Electra-Middle Bar Run
Access
- Highway 49 to Electra Road, just north of the river. Drive carefully along Electra Road, which is one lane in places. See map
- You can park in many places along the road or in the parking lots a few miles upstream near the beach. Please do not pull down onto the river bank and flood plain.
- Big Bar River Launch. Boating put-in and takeout, river access, parking just west of the Highway 49 bridge on the Calaveras side of the river.
- Please use legal access. Do not cross private property to access the river.
- Information on legal access to California rivers.
- Access to the lowest end of the whitewater run, Middle Bar Bridge, is from Middle Bar Road off Highway 49 or Paloma and Gwin Mine roads from Calaveras, off Highway 26. See map.
Recreation
- Family recreation with beaches and pools. Good place to introduce children to the river.
- Have a picnic, pan for gold, view wildflowers in spring, walk along the road, swim, watch birds or just cool off on a hot day.
- Popular for kayaking. Class II – III whitewater run description.
- Kayaking information from Davis kayaker Bruce Thomas
Devil's Nose
(Salt Springs Dam to Tiger Creek Powerhouse)
- Massive granite domes, beautiful conifer forest, with oaks along the river
- Campgrounds, rock climbing, fishing, whitewater boating, birding, hiking, backpacking
- Deep, forested wild river canyon with challenging Class IV-V whitewater
- Rich cultural resources
- Wild and Scenic classification: Recreational (to Bear River confluence) and Wild to 1/2 mile upstream of the Tiger Creek Powerhouse
Tiger Creek Dam to Electra Powerhouse
- Whitewater runs and swimming holes
- Carved granite gorge
- Panoramic river canyon views
- Wild and Scenic classification: Recreational (to Highway 26), Wild (to 300 feet upstream of Ponderosa Bridge), Scenic (balance of reach to Electra Powerhouse)
Electra-Middle Bar Run
- Easy beach and river access for families, great place to take children
- Fishing, swimming, whitewater boating, walking, picnics, gold panning
- Popular for whitewater kayaking
- Beautiful spring wildflowers
- Rich cultural and historical resources
- Wild and Scenic classification: Recreational
Resources
- Beautiful views of the river and canyon.
- Healthy trout fishery
- Important mid-elevation wildlife and bird habitat
- Valuable cultural and historical resources, including the sites of the original Blue Lakes and Electra powerhouses.
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