“Valley View” at Merced River in Yosemite

The Merced River (/mɜːrˈsɛd/), in the central part of the U.S. state of California, is a 145-mile (233 km)-long[1] tributary of the San Joaquin River flowing from the Sierra Nevada into the San Joaquin Valley. It is most well known for its swift and steep course through the southern part of Yosemite National Park, where it is the primary watercourse flowing through Yosemite Valley.