Discover urban adventure while packrafting on the Los Angeles River. This guide shares what it’s like paddling through the Elysian Valley section of the LA River, including put-in and take-out points, route details, and tips for exploring the city’s hidden waterways. Experience easy rapids, urban scenery, and surprising wildlife while packrafting or kayaking in the heart of LA.

Right away, the Dirty Devil was worth every bit of effort. The river coiled through the desert, framed by towering canyon walls on one side and high sand berms—left behind by the long-retreated waters of Lake Powell—on the other. Massive undercuts carved into the sandstone offered rare patches of shade, and in other places, the walls plunged hundreds of feet straight into the water. Spires, alcoves, red rock cathedrals—it was a dream.

High in California’s Sierra Nevada, tucked deep in the Desolation Wilderness, lies a shimmering granite basin scattered with crystal-clear water and dozens of small islands. This is Lake Aloha — and there’s no better way to explore it than by packraft.