Please note: This post was written by Luther Stephens and was imported from our former blog platform. It has been kept for archival purposes.
Horseshoe Falls is one of our favorite rapids on the Lower Kern.It is the third of five Class IV rapids on the second day of the trip.Horseshoe commences with a quick right hand turn at the top and feeds into a long straight- a-way that leads to its most well know feature:Horseshoe Hole, a large hydraulic that wages a ton of fun to folks who venture through its frothy mass.After running through or around this feature, paddlers will find a quick left hand turn that places them into a calm pool where they can rest for a while, tell tall tales of the rapid just run, or maybe venture up to “Horseshoe Jumping Rock” and take an exhilarating leap of faith from the 15 foot perch back to the calm water below.Whatever route you take, this rapid and the relaxing respite below it will leave you with a permanent ear to ear grin.