WASHINGTON RIVER RUNS

Last Updated: February 17, 2026

Washington state offers a plethora of exciting whitewater and kayaking opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. One popular destination is the Skykomish River, known for its Class III and IV rapids that provide a thrilling adventure for experienced paddlers. The best time to tackle the Skykomish is typically during the spring and early summer when streamflow levels are higher, creating challenging conditions for an exhilarating ride. Other notable rivers for whitewater rafting and kayaking in Washington include the Wenatchee River, Tieton River, and the White Salmon River, each offering unique experiences for paddlers of all skill levels.

When embarking on a whitewater adventure in Washington, it is crucial to check streamflow levels and weather conditions beforehand to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. It is also recommended to have the necessary gear, including a helmet, life jacket, and appropriate clothing for the cold water temperatures. Additionally, it is wise to paddle with a group and have knowledge of the river's features and potential hazards to navigate the rapids effectively. With its stunning scenery and diverse river options, Washington is a prime destination for whitewater and kayaking enthusiasts looking for an adrenaline-pumping experience in the Pacific Northwest.

       

Location Streamflow (cfs) Difficulty (class)
Begins Upstream Of The Diversion Dam (Rm 1) To Confluence With Skagit River
7150 III-IV
Headwaters To Upper Goodell Campground (Rm 0.5)
303 III-IV
Begins Below Gorge Powerhouse To Ross Lake National Recreation Area Boundary
7150 III-IV
Headwaters To Ends Upstream Of The Diversion Dam (Rm 1)
245 III-IV
Upper Goodell Campground (Rm 0.5) To Confluence With Skagit River
7150 III-IV
Headwaters To U.S./Canadian Border
379 NONE
Headwaters To Mouth At Diablo Lake
705 III-V
Headwaters To Confluence With Thunder Creek
244 III-V
Ross Lake National Recreation Area Boundary To Slack Water Of Ross Lake
303 III-IV
Headwaters To North Cascades National Park Boundary
379 III-IV
Begins 1/4 Mile Upstream From Confluence With Stehekin River To Confluence With Stehekin River
546 NONE
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Ends 1/4 Mile Upstream Of The Confluence With The Stehekin River
546 NONE
Begins 1/4 Mile South Of Box Canyon To Southern Boundary Of Mount Rainier National Park
1350 NONE
Headwaters On The Southeast Flank Of Mount Rainier At An Elevation Of 5500 Ft To Confluence With Chinook Creek
1350 III-IV
Confluence With Chinook Creek To Southern Boundary Of Mount Rainier National Park
1350 NONE
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries Including Hilgard Creek And Sable Creek To Ends 1/2 Mile Upstream Of The Confluence With The Stehekin River
546 NONE
Begins 1/2 Mile Upstream From Confluence With Stehekin River To Confluence With Stehekin River
546 NONE
Headwaters And Includes Tributaries To Confluence With Stehekin River
705 NONE
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries Including North Fork Rainbow Creek, Bowan Creek, And Bench Creek To Ends 1/4 Mile Upstream Of The Confluence With The Stehekin River
546 NONE
High Bridge Campground To Lake Chelan
546 III
Headwaters To Ends 1/4 Mile Upstream Of The Confluence With The Stehekin River
546 NONE
Headwaters Of 12 Unnamed Tributaries Between High Bridge Campground And Lake Chelan To Ends 1/4 Mile Upstream Of The Confluence With The Stehekin River
546 NONE
Begins 1/4 Mile Upstream Of 12 Unnamed Tributaries Between High Bridge Campground And Lake Chelan From Confluence With Stehekin River To Confluence With Stehekin River
546 NONE
Headwaters In The Mystic Lake Basin On The North Side Of Mount Rainier To Northern Boundary Of Mount Rainier National Park
2550 III-IV
Headwaters At Sutherland Lake To Confluence With Elwha River
1310 IV-V
Headwaters At Sutherland Lake And Includes Only The Tributaries Of Indian Creek To Confluence With Indian Creek
1310 III-IV
1.4 Miles Upstream From Confluence With Elwha River To Confluence With Elwha River
1310 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With North Fork Quinault River
365 III-V
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Gray Wolf River
305 IV-V
Headwaters Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With West Fork Dosewallips River
365 NONE
Downstream Waters Of Ozette Lake To Mouth At Pacific Ocean And Does Not Include Portion Within Ozette Indian Reservation (Rm 0.7 To Rm
133 III-IV
Headwaters Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With North Fork Skokomish River
365 III-V
Headwaters Includes All Tributaries And Excludes Flapjack Lakes To Confluence With North Fork Skokomish River
365 III-IV
Headwaters At The Terminus Of The Ingraham Glacier To Ends 1/4 Mile North Of Box Canyon
1350 NONE
Begins 1/4 Mile North Of Box Canyon To Ends 1/4 Mile South Of Box Canyon
1350 NONE
Headwaters On The Nw Slope Of Mount Rainier At Carbon Glacier To Confluence With Ipsut Creek
2550 IV-V
Confluence With Ipsut Creek To Western Boundary Of Mount Rainier National Park
2550 III-IV
Headwaters At 5700 Ft In The Royal Basin And Includes All Tributaries Within The Park To Eastern Boundary Of Olympic National Forest
80 III-IV
Headwaters At About 6000 Ft. In Basins On The North Side Of Gray Wolf Pass And Includes All Tributaries Within The Park To Eastern Boundary Of Olympic National Forest
305 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Elwha River
365 III-IV
Headwaters Includes All Tributaries Within Park To Confluence With North Fork Skokomish River
365 III-IV
Headwaters Includes All Tributaries Within Park To Olympic National Park Boundary
365 V-IV
Headwaters Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With North Fork Skokomish River
365 II-IV
Headwaters To Southern Boundary Of Olympic National Park
365 III-IV
Headwaters To Confluence With North Fork Skokomish River
365 III-IV
Headwaters Includes All Tributaries And Excludes Scout Lake And Hagen Lake To Confluence With Duckabush River
365 III-IV
Headwaters Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Duckabush River
330 NONE
Headwaters To Eastern Boundary Of Olympic National Park
365 IV-III
Begin At Headwaters To Confluence With Duckabush River
365 III-IV
Headwaters Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Dosewallips River
80 NONE
Confluence With Station Creek To Eastern Boundary Of Olympic National Park
330 III
Headwaters Includes All Tributaries (Upstream From Station Creek) To Confluence With Dosewallips River
330 III-IV
Headwaters To Confluence With Gray Wolf River
305 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Bogachiel River
1690 IV-V+
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries Within Park To Confluence With Bogachiel River
1690 II-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Brush Creek
1690 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With North Fork Bogachiel River
1690 III
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Sunday Creek
1690 III-V
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Hoh River
1690 III
End Of Upper Hoh Road And Beginning Of Hoh River Trail. To Western Boundary Of Olympic National Park
1690 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Unnamed Tributary
1690 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Twin Creek
1690 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Graves Creek
365 IV-V
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Quinault River
365 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Mcalester Creek
546 III
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Bridge Creek
546 III-IV
Boundary Of The North Cascades National Park To Ends 1/4 Mile Upstream Of The Confluence With The Stehekin River
244 NONE
Headwaters To End Of Graves Creek Road And Confluence With Graves Creek
365 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries Upstream From Graves Creek Road And Confluence With Graves Creek To Confluence With Quinault River
424 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Grizzly Creek
301 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With South Fork Agnes Creek
728 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Agnes Creek
728 III-IV
End Of Graves Creek Road And Confluence With Graves Creek To Western Boundary Of Olympic National Park
825 III-V
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With North Fork Bridge Creek
301 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries Upstream From North Fork Quinault Road To Confluence With North Fork Quinault River
825 IV-V
End Of North Fork Quinault Road To Confluence With The Main Branch Quinault River
825 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Main Branch Kimta Creek
3870 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Queets River
3870 III-V
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Unnamed Tributaries
3870 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries Downstream From The End Of Graves Creek Road And Confluence With Graves Creek To Western Boundary Of Olympic National Park
825 III-IV
Headwaters At 2800 Ft To Western Boundary Of Olympic National Park
2280 II-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With South Fork Calawah River
2280 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries In Wenatchee National Forest To Confluence With Bridge Creek
301 III-IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With South Fork Hoh River
3870 IV-V
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Boulder Creek
728 II-IV
The Confluence With The Grande Ronde River To Ends In The Slack Water Of The Lower Granite Reservoir, Located One Half Mile Above The Town Of Asotin, Washington
16500 III-II
Confluence Of North And South Forks Of Twisp River To Lake Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness Boundary
212 III-IV
Confluence Of Tye And Foss Rivers To Gold Bar
4490 V-IV
Quartz Road To Confluence With Middle Fork Snoqualmie River
963 III-IV
Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary To Quartz Creek Road
963 III-IV
Outlet Of Snoqualmie Lake To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary
37 III-IV
Confluence With Taylor River To Confluence With North Fork Snoqualmie River
573 III-IV
Headwaters In Nw1/4 Of Sec 12, T24n, R13e To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary
587 NONE
Headwaters In Se1/4 Of Sec 29, T24n, R13e To Confluence With Cle Elum River
587 NONE
Confluence With Ranier Fork To Confluence With Bumping River
201 IV
Headwaters At American Lake To Confluence With Ranier Fork
201 III-IV
Straight Creek To Confluence With Lewis River
1160 III
Confluence With Rampart Creek To Pasayten Wilderness Boundary
301 III-IV
Pasayten Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Methow River
301 III-IV
Headwaters In Sw1/4 Sec 28, T9n, R5e To Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Boundary
888 NONE
Headwaters In Ne1/4 Of Sec 23, T37n, R7e To Confluence With Soufh Fork Nooksack River
843 NONE
Headwaters To Confluence With Bell Creek
843 III-IV
Confluence With Brush Creek To Private Land Boundary Near Lost River In Nw1/4 Of Sec 5, T36n, R19e
301 NONE
Outlet Of Lake Wenatchee To Wenatchee Nf Boundary
2910 III-IV
Glacier Peak Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Wenatchee River
1840 IV+
Wagner Bridge To Confluence With Middle Fork Snoqualmie River
573 NONE
Huckleberry Creek To Confluence With Clearwater River
2550 III-IV
Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Nf/Mt. Ranier Np Boundary At North Section Line Of Sec 3, T17 N, R10e To Confluence With Huckleberry Creek
214 NONE
Brothers Wilderness Boundary To Olympic Nf Boundary
488 III
Olympic Nf/Olympic Np Bounary To Brothers Wilderness Boundary
488 NONE
Usfs Road 2870 Bridge To Confluence With Dungeness River
427 III-IV
Headwaters In Sw 1/4 Of Sec 18, T9n, R9e To Confluence With Straight Creek
1160 NONE
Middle Of Sec 19, T8n, R7e To Confluence With Muddy River In Se1/4 Of Sec 1, T7n, R6e
1160 NONE
Trail 80 Crossing In Nw1/4 Of Sec 28, T9n, R5e To Middle Of Sec 19 T8n, R7e
1160 NONE
Confluence With Smith Creek To Confluence With Lewis River
1160 III
(Upper Muddy Segment) Headwaters In Se1/4 Of Sec 10, T8n, R5e To Conflence With Smith Creek
1160 NONE
(Smith Creek Segment) Headwaters In Se 1/4 Of Sec 3, T8n, R5e To Confluence With Muddy River
1160 NONE
Headwaters In Ne1/4 Of Sec 36,T31n, R15e To Glacier Peak Wilderness Boundary
728 NONE
Nooksack Falls Diversion Dam To Nooksack Falls Power Plant
650 III-IV
Mt. Baker Wilderness Boundary To Nooksack Falls Diversion Dam
650 NONE
Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Nf/North Cascades Np To Mt. Baker Wilderness Boundary
650 NONE
Bell Creek To Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Nf Boundary
502 III-IV
Point On Range Line To Ruby Creek
750 III-IV
Pasayten Wilderness Boundary To Point On Range Line Between Sec 12, R14e And Sec 17, R16e
750 II-IV
Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary To City Of Leavenworth Water Intake In Se1/4 Of Sec 28, T24n, R17e
587 NONE
Headwaters At Josephine Lake To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary
587 III-IV
Point At East Section Line Of Sec 13, T28n, R15e To Lake Wenatchee
306 III-IV
Olympic Nf/Olympic Np Boundary To Usfs Road 2870 Bridge
427 NONE
Sleepy Hollow Creek To Olympic Nf Boundary
427 III-IV
Silver Creek To Sleepy Hollow Creek
427 NONE
Forest Road 2860 Bridge To Silver Creek
427 III-IV
Confluence Of Milk Creek And Heather Creeks To Forest Road 2860 Bridge
427 III-IV
Nw1/4 Of Sec 9, T5n, R6e To Ne1/4 Of Sec 6, T5n, R5e
207 NONE
Headwaters In Sw 1/4 Of Sec 8, T4n, R6e To Gifford Pinchot Nf Boundary
343 NONE
Junction Of Muddy And Clear Forks Cowlitz To Gifford Pinchot Nf Boundary
1930 III-IV
Goat Rocks Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Muddy Fork Cowlitz River
1930 III-IV
Headwaters In Se1/4 Of Sec 9, T14n, R11e To Goat Rocks Wilderness Boundary
1930 NONE
Mt. Ranier Np/Gifford Pinchot Nf Boundary To Confluence With Clear Fork Cowlitz River
1930 NONE
Tatoosh Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Clear Fork Cowlitz River
1930 V
Glacier Peak Wilderness Boundary To A Point Approximately 0.5 Mile Above The Tall Timbers Range At East Section Line Of Sec 13, T28n, R15e
306 III-IV
Swamp Creek To Ruby Creek
301 III-IV
Confluence Of Canyon And Granite Creeks To Ross Lake National Recreation Area Boundary
750 III-IV
South Section Line Of Sec 24, T36n, R10e To Confluence With Skagit River
9140 III-IV
Headwaters In Se1/4 Of Sec 36, T37n, R9e To South Section Line Of Sec 24, T36n, R10e
502 NONE
Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Nf/North Cascades Np Boundary To Baker Lake
728 NONE
Headwaters In Sw1/4 Of Sec 5, T29n, R14e To Glacier Peak Wilderness Boundary
306 NONE
Glacier Peak Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With White River
306 III-IV
Headwaters In Sw1/4 Of Sec 21, T30n, R15e To Glacier Peak Wilderness Boundary And Including Twin Lakes Creek In Secs 16/17, T28n, R16e
306 NONE
Private Land Boundary To Head Of Lake Cle Elum Reservoir
201 III-IV
Gifford Pinchot Nf Boundary To Tatoosh Wilderness Boundary
1930 III-IV
Nw1/4 Of Sec 21, T11n, R8e To Confluence With Cispus River
1070 NONE
Road 2809 Bridge Crossing In Sw1/4 Of Sec 8, T10n, R8e To Nw1/4 Of Sec 21, T11n, R8e
1070 NONE
Goat Rocks Wilderness Bounday To Cowlitz Falls Ferc Project Boundary In Ne1/4 Of Nw1/4 Of Sec 4, T11n, R6e
5380 NONE
Headwaters In Sw1/4 Of Sec 27, T12n, R11e To Goat Rocks Wilderness Boundary
1930 NONE
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Boundary To Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Boundary In Sw 1/4 Of Sec 32, T11n, R5e
5380 NONE
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Boundary To To Point River Reenters Mshnvm In Se 1/4 Of Sec 11, T10n, R5e
5380 NONE
Headwaters In Se1/4 Of Sec 31, T10n, R6e To Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Boundary
5380 NONE
Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary To Private Land Boundary At North Section Line Of Sec 3, T23n, R14e
587 III-IV
Pasayten Wilderness Boundary To Okanogan Nf Boundary
301 III-IV
Confluence With Tungsten Creek To Pasayten Wilderness Boundary
11 NONE
Lake Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness Boundary To Okanogan Nf Boundary
212 III+-IV
Confluence Of South Fork Wolf Creek To Lake Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness Boundary
212 III-IV
Headwaters In Nw 1/4 Of Sec 30, T29n, R14e To End Of Usfs Road 63 In Nw1/4 Of Sec 10, T28n, R12e
89 NONE
Glacier Peak Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Sauk River
1250 III-IV
Headwaters In Nw1/4 Of Sec 6, T29n, R14e To Glacier Peak Wilderness Boundary
1250 NONE
Headwaters In Sw1/4 Of Sec 7, T31n, R9e To Boulder River Wilderness Boundary
1580 NONE
Ne1/4 Of Sec 13, T40n, R46e To Nw1/4 Of Sec 5, T40n, R46e
97100 NONE
Canyon Creek To Confluence With North Fork Stillaguamish River
1580 V-IV
Headwaters In Ne1/4 Of Sec 14, T29n, R10e To Confluence With Canyon Creek
1580 NONE
Headwaters In Ne1/4 Of Sec 13, T28n, R12e To Bridge In Sec 21, T28n, R12e
89 NONE
Headwaters In Sw1/4 Of Sec 13, T6n, R7e To Hemlock Road Bridge In Nw1/4 Of Sec 26, T4n, R7e
1440 NONE
Gifford Pinchot Nf Boundary To Maximum Pool Of Swift Reservoir In Nw1/4 Of Sec 35, T7n, R6e
1470 NONE
Mt. Adams Wilderness Boundary To Gifford Pinchot Nf Boundary
1160 III-V
Headwaters In Ne1/4 Of Sec 35, T9n, R10e To Mt. Adams Wilderness Boundary
399 NONE
West Fork Pasayten From Holman Creek To Confluence With Middle Fork Pasayten
11 III-IV
Private Land Boundary To Okanogan Nf Boundary
301 III
Lake Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness Boundary To Private Land Boundary Near Lime Creek In Se1/4 Of Sec 18, T33n, R20e
293 NONE
Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With West Fork Miller River
37 III-IV
Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Tye River
587 IV
Headwaters At Outlet Of Trico Lake In Sw 1/4 Of Sec 5 T24n, R14e To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary
37 NONE
Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With West Fork Foss River
37 II-III
Headwaters In Sw 1/4 Of Sec 11, T24n, R13e To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary
37 NONE
Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With East Fork Foss River
37 III-IV
Outlet Of Delta Lake To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary
37 III-IV
Confluence Of East And West Forks Of Foss River To Confluence With Tye River
37 III-IV
Headwaters In Se 1/4 Of Sec 14, T26n, R13e To Confluence With Foss River
37 NONE
Lake Dorothy To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary
37 III-IV
Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With East Fork Miller River
37 III-IV
Headwaters In Se1/4 Of Sec 31, T24 1/2n, R11e To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary
37 NONE
Confluence Of East And West Forks Of Miller River To Confluence With South Fork Skykomish River
37 III-IV
Headwaters At Outlet Of Blanca Lake To Usfs Road 63
89 IV+
Confluence With Troublesome Creek To Confluence With South Fork Skykomish River
4490 III
End Of Usfs Road 63 To Confluence With Troublesome Creek
89 III-V
Headwaters In Sw1/4 Of Sec 19, T29n, R14e To Boundary Of The North Fork Sauk Portion Of Skagit Wsr
1250 NONE
Hemlock Road Bridge To Gifford Pinchot Nf Boundary
1440 III-V
Bridge To Confluence With North Fork Skykomish River
89 III-IV
Summit Creek To Mouth Of Little Klickitat
1320 NONE
Headwaters In Se1/4 Of Sec 25, T31n, R16e To Glacier Peak Wilderness
728 NONE
Glacier Peak Wilderness To Cottonwood Trailhead In Sw1/4 Of Sec 7, T28n,R19e
306 NONE
Cottonwood Trailhead To Private Land Boundary In Ne1/4 Of Sec 29, T28n, R19e
306 NONE
Glacier Peak Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Skagit River
4430 V+
Usfs Road 63 To Confluence With North Fork Skykomish River
89 III
Similkameen River Segment 1
1350 III-IV
Snake River 4.01
27700 III-IV
Yakima River Segment 1
2990 II-III
Douglas Creek
79 III-IV
Rock Creek (Adams And Whitman Counties)
63 III-IV
Wilson Creek
2 IV-V
Yakima River Segment 2
2990 II-III
Salmon Creek
772 IV-V
Klickitat River
920 II-IV
Similkameen River Segment 2
529 NONE
Grande Ronde River (Lower)
27700 II-III