Cherry Creek

The most advanced whitewater in California: Class V

Cherry Creek ranks up there with the most difficult whitewater in the entire United States. The river’s 15 Class V whitewater rapids are generated by the canyon’s steep gradient—the river drops more than 100 vertical feet per mile. Narrow and steep, the river is often choked with huge boulders. When you reach the bottom of a Cherry Creek rapid you’ll look back upstream exhilarated, and wish you could hike back up and do it again.

Only two outfitters run Cherry Creek, few get to paddle this stunning stretch of the Tuolumne; your group will likely be the only one on the water. This exclusivity means Cherry Creek trips offer nearly private access to a remarkable and isolated canyon.

Cherry Creek is a dam-controlled stretch of the Tuolumne River and becomes raftable at lower flows, after the springtime snow melt. Trips usually begin in June and go through August.