Big Quilcene,

2 - Rainbow Campground to fish hatchery (Lower)

Big Quilcene

Big Quilcene
Photo of Mike Rausch by Tom O'Keefe taken 9FEB02

Gauge Information

River Description

SEASON: November to June dependent on water withdrawal for Port Townsend (diversion dam at Tunnel Creek). Best after heavy rain or a good snowmelt. Use caution with higher flows.

FUN FACT: Short but challenging IV+ boulder gardens.

LOGISTICS: The take-out for the run is the pullout at Highway 101 mile 296.9 just upstream from the bridge across the Big Quilcene. Scramble up the bank on river right to the road across from the fish hatchery. To reach the put-in head south on Highway 101 to Rainbow Campground at mile 299.7. During the winter the campground is gated, but its a short hike to the Rainbow Canyon which is a 1/2 mile switchback trail that takes you down to the river.

DESCRIPTION:

The run starts out with a couple class III rapids before quickly plunging into a challenging class IV+ section. The whitewater is continuous for close to a mile and consists of complex boulder-congested rapids contained within bedrock canyons. At moderate flows scouting and portaging is generally not too difficult. Once you leave the last set of challenging drops the river begins to taper off with some class III rapids and finally class II. As you pass under a foot bridge you will see a staff gauge on river left. The river calms down considerably after this point and it's a relatively short paddle through braided channels, past homes, and over a small diversion dam to the take-out. Those looking for more of a challenge can start out with the 2 miles of additional, and more challenging, whitewater on the Upper Big Quilcene.

lat/long very approximate by tiger map server

for additional information see:

• Halsey, Dan. Jan/Feb 1999. Sun Induced Craziness on the Olympic Peninsula: Tackling the Big Q. American Whitewater Journal. Vol. 39(1):36-41.
• Korb, G. 1997. A paddlers guide to the Olympic Peninsula. third edition.
• local expert: Gary Korb & Carol Volk, 4930 Geiger Road, Port Orchard, WA 98366, 206-876-6780
• Hood Canal Ranger District, South - USFS Olympic National Forest web site