South Fork Kings River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids South Fork Kings River |
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Headwaters of the South Fork Kings River
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Map of the Kings River watershed, including the South Fork
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Near Mount Bolton Brown Sierra Nevada 11,601 ft (3,536 m) 37°01′40″N 118°26′49″W / 37.02778°N 118.44694°W |
| River mouth | Kings River Kings Canyon 2,257 ft (688 m) 36°50′18″N 118°52′30″W / 36.83833°N 118.87500°W |
| Length | 44.1 mi (71.0 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 476 sq mi (1,230 km2) |
| Tributaries |
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| Type: | Wild, Recreational |
| Designated: | November 3, 1987 |
The South Fork Kings River is a beautiful river in California. It flows for about 44 miles (71 km) through Fresno County. This river is a major part of Kings Canyon National Park, which is famous for having one of the deepest canyons in North America. The canyon walls rise over 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) from the river!
Journey of the South Fork Kings River
The South Fork is the biggest starting point for the Kings River. It begins high up in Kings Canyon National Park at an unnamed lake. This lake is found at an elevation of 11,601 feet (3,536 meters). It is located south of Mather Pass and west of Split Mountain.
The river first flows south. For several miles, it runs alongside the famous Pacific Crest Trail and John Muir Trail. The trail and the river then go their separate ways near Taboose Pass. Here, the river turns southwest. It flows through a deep gorge with tall cliffs on either side.
The river then enters Paradise Valley. Here, it flows more slowly and receives water from Woods Creek. Woods Creek joins the river just below a footbridge used by hikers. Before this point, the river is mostly fast-moving whitewater. In Paradise Valley, the water calms down.
Below Paradise Valley, the river goes back into a narrow gorge. It drops 100 feet (30 meters) over Mist Falls. This is one of the biggest waterfalls in the park.
Next, the river enters Kings Canyon itself. This is a wide valley with a flat, grassy floor. It is surrounded by huge granite cliffs. Many people, like John Muir, have compared it to Yosemite Valley. The river receives Bubbs Creek here and turns west. It flows gently through meadows like Zumwalt Meadow. Sometimes, it forms rapids where it crosses old glacial piles of rock called moraines.
The South Fork Kings River then gets its largest tributary, the Roaring River, from the south. It passes through Cedar Grove. This area has many campgrounds and places for visitors.
Further west, the river reaches the deepest part of Kings Canyon. Highway 180 follows the river closely here. Boulder Creek joins the river from the south. Boyden Cavern is right next to the river, near a sharp bend called Horseshoe Bend. This is the steepest and narrowest part of the canyon. Finally, the South Fork Kings River joins with the Middle Fork Kings River. This happens in the Monarch Wilderness, just outside Kings Canyon National Park. Together, they form the main Kings River.
Animals in the River
In the past, there were records of Chinook salmon in the Kings River. Some might have even been in the South Fork before the 1940s. Experts noted that salmon could swim about 10 to 12 miles (16 to 19 km) past where a large lake, Pine Flat Reservoir, is now. There's also a note that a few salmon were seen much farther upstream at Cedar Grove.
Between 1909 and 1914, many streams and lakes in the South Fork Kings River area were stocked with California golden trout. These fish came from Golden Trout Creek.
Today, surveys show that the South Fork Kings River mainly has rainbow trout, brown trout, and Sacramento sucker fish. The Park Service used to add rainbow trout to the river. However, they stopped this practice in the 1980s. They wanted the river to return to more natural conditions. Even so, the South Fork is still a great place for fly fishing in Kings Canyon.
