Rafting Put-In
Kayak spot · United States
Whitewater: a river with rapids
Is it worth the trip?
Not for new paddlers. Suits grade III paddlers and up: a river with no grade stated, which we never offer a new paddler.
The spot in two facts
- Moving waterthe water
- 5.7 kmthe section
Full forecast
every day, every number
Not for new paddlers. Suits grade III paddlers and up: a river with no grade stated, which we never offer a new paddler. See it for grade III paddlers.
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Map
put-in, take-out, its town
Rafting Put-In on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
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More kayaking near here
1 place
- Stanislaus River 0.4 km away
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Rafting Put-In
A river section on the Stanislaus River, from a put-in down to a take-out. It runs 5.7 km along the river. Suits grade III paddlers and up: a river with no grade stated, which we never offer a new paddler. None within 10 km, the nearest 25 km away. The town to stay in is Copperopolis. Within 5 km we also list 1 kayak spot.
- River Stanislaus River
- Grade No source states its grade: check a guidebook before you paddle it.
- Length 5.7 km along the river.
- Who it suits Suits grade III paddlers and up: a river with no grade stated, which we never offer a new paddler.
- Access No source states the access rules: check locally.
- Schools, hire None within 10 km, the nearest 25 km away.
Spots and rivers: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Whitewater sections © Rivermap (rivermap.org), Riverzone and Jonathan Riddell, ODbL.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,300–US$2,370 each
about US$1,300–US$2,370 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, stay, food, kayak hire.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to SMF, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | about US$255–US$523 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | about US$154–US$255 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$348–US$583 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$342–US$636 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$201–US$375 |
| Total | about US$1,300–US$2,370 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Copperopolis
about 25 min by car · 1 place to stay
about US$134/nightcountry average
About Copperopolis its beds, food and every spot near it
Nearest town: Copperopolis, 14 km. We have not checked places to stay in Copperopolis yet. The nearest beds we have counted are in Jamestown, 21 km away (about 40 min by car). Search before you plan on staying there.
About US$134 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
Getting there: about 8h 40m
About 8h 40m door to door from Chicago
Fly MDW → SMF, direct, then 2h 30m by road
Flights MDW → SMF on your dates · Skyscanner
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Copperopolis · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Copperopolis · GetYourGuide
River level
River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go.
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
The nearest named schools, clubs and kayak or canoe hire within 25 km, in a straight line. Listings, not a recommendation. Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits