About Meral’s Pool Put-in
Meral’s Pool Put-in is the most commonly used Put-in for the Tuolumne River. The put-in is managed by the Stanislaus National Forest and has a recently built ramp to help lower boats to the water. During the high-use season from late spring through the middle of the summer, this area can become quite congested. From May 1-October 15, a permit is required to run the Tuolumne River which can be acquired from Recreation.gov or from the ranger station in Groveland.
A Brief History of Meral’s Pool Put-in
Gerry Meral was a member of the first trip on the Upper Tuolumne River in a kayak. After running a section of very intense whitewater, Gerry realized he might have bit off more than he could chew, and left the trip at this point. This brief section of calm came to be known as Meral’s Pool. The area also happens to be the last location where the road reaches the Tuolumne River before Ward’s Ferry, so the name stuck.