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History of the Merced River Canyon
The Merced River originates in Yosemite National Park on the crest of the Sierra Nevada at an elevation of 11,000 feet. The river flows wild and undammed until it reaches Lake McClure, formed by the New Exchequer Dam near Merced Falls. From Lake McClure, the river continues into the San Joaquin Valley and joins the San Joaquin River near Newman.
Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga of the Mexican Army named the Merced in 1806 when he and his band of soldiers came upon the river at the end of a 40-mile march. In gratitude, he called the river El Rio Nuestra Senora de la Merced (The River of Our Lady of Mercy).
The history of the navigable portions of the upper Merced River is one of miners, railroads, and lumberjacks. The gold miners arrived in the 1850's.The Yosemite Valley Railroad parallels the north bank of the river. The history of the Merced River continues to unfold as the river has been recognized for its outstanding, free-flowing condition. The El Portal-to-Bagby stretch of the main stem and all of the South Fork have recently been included into the National Wild and Scenic River system. The stretch from Briceburg to Bagby is currently under study for potential addition to the system.
GORP.com has provided encyclopedic information on the history of the Merced River and other vital information about the sites and facilities for recreational purposes along the river.
history, camping, hiking, recreation sites, camping faciilities, fishing, plants and wildlife, hiking trails, waterwater rafting
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Red Bud,Briceburg, Bagby, Yosemite Valley,
Merced River
Merced
Red Bud, Bagby, Briceburg