The Bureau of Land Management’s Big Bar Launch facility off of Highway 49 is the only legal boating takeout for the Electra Run on the California Wild & Scenic Mokelumne River. Due to circumstances beyond the BLM Mother Lode Field Office’s control, BLM recently announced the closure of Big Bar to vehicles through October 15 of this year (you can still walk in, but parking nearby is very limited). See the closure notice here.

In order to reopen the facility for easy access and parking, American Whitewater has learned from the BLM Mother Lode Field Office that volunteers are needed to supplement the weekly work done by BLM personnel. They are currently looking for volunteers to spend 15 to 30 minutes cleaning and restocking the pit toilet once a week. As a volunteer you will have to sign a Voluntary Agreement, fill out a brief risk assessment and take a short online course.

As many of our members know, the Big Bar facility provides river access for boaters, anglers, swimmers and river lovers with parking, an easy walk to the river, and bathroom facilities. It also serves as an  important access point  for boaters who don’t want to continue downstream to the Class III Devil’s Toilet Bowl rapid just downstream of the facility, or who only want to run the Middle Bar reach of the river. If you would  like to volunteer to help keep Big Bar Launch open, please contact Noah Rucker Triplett at ntriplett@blm.gov using the subject line "Volunteer for Big Bar Launch".

It is our hope that volunteers will step up to keep this important access open for vehicle access.