Kern River

The Kern River starts way up high in the snowy Sierra Nevada mountains, near a super tall peak called Mount Whitney. It's like the river is born from melting snow! This river is about as long as 165 football fields lined up end to end.

It flows through amazing canyons, which are like giant, rocky hallways, and then heads towards a city called Bakersfield. It's the only big river in these mountains that flows south!

A long, long time ago, the Kern River used to flow into big lakes like Buena Vista Lake and Kern Lake. These lakes were so big they sometimes even spilled into other lakes! But now, most of the river's water is used to help grow yummy crops and fill up underground water storage.

It's like the river is sharing its water to help everything grow. Sometimes, in very rainy years, it can still reach the old lake areas.

Even though it's a busy river for farming, the Kern River is also a super fun place for people to visit! You can go hiking right near its source, which is higher than many tall buildings. The best part is whitewater rafting and kayaking on the Upper Kern River. The water rushes and tumbles over rocks, making exciting waves that thrill-seekers love. It's like a natural water park!

Even though the river's source is far away and high up, most of the Kern River is easy for people to get to. It's a special place for hiking and playing in the water. The river is always flowing, even when it's hot, all the way down to where the old lakes used to be. This means there's always water for adventures and for the plants and animals that live there.