Home

Suiattle (III)

Description: The Suiattle is protected as a wild and scenic river. From the put-in at the Rat-Trap Bridge, the banks and surrounding ridges are thickly forested and there are almost no signs of civilation. It is also a 'young' river that is continually changing. The clay and silt banks erode, and trees and debris can fall into the river. The log jams can (and do) change from year to year, and can completely block the river. Because of this (and also a steep put-in), it is a stretch that the club seldom runs. The river is fed by glaciers from Glacier Peak, so water is very cold and milky colored, but it is one of the few rivers in Washington that may still have water into August. There are several Class III rapids (Hurricane), and many Class II rapids that make this a very interesting fast river. The tricky part is negotiating the logpiles in the stretch above the confluence with the Sauk River.

Directions: Allow 2 1/2 hrs. driving time from Seattle . I-5 north to Exit 208. Take WA-530 to Darrington. Follow WA-530 towards Rockport. The turn-off to the Suiattle River Road is just after bridge below the Sauk/Suiattle confluence (take-out). The put-in is 12 miles upstream.