When the water is low and the sun is out, tubing down the Lickety Split section of the Kern River is a highlight and for many, a rite of passage. Not to be confused with a lazy river float, Kern River tubing is a full-on adventure, as you’ll tackle a handful of rapids as you make your way down the 1.73 mile run. There are important considerations to pay attention to though, and this post will go into those items to help ensure you have a memorable and safe experience.
While we don’t offer tube rentals, you can buy a tube online using Amazon. This is a popular and affordable option.
Wear a life jacket
Whether you call it a PFD or a life jacket, it is critically important that you wear one while tubing on the Kern River. Even though wearing a life jacket while tubing might seem like overkill, keep in mind that a tube can easily deflate, or if you accidentally flip over, separate from you entirely. A PFD on the other hand, won’t pop, can’t separate from you, and is Coast Guard approved.
The vast majority of serious river incidents involve someone not wearing a life jacket. Just wear one and don’t become a statistic.
Only go during low water
Kern River tubing is a low water activity. You shouldn’t go during medium or high river flows. The rule of thumb for the Lickety Split section of the Kern River is when the water is between 200 – 500 CFS. Nothing higher. Below 200 CFS it can still be fun, but be prepared to get stuck quite a bit. Below is a river gauge showing you the flow.
Where to go
Lickety Split section – shuttling required
The tried and true Kern River tubing run is the Lickety Split section of the Upper Kern river. At any water flow, you should avoid the Lower Kern. It’s just not set up well for a tubing run and the numerous trees present a real strainer hazard. Sections besides the Lickety Split of the Upper Kern should be avoided as well. The best part of the Lickety is it’s easy to arrange a shuttle and there are usually many others out there with you.
Click here for a Google Map of the Lickety Split shuttle.
Riverside Park – no shuttling required
If you don’t want to deal with a shuttle, or want a more leisurely tubing experience, then an option is to go to Riverside Park in Kernville and simply walk up to the bridge, float down and then finish at the bottom of this Class II rapid. Want to ride again? Simply walk up the path and hop in. Obviously, this is a much shorter ride of just a minute or two, but this can be a good option if you don’t want to commit to a long Lickety Split tubing run, or if you don’t want to set your own shuttle.
Click here for the Google Map of Riverside Park.
Which tubes to buy
You can buy tubes for less than a tube rental offered by local companies. The ones below are very popular.
Final pointers
- Kern River tubing is not a solo activity. Always take a buddy with you (or more.) Safety in numbers is a real thing and should be followed here.
- Alcohol and rivers don’t mix. Don’t drink alcohol before or while tubing.
- It can’t be said enough: Wear a life jacket. It could save your life.
- Go during the correct river flows. NEVER when the water is too high.
- Use a decent tube. Leave the old leaky tube at home. We’ve had good luck with these tubes here.
- Download the Kern River guidebook onto your phone. This will show you where the rapids are on the Lickety Split section of the Kern.
Have a question? Leave a comment! And a special note on comments…
This post has become the information board for tubing the Kern River. If you have any questions at all, feel free to leave a comment and I will respond. Your question might help the next tuber out!
A special note on comments and water flows: If you’re reading the comments and come across one about water flows that isn’t from the current year, it should be ignored. This is because flows change dramatically every single year based on snowpack and the subsequent melt. While this doesn’t change the guidelines for safe water flows, it does change what dates tubing is safe.
What is the minimum CFS you would recommend to float Lickety near the end of the season?? We usually have a great time at 450-500 but have not done anything below that level.
Hi Mark, good question. I spoke to our guides and they believe 200 CFS to be the basement flow. I somewhat disagree with them as I had fun recently at flows below that, but I was getting stuck quite a bit.
Thank you for the response Matt. I was thinking about 200 as well and you confirmed for me. We will still go this weekend and I expect flows may drop to about 140 by then. ☹️🥺
Thanks Matt,
Just what I wanted to know.
Hi, can you paddle all the way down to Isabella Lake?
You could paddle it on a kayak or raft, but I wouldn’t want to tube it. It’s too far and flat. Whenever I paddle that far I usually end up taking out at the cemetery. Here is a link that will get you directions there: https://gorafting.com/united-states/california/upper-kern/#lickety
Keep in mind if you enter the lake then you are required to have a lake permit.
Hi, we are staying at camp James his weekend, Is there a shuttle to take us to a good spot to have a tubing adventure?
Hi Michele, unfortunately, the main tubing company went out of business. From Camp James, you can tube right from there to the park. The only item you would need to arrange is your own shuttle.
What is the general summer period to tube up here? When is the earliest you’d recommend coming specifically to tube?
We were thinking of visiting on a trip in late May but would the CFS be too high from the snow melt at that point?
Hi Matt, Good questions. It’s currently too early to make any guesses on water flow. It might be high, medium or low during that time. Based on median flow information, I would bet the water would be too high and cold then. Regarding the summer period, the Kern gets busy starting around Memorial weekend, with weekends seeing more tourism than weekdays. This is typically through August.
Hi I’m planning to go out tomorrow to camp at Sandy flats I would like to do some tubing perhaps down to the Remington Hot Springs.. Can definitely some pointers as I want to stay as safe as possible I will have a buddy with me bringing Intertubes from home . Thank you
Hi Natalie, thank you for writing. I would re-consider tubing that section as I never recommend tubing anywhere on the Lower Kern. The section you’re asking about has multiple tree hazards and significant rapids – many of which are challenging even in large 12 foot rafts. I would only tube the Lickety Split section of the Upper Kern.
Hello! Thanks for all this useful information. I have been trying to figure out where to staty our float, now I know.
We are camping this weekend and hoping the water is flowing well enough (and deep enough) to float and not hit the rocks on the way down. Last year we weren’t able to float because it was so low. Will keep an eye on the flow rates once we get there.
We have the rafts you suggested, super happy about that.
Thanks again.
Hi Janette, happy to hear you found this post helpful and I hope you had a fun and safe weekend up here.
Hi Matt,
I have a group campjng at Headquarters mid August. Considering lickety split if the water levels are appropriate. Also, do you know if it’s possible to go north of Headquarters campground and float back to the campsite?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Mike, sorry for my delay in getting back to you, I didn’t see your comment come through. Water flows will be too low at Headquarters to float at by mid-August as well as for the Lickety Split section. Your best bet is to just loop the Riverside Park rapid, located at Riverside Park in Kernville. The exception to this is if there is a monsoon storm, that will bring the water flows up enough for the Lickety Split, which is what we just experienced. The odds of that are low though.
Great information! Thanks
Since we’ve had record rainfall (and snow) this winter 22/23 do you think early June will be too high and fast to do a tube float on the Kern (specifically through Big Daddy etc). Thanks!
Howdy, yes early June this year will be too high for tubing. In fact, I don’t think we’ll have safe tubing levels until sometime in August this year.
Thank you Matt for sharing your knowledge and expertise on this post! Would a 5 person inflatable raft or an inflatable kayak be a good option for Lickety Split? What flow rates would you recommend?
Hi Jonathan, if the person has plenty of experience guiding a raft, they should be fine in the 800 – 2,000 CFS range. The same goes for the IK – if they have experience, they’ll do okay (still very likely to swim though!)
Hello . Will we be able to tube on august 3rd through that weekend at Fairview
Thank you
Hi JT, water will be much too high in early August for tubing this season.
Hi! Not sure if this is still an active page… I have a tandem NRS kayak that I’m hoping to take out this weekend on Lickety Split.. do you think the water levels will be rough? It’s been like 10 years since we’ve taken it out so I’d prefer an easier ride..
Hi Jennifer, if you have some experience and are going with another person then you’ll be okay on the Lickety section in an inflatable kayak at the current flows. There are a couple of rapids that you should study up on before you go, but overall it’s fairly mild in a kayak.
Thank you so much for your quick reply! I really appreciate it 🙂 Curious–why do you suggest taking out at Riverside Park and not Cemetery? (I’ve seen both options floating around on the internet..)
In the context of tubing, it would take a long time to get to the cemetery in flat water. There can also be strainers and other unknowns as it’s not run very often. For rafters or those in a kayak it’s a bit more do-able as you can paddle to make up flat water time, but it’s still not that popular due to how flat it can be. You also technically need a lake permit, which isn’t free and just another thing to take care of before getting on the water.
That makes a lot of sense! Thank you, your help has been invaluable 🙂
I’m glad to see the comment thread is active. I’m staying in Fairview Campground the first weekend in August 2024. My question is similar to others – what is the best place to launch our tubes, and where we can park our second car to exit the river and start over. Hoping either the launch and end point are close to our campground. We are open to 30 min – 2h ride if possible.
Hi Chad, thank you for commenting. The only two places I suggest are those listed in this blogpost under “Where to go”: the Lickety Split section or Riverside Park in Kernville. Both are about a 30-minute drive from Fairview Campground. In either section, you’ll park in Riverside Park as well. Have fun!
Thank you!
We went to Riverside Park Aug 3 and 4, 2024. It was perfect for tubing with just the right amount of thrill, long enough to enjoy and short enough to walk back for multiple rides throughout the day. Thanks again for this informational website.
Can you provide more information on the shuttle? Do I need reservations? How much is a shuttle ride (without tube rental) and hours of operation.
Hi Chad, any mentions of a shuttle are about a self shuttle – as in you set it up yourself with your own vehicles. I apologize if that was confusing.
Thank you!
Hello Matt! Me and some friends will be at the kern August 16-18. Do you think licketey split section will be too rough considering the rainfall early 2024 or is this a good time of year? I get confused with the Cfs gauge, wouldn’t the river be flowing at different cfs at different points or is that not how it works? 🙂
Thank you!
Hi Gabby, I think the flows will be fine over your dates for tubing. We’ll know more as we get closer to the dates though, so keep watching the gauge as the date gets nearer.
You are also correct regarding CFS, generally speaking, as you move downstream the river picks up more water from creeks and streams, and is then running at a higher flow. For the Kern though, the gauge we are referencing is located on the Lickety Split section, so it is accurate for where you’ll be tubing. I hope this makes sense!
Hi, I am thinking about tubing on the Kern in August and see the Lickety Split section of the Upper Kern is recommended. I am a bit confused on what CFS graph I should be tracking. Would the No. Kern – at Kernville be the one that includes the Lickety Split? Or – No. Kern – above Fairview Dam? Or Below Fairview Dam? Thanks!
Hi Chris, the gauge to look at is No. Kern – at Kernville. This is also the one that’s listed in the blog post (with the image).