South Fork Kern River

Inyokern, California

Blocked todayCalifornia
Blocked today

Free — you'll pick up right here.

Conditions: Blocked

for canoeing, today

An agency closure order is in effect for this area; weather is good

2 factors · 2 sources

Newest 17 h ago · oldest 17 h

  • problem: Agency alerts

    15 active alerts in Sequoia National Forest; most severe: Trail of 100 Giants Boardwalk and Area Closure

    USFSPosted Apr 6 · checked 17 h ago

  • clear: Weather

    Clouds, high 73°F / low 59°F, 0% precip — 100/100 for canoeing

    OpenWeather17 h ago

Been out here in the last few days? One report keeps this current for everyone.

Why you'll love it

86.9 mi run
Seasonal — can run dry
198 cfs avg flow

River facts

Water
Seasonal — can run dry
Average flow
198 cfs
Average current
1.5 ft/s
Gradient
81.4 ft/mi
Drainage area
537 sq mi

Long-term averages modeled by USGS (NHDPlus HR), not today's conditions. Check a gauge before you go.

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South Fork Kern River

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Photos

Directions & GPX

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Permits & access

Managing agency
Forest Service

About this water

South Fork Kern River is an 87-mile paddling stretch near Inyokern, California. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 198 cfs and a gradient of about 81.4 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Facts about this water

Where it is

Managed by
Forest Service

Source: Wilderness.net boundaries; USFS EDW boundaries; USGS PAD-US 4.1

Conditions

Active alerts for Sequoia National Forest as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

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Keep exploring — more water worth the drive

Kern RiverPhoto: Roger Howard (talk · contribs), , more images at http://www.rogerroger.org, CC BY-SA 2.5 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Kern River

~46 min drive

Kern River is a 37-mile paddling stretch near Inyokern, California. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 1,112 cfs and a gradient of about 166.4 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the National Park Service.

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Little Kern River

~37 min drive

Little Kern River is a 18-mile paddling stretch near Inyokern, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 167 cfs and a gradient of about 170.9 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

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South Fork Tule River is a 22-mile paddling stretch near Porterville, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 74 cfs and a gradient of about 203.2 feet per mile.

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~33 min drive

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