When most people hear the words “Merced River,” they typically think of the Main Fork which winds its way through Yosemite Valley, supplying visitors with stunning views of two waterfalls (Vernal and Nevada); swimming, boating, and fishing activities; and scenic photo ops too numerous to mention. These river-related “things-to-do” can be easily accessed by nearby trails and lodging, keeping the Main Fork of the Merced prominent in the minds of Park guests.
The South Fork of the Merced River, on the other hand, can only be easily accessed along a short corridor of the river for about four miles where it splits the small village of Wawona into its northern and southern sections. Wawona often gets bypassed by Yosemite visitors who come by way of Yosemite’s southern entrance and who quickly drive by to reach the more popular destination of Yosemite Valley. Consequently, the South Fork of the Merced itself does not share in the notoriety Yosemite visitors attribute to the Main Fork. Nevertheless, it has proven its value, not only as a source of enrichment and refreshment but as a river living up to its designation as “wild and scenic.”
Both the Main and South Forks of the Merced River came under the “Wild and Scenic River Act” in 1987, affording it federal protection against abuses that often come with high levels of use. Certain segments of the Merced have also been designated as “recreational,” allowing various human activities in the river and along its shores such as swimming, rafting, fishing, and camping. In this way, the river can offer up its full value to National Park visitors.
The four-mile section of the South Fork where it splits the small enclave of Wawona has also received the definition of “recreational,” which gives a nod to the greater presence of humans in the area including those lodging at the many private rental homes, the Wawona Hotel, the Wawona Campground, as well as those making use of the horse stable and the golf course (see map below).
The remaining portions of the South Fork, outside of that which is designated as “recreational,” cannot be reached by automobiles or trails and merits its designation as “wild” in the truest sense.
As for its headwaters, the South Fork originates from snowmelt high in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range at Triple Divide Peak, over 11,000 feet in elevation. Here, three major rivers get their start (the Main Fork of the Merced, the San Joaquin, and the South Fork of the Merced). The South Fork forms primarily on Triple Divide’s western ridges. From there the icy waters trickle down from steep, rocky crevasses to collect together into creeks and streams that swell in size and initiate the headwaters of this stem of the “river of mercy.” The river moves through forested canyons and soggy meadows as part of its 7,000-foot descent from its elevated beginnings.
Many miles before reaching Wawona, it enters a rocky gorge that churns the pristine waters into frothy whiteness as it cascades toward the “swinging bridge,” a favorite swimming hole where the wilderness ends and North Wawona begins. Up to this point, the river has lived up to its designation as “wild,” tumbling down from the High Sierra ridgetops with minimal human presence.
Here it makes one last significant drop, just before the “swinging bridge,” providing a series of cascades for “tubers” to enjoy as it enters the “recreational” segment of the river. After pooling downstream from the swinging bridge, the South Fork of the Merced continues its journey past Camp Wawona (run by the Seventh Day Adventist organization) and through Wawona where the year-round residents and many visitors who do opt to lodge in this location enjoy its offerings of refreshment and relaxation.
Despite the South Fork’s designation along this stretch as “recreational,” this does not mean it suddenly ceases to be “wild and scenic.” Even along its shores near the heavily visited Wawona Campground, serene settings of forest greens and rocky greys reflect vividly in the river’s more idle waters of late summer, providing a picturesque setting not easily dismissed by appreciative souls; scenic indeed!
Picture below: A late summer evening on the South Fork of the Merced River
near Wawona Campground in Yosemite National Park.
The South Fork retains its “wildness” here as well, although not always as visible as its scenic displays. For example, early one cloudy morning in mid-September, as summer squeezed out its last few days, the South Fork’s wildness called to me and shared its allure most unexpectedly. While walking near the Wawona Campground’s amphitheater in loop B, I heard the sound of a loud “aaawk” that broke the silence of the campground’s late-sleeping campers.
I stood still, slowly turning my head toward the source of the sound. Initially, I thought it was similar to the annoying croak of ravens in their early-morning disregard of human sleep patterns that keep many campers slumbering away in their tents. However, after hearing it again, I noted that the noise came at a higher pitch and with more of an extended “aaawk” instead of the throaty “crock” from the raven. Additionally, unlike the tribal chants of ravens, this “call-of-the-wild” seemed to come from a solitary bird.
I sauntered toward the shore where the placid waters of the South Fork of the Merced mirrored its quiet surroundings. One more long “aaawk” allowed me to locate the noisemaker. A Great Blue Heron graced the opposite shore, elevated slightly above the river’s surface while standing on a rounded granite rock. It remained motionless like a figurine carved out of rock as its bluish-grey feathers and long neck and legs aided me in its identification.
Unfortunately, my presence rudely intruded upon this wild moment. One too many of my steps prompted the elegant fisher to lift itself from its observation point, spread its wide wings a few times to get a bit of air between it and the river, and then to glide downstream where its next meal could be secured in a more solitary environment.
As I observed this Great Blue Heron gracefully float to a more secluded spot along the South Fork of the Merced, the rarity of the event did not elude me. It highlighted a particular definition of “wild” in which circumstances “deviate from the intended or expected course or go beyond normal.” For me, this experience was far from normal or expected. Never before in 50+ years of visiting Yosemite, and Wawona, in particular, had I seen a Great Blue Heron. The Annual Christmas Bird Count can confirm the rarity of this event. From 2008 to 2019, less than two Great Blue Herons were observed each year, on average, in the Park.
The sighting of this Great Blue Heron also reminded me of the impact this stretch of the river can have on others. Although it remains classified as “recreational,” those who take the time to enjoy it would easily agree that it still merits the designation of “scenic.” More importantly, when human presence is minimal, the South Fork of the Merced will itself demonstrate why it can still be characterized as “wild.”
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