Merced River Trail

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Lupine and California poppies grow in abundance along the Merced River Canyon (Photo: David Greenwood, Bureau of Land Management)

The Merced River Trail project (currently in development by Mariposa County) proposes use of the historic railroad bed on the north side of the Merced River corridor as a multi-use trail that connects existing public lands within the river’s watershed. This is a Mariposa County Planning Department project, informed by community stakeholders and partners. 

As an organization with keen interest in protecting and enhancing the unique values of the Merced Wild and Scenic River, the Watershed Council is closely following the development of the Merced River Trail project. In particular, the Watershed Council is focusing on sections of the trail following the Merced Wild and Scenic River and ensuring that project development is in alignment with protection and enhancement of resource values and sound stewardship practices. The Mariposa County planning team states that when completed, it is anticipated that the Merced River Trail will provide over 60 miles of trails facilitating enhanced hiking, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, rafting, and camping experiences within the Merced River corridor. 

The scope of the project is currently guided by the Merced River Trail Community Working Group (CWG), appointed by the Mariposa Board of Supervisors and composed of local conservation and environmental advocates. After a two-year community engagement planning process and survey, the following goals were adopted:

According to the CWG, the Merced River Trail project will

• Facilitate the elimination of barriers to the creation of a continuous, year-round trail from Bagby to Yosemite.

• Conserve the cultural, historic, natural, and scenic resources of the Merced River Canyon.

• Prioritize watershed and ecosystem health, including fish, wildlife, and their habitats, as a core principle of trail planning and implementation.

• Integrate the Merced River Trail with existing and planned trails within Mariposa County.

• Assess the viability and impacts of additional non- motorized, recreational users throughout the trail corridor, and implement strategies to maintain balance among different uses.

• Initiate and support education and research activities that increase the community’s connection to and knowledge about the natural ecosystem and cultural resources of the Wild and Scenic Merced River Canyon.

• Ensure that the Merced River Trail does not jeopardize or negatively impact the public safety, social well-being, or historic character of adjacent and surrounding communities.

• Ensure adequate resources for the long-term maintenance and repair of the Merced River Trail and its necessary facilities.

Land Jurisdiction and Trail Building

According to planning officials, at its fullest extent, the Merced Trail will follow the Merced River on the historic Yosemite Valley Railroad grade, extending to the railroad’s former terminus in El Portal.

The railroad grade exists passes through multiple public jurisdictions including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Forest Service. The BLM, with the help of the California Conservation Core, has successfully restored the railroad grade in the section under their jurisdiction. These sections are enjoyed by the public today and provide an example of what the project can do in other segments of the river corridor. 

The segment of the railroad grade in the National Forest Service jurisdiction is not designated as a trail, has not been restored, and access to that segment is yet to be negotiated with the Forest Service.  While the boundary between the Sierra National Forest and the Stanislaus National Forest runs along the Merced River, an agreement may exist between the two National Forests that allows the Sierra National Forest to administer the banks on both sides of the river.

As part of its licensing agreement with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Merced Irrigation District agreed to put a bridge across the lower river where it is part of the reservoir (not Wild and Scenic). If this occurs, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) agreed to construct a bridge across the North Fork, connecting the trail to access from Bagby.

Some parts of the trail will also be on private land where it will be necessary to get an easement from the property owner. 

The Merced River is under the protection of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act for most of the segments where the trail will be restored. The purpose of the Wild and Scenic Act (WSRA) is to protect rivers in their free-flowing condition, ensure protection of water quality, and protect and enhance the unique values that make a river worthy of designation under WSRA. Ensuring access—so long as it aligns with resource protection goals—is also in keeping with WSRA. To that end, any portion of the trail within the Merced Wild and Scenic River must be viewed within that lens of first and foremost protecting and enhancing water quality and resource values.

South side / HWY 140

In the segment between El Portal and Briceburg, HWY 140 from Mariposa runs along the south side of the river, giving visitors going to, or returning from Yosemite via this route have a fairly unique easy access for viewing a free-flowing Wild and Scenic river.

Railroad Grade / BLM

The railroad grade in this stretch of the river within the jurisdiction of the BLM has been restored and walkable as can be seen from the highway.

Railroad Grade / NFS

Especially in the section under the Forest Service jurisdiction, there are sections with small rockslides, are washed out or overgrown with vegetation, and otherwise in poor shape.

Briceburg to Railroad Flat

The Merced River separates from HWY 140 at Briceburg, allowing a better river experience without the traffic noise from HWY 140.  The section of the old railroad grade between Briceburg, McCabe Flat and Railroad Flat is in the best shape of all the segments as it is gravel road maintained by the BLM for recreational access to the river and the campgrounds at McCabe and Railroad Flats.

Hikers along this section of the trail get a good view of the river but do have to put up with an occasional car or truck going or coming back from the campsites.  The road/grade in this section is often well above the river but there are several places where a hiker can access the river, especially at the campgrounds at McCabe and Railroad Flats.

Railroad Flat to the North Fork

Below Railroad Flat, the gravel road ends, but a hiking trail along the lower Merced River continues down to the North Fork of the Merced River. The trail also goes up the North Fork of the river for about half a mile.

There is no doubt that a natural free-flowing Wild and Scenic river is best experienced when away from roads and traffic noise and this area is the most pristine and unspoiled segment of the river, outside of Yosemite National Park.

North Fork Falls

In the spring, the hike along this segment of the river and up the North Fork is very popular. This section of the river, that included the Quarter Mile Rapids, is also the most sought after whitewater rafting experience on the river, but only available when the conditions are right. The North Fork Falls on the main stem, just upriver of the confluence with the North Fork, is a popular stop for lunch by both rafters and hikers.

North Fork to Bagby

When the North Fork of the river is flowing, it is cold and hard to cross unless one goes considerably upstream, limiting access to the main stem of the river west of the confluence with the North Fork. Approaches to this area from the west are difficult at best: The railroad grade west of the North Fork would seem to be more or less intact until it reaches the boundary with Lake McClure. When the elevation of the free-flowing river reaches 867’ above sea level, the Wild and Scenic Merced River ends where it becomes Merced Irrigation District's Lake McClure, about 5 miles above the bridge on HWY 49 at Bagby. The Maximum pool level, or "bathtub ring", of Lake McClure is 867’ and when the reservoir is full in the spring and early summer everything downstream of this point on the “river” is flooded.

Bagby

As might be expected, the constant seasonal flooding has largely destroyed the railroad grade below the rivers end at 867', and much of the time the grade is below the water level of the lake. The terrain on the north side of the river/lake through this area is steep, suggesting that finding the right strategy for the trail through this area will be challenging.

However, as part of relicensing of the operation of the New Exchequer Dam by Merced Irrigation District (MID) with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), MID has agreed to improve access to the river corridor within their FERC boundary, where the river is legally part of Lake McClure and not Wild and Scenic, including a footbridge linking the North and South sides of the lake/river, thus potentially allowing greatly improved access to this area.

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