Paddling near El Portal, CA

El Portal sits at the western gateway to Yosemite National Park in Mariposa County, where the Merced River carves through a steep granite canyon. The river is the centerpiece of local paddling, ranging from mellow Class I–II floats inside Yosemite Valley to demanding Class III–IV whitewater just below El Portal, with reservoir lakes like Don Pedro, Bass Lake, and Lake McClure reachable within roughly 25–35 miles for flatwater paddling and SUP.