzley Creek and Boyden has been boated at one time or another, and there are many very interesting drops. However, there are many really ugly (from a boating perspective) cascades throughout the section. If you like to run one monster drop after another, but with easy roadside scouting, this could be your place.

Paul Martzen

A GUIDE TO THE BEST WHITEWATER IN THE STATE OF CA, HOLBEK & STANLEY, 1988