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Our Wild and Scenic California Rivers
 The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 protects our rivers for future generations to enjoy. These rivers offer the utmost in beauty and solitude, as well as some of the most amazing whitewater in the world.
"Leave-no-trace" is the Whitewater Voyages standard on these wilderness trips, and all our rafting adventures. Not all our wonderful rivers are designated National Wild and Scenic, but there is positive pressure from the general public and conservation groups to protect more rivers.
Whitewater Voyages National Wild and Scenic Rivers:
The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System now protects many of the rivers which have played a prominent role in our history, our literature, our nation's youth. These rivers designated "Wild and Scenic" are truly great rivers from our past, now guaranteed to be great rivers in our future:
- John Muir's Tuolumne River and his famous, losing battle to stop the flooding of Hetch Hetchy Valley
- The Delaware River of the American Revolution
- Zane Grey's famous flyfishing river, the North Umpqua
- The Missouri of Lewis and Clark's journeys.
The goal of Wild and Scenic designation is to preserve the character of a river. Uses compatible with the management goals of a particular river are allowed; change is expected to happen. Development not damaging to the outstanding resources of a designated river, or curtailing its free flow, are usually allowed. The term "living landscape" has been frequently applied to wild and scenic rivers.
"It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Congress declares that the established national policy of dams and other construction at appropriate sections of the rivers of the United States needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing condition to protect the water quality of such rivers and to fulfill other vital national conservation purposes."
" The Kings was the first river I ever ran. It was loads of fun, yet mellow enough for just about anyone, even my scaredy-cat wife! I highly recommend it! "
- Eric Creaux
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