A true local store that has everything you need for a great day on the river. The shop manager was…read morewelcoming and gave us a few tips. The had plenty of options at good prices and had an assortment of clinics to try. Now, if you are looking to get into the places the local fish then you'll need a guide. Look no further than Rob Buhler! My son wanted to learn to fly fish for his birthday and I hadn't picked up a rod for 20 years. Rob gave us a fantastic, practical four hour lesson on the river. He took his time teaching fundamentals and made every cast fun. Rob was incredibly knowledgeable about the river, fish, fauna, and the geological history of the area. In addition, he was huge on safety and environmental protection which was a massive positive. Don't think twice about asking for Rob the next time you're in the Kernville area and need a pro. He was so committed to the craft and gave off the vibe of the cool uncle everyone wants to have around. A real gift to the area and we're so glad the shop has folks like him on staff.

Guy's 2-Day Nymphing Clinic. December 2025 I went to the Kern River to spend the weekend fly…read morefishing. My first stop was to the Kern River Fly Shop to get some advice about flies and pick up a few that were working at that time and for the area I intended to fish. While in the shop I opted to sign up for the mailing list to help get reacquainted with the sport. Twenty plus years ago I considered myself a fair fly fisher. Over the years I spent less and less time on the water so when I visited last December, unsurprisingly, I was seriously out of practice. I spent time practicing my cast but needed help in an area I have always struggled with, nymph fishing. The shop sends out emails about various clinics so I signed up for the two day clinic and it was worth it. Guy started by going over the basics including key knots to set up our nymph leaders then building them for ourselves and before lunch we were out testing them out. After lunch more knowledge shared and more fishing. The class was small, five of us, and I felt he spent time with each us zeroing in on what each of us needed both in the water and out. We all walked away with a booklet he provided with key info including the knots, leaders, entomology of the area, and more. We also were provided the leaders and some other goodies and most importantly for me, a MUCH better understanding of nymph casting techniques, the skills to identify the right fly and an added bonus some great placed to fish on the Kern. Last but surely not least, Guy is really personable. He is easy to get along with, has a great sense of humor and most importantly adept at communicating what he knows. I walked away with a full tool kit of skills and am now considering his surf clinic. I live not far from the beach and had never considered saltwater fly fishing, but I am now. A final goodie I got to share with family and friends, a video he posted (with my expressed permission): https://youtube.com/shorts/4Xxio-4EoD0?si=65rLSPFaFBBP1jX6

Really enjoy this park very clean restrooms the park area is nice they have clean basketball…read morecourts, the play ground has a workout area but the play ground is for little kids probably out grown my kids. River area nice and calming

This place is beautiful, well kept, clean and very relaxing. Great for families, fishing & fun!read more

Oh how I completely love the Kern River!! I have been going for 24 years. It has never been as…read morebeautiful and full as it is now. One of my dearest friends is a seasoned river rafter. When we go river rafting, we mainly stay @ Headquarters or Sandy Flat Campground. This past weekend, we stayed at Sandy Flat. It was amazing. It is right off the river. The river was full and had power. I will add official stats by this weekend. My favorite group of runs is called The Jungle. (I will fact check this). I think that a great run was called Dilly. It is a class 4!! OMGoodness, it was wild & fun. Once more rafters arrived we went on another run. I will get the official names. One is named ... something Deli. Anyways, EPIC FUN. I forgot my wetsuit. I just went on June 3rd. The water was C O L D. Our guide, Doug, told us NOT to bring our phones. I wish I would have remembered my Go - Pro. We were lucky that the 178 reopened for the drive home. It was 93 degrees. I was mesmerized by the river. I couldn't stop watching it on the drive home.

The Kern River is beautiful…read more This review is based on a first timers camping visit. Coming up here from San Diego we didn't really know what to expect other than we might have an opportunity to tube down the river. So everyone in our group brought river tubes. That was our first miscalculation. Aperently tubing depends on the season, recent weather conditions, and various natural events that really narrow the scope of when you can tube safety. Also consider how you plan to get back up to your campsite after you tube down the river a few miles.. Ideally you rent tubes from a company that also shuttles you back up the river. If you don't want to rent tubs someone in your group has to pick you up and drive you back, which is a pain. There is no cell service and no uber... The Kern River is best suited for kayaking and rafting. There are many companies in kernville that offer those services. Camping. If you're looking to camp along the river during the summer you need to think about booking in January. During our stay mid-June, the entire river was booked solid.. We stayed at Sandy Flats campgroup which had a small beach area by the river. Litter bugs. One of the most discouraging things to see along the river was the amount of trash that people leave behind. The number one item? Used diapers.. If you can manage to visit midweek, and be prepared to use a kayak/rafting company you will have an epic time. Note - Sequoia National Park is about an hours drive away. Makes for a great day trip.

I live here in Bakersfield for almost two years the fishing sucks even way up here in the kern…read moreriver I fished all the way up from the bridge all the way down from the river no fish I used flies and everything else and nothing. but the scenery is beautiful and dangerous at the same time really rocky if you want to catch fish try the kings river and upper kings there's lots of life in that river and wild life everywhere all year round up there take the 99 hwy to the 180 hwy it's a drive but worth it

LOVED IT ! Awesome spot right on the Kern River on your way to johnsondale and the trail of 100…read moreGiants

We had a BLAST rafting with Kern River Outfitters. We were a party of 12 with kids ranging in age…read morefrom 10-15 plus adults and the whole experience was perfect for all ages! The guides were exceptional - we were led by Jackson and our guides on the rafts were Scott and Anneke. They gave us all of the important safety information (in a fun, engaging way) and once we were on the rafts they gave us clear direction (forward 1! Back 1!), talked about the rapids and local points of interest while making the trip super fun for everyone. The first time down the rapids helped our group get comfortable with what to expect. And on the second trip down the fun really increased! They let the kids "ride the bull" and get silly (all while feeling super safe!). We're planning to come back for a 2- day trip once all of our kids are old enough. Highly recommend!!!

If you're looking for a great time, this is the place! Get going while the river water is flowing!…read more This place has great guides and they put your safety first. I went for a full day of rafting and it was great. We rode the upper Kern. The cold water felt great on such a hot day. John was our guide. He was great. You'll have a great time with any of the guides! They're all really fun. It would have been great to be able to jump off your raft and swap to another raft just for fun. The lunch provided was not bad. Sandwiches, cookies, fruit, and lemonade. Definitely would come back to raft with them again!

Capt JT was a fantastic guide. I came from MN to take my son and 2 grandsons on their first pacific…read morecharter fish. The youngest is 4 and Capt JT was so awesome with both boys. We saw a lot of fish we have never seen before and had a very memorable day. Thank you Capt JT for helping us make amazing memories together.

There's not enough that can be said about fishing with Capt. JT!…read more1st, just out of the harbor you'll know you're safe and on the way to an incredible experience. Then, relax while your knowledgeable captain cruises you along out to the islands. Your choice or his for what you're targeting, but you'll enjoy the day either way. This was our 3rd trip with Capt. JT and there will be many more.

Absolutely top-tier experience. This is our 3rd time with Whitewater Voyages over the past 20ish…read moreyears, and I wouldn't even consider going anywhere else. The experience was top-tier from start to finish, and our guide, Grant, was an all-star. He made sure that we got the full experience, but also made us feel very safe when doing so. I think the best part is, the kids (having never rafted before) were complaining about it the entire trip, and when we were finished, they were ready for more. I honestly hope we're able to come back again soon.

The entire experience was well organized , our guide Luther was patient and amazing and we had so…read moremuch fun! Our kids enjoyed it did we

I love the general store! But it's CLOSED for winter. Went today 12/7 and there's a sign that says…read moreclosed until February. A couple weeks ago we had delicious breakfast burritos and biscuits and gravy.

A complete 'mini' general store. The lady who greeted us…read moresuper welcoming. This shop also offers prepared to order menu and some drinks! We got Tri-Tip Burrito which split into 2. And it was delish!

Our guide Sam Brooks was awesome. Highly recommend Sierra South! If you want to get a good…read moreexperience, book with them and specifically Sam! We had a blast and we were all first timers. We are all planning to go again. Thanks Sierra South & Sam!

This was an incredible day for our family! Our son was there with his scout den earning his water…read morerafting merit badge and we got to do a full day lower Kern River, it was amazing! This company is so professional, nice, organized extremely well, and we will be coming back! And with our packages, it came with lunch provided, so tasty! Our son had Julianna as a guide and he really liked her. He said it was so cool and fun! She put him at ease since this was his first time doing this. We had Kyle and Mitch for our groups, they also put us at ease since we were doing this for the first time too. It was absolutely beautiful! Kyle was so good. Calm, explained everything, and fun. We cannot thank you enough for this amazing experience. We cannot wait to come back!