Little White Salmon River | |
Fish hatchery and log flume, 1898
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Country | United States |
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State | Washington |
County | Skamania, Klickitat |
Source | Monte Cristo Range of the Cascade Range |
- location | Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Klickitat County |
- elevation | 3,384 ft (1,031 m) |
- coordinates | 45°55′07″N 121°35′52″W / 45.91861°N 121.59778°W |
Mouth | Columbia River |
- location | Drano Lake of the Bonneville Pool, Skamania County |
- elevation | 98 ft (30 m) |
- coordinates | 45°43′14″N 121°38′25″W / 45.72056°N 121.64028°WCoordinates: 45°43′14″N 121°38′25″W / 45.72056°N 121.64028°W |
Length | 19 mi (31 km) |
Basin | 136 sq mi (352 km2) |
The Little White Salmon River is a tributary, about 19 miles (31 km) long, of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. It headwaters are in the Monte Cristo Range in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The river flows from this part of the Cascade Range into Drano Lake, an arm of the Bonneville Pool of the Columbia. The river drains a basin of 136 square miles (350 km2) The basin's population was an estimated 513 in 2000.
Whitewater kayaking experts sometimes run a 4-mile (6.4 km) stretch of rapids in a steep canyon between the Cook–Underwood Road bridge and Drano Lake. The run, dangerous throughout, is rated Class V (extremely difficult) on the International Scale of River Difficulty. Named rapids include Gettin' Busy, Boulder Sluice, Island, Sacriledge, Double Drop, Backender, S-Turn, Wishbone, Bowey's Hotel, The Gorge, Stovepipe, Spirit Falls, Chaos and Master Blaster. The river has been the scene of two kayaking deaths since this stretch was first run in the 1990s.
The Little White Salmon River begins in the Monte Cristo Range in western Klickitat County near its border with Skamania County. In its upper reaches, it flows generally south through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest before turning southwest, receiving Beetle Creek from the and entering Skamania County. Downstream of the county border, it passes through Oklahoma Campground and under Oklahoma Road (Forest Road 18), which then runs along the right. In the next stretch, the river receives Homes Creek from the and Lusk Creek from the right.
Turning more sharply south, the river receives Berry Creek from the right, then passes under Oklahoma Road again before Cabbage Creek enters from the right. The road now runs along the left bank of the river as it meanders along the base of Shingle Mountain, which is to the river's right. In this stretch, Wilson Creek enters from the left before the river reaches Big Cedars County Park. Below the park, the river passes under Oklahoma Road again before flowing by Moss Creek Campground, on the river's right along the road. Below camp, Moss Creek enters from the right.