Mashel River
| Mashel River | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Washington |
| County | Pierce County |
| City | Eatonville, Washington |
| Source | An unnamed lake |
| - location | Cascade Range, Pierce County, Washington |
| - elevation | 4,340 ft (1,323 m) |
| - coordinates | 46°50′33″N 122°1′26″W / 46.84250°N 122.02389°W |
| Mouth | Nisqually River |
| - location | Southwest of Eatonville, Pierce County, Washington |
| - elevation | 482 ft (147 m) |
| - coordinates | 46°50′31″N 122°20′2″W / 46.84194°N 122.33389°WCoordinates: 46°50′31″N 122°20′2″W / 46.84194°N 122.33389°W |
| Basin | 80.7 sq mi (209 km2) |
| Discharge | for near La Grande, 3.3 miles (5.3 km) from mouth |
| - average | 221 cu ft/s (6.3 m3/s) |
| - max | 5,570 cu ft/s (157.7 m3/s) |
| - min | 4.1 cu ft/s (0.1 m3/s) |
  Location of the mouth of the Mashel River in Washington
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The Mashel River is a river in Pierce County, in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a tributary of the Nisqually River, which it enters about 3.6 miles (5.8 km) northwest of Eatonville, at Nisqually river mile 39.6.
The Mashel River’s headwaters are a tiny, unnamed lake about 5.1 miles southeast of Mount Beljica. The river starts off as a small stream flowing northwest before turning west then south, where the South Fork Mashel River joins, after which the Mashel turns west. The Mashel River is joined by Busy Wild Creek and then, about 3.5 miles downstream, Beaver Creek. The Mashel continues west for about 2.7 miles then turns southwest, along the southern city limits of Eatonville, which it follows for about 1.7 miles. The river is joined by the Little Mashel River a mere 380 feet after leaving Eatonville’s city limits. George Smallwood Park, named for one of the former mayors of Eatonville, is located about 0.8 miles above the Little Mashel River confluence. After the Little Mashel confluence the Mashel flows west for another 1.1 miles before passing under Highway 7 and gradually turning south and emptying into the Nisqually River.
The South Fork Mashel River begins at the outlet of another tiny, unnamed lake which is located just 0.6 miles due east of the lake that the main fork begins at and just 29 feet lower in elevation. It flows generally northwest from its source to its mouth, a distance of approximately 4.3 miles. The South Fork has no major tributaries but does receives many minor streams. Near its mouth the South Fork flows over a waterfall.
Boxcar Canyon is a stretch of river that ends about 1 mile upstream from Eatonville. People often come to the canyon to camp, build fires, party, swim, cliff jump and more. Due to the amount of irresponsible behaviors that come with that, the river, canyon, and area around the canyon have been badly polluted. The city of Eatonville has made efforts lately to clean up the area including a big cleanup in 2004 which ended up hardly making an impact. The canyon was even closed and signs were posted in an attempt to discourage people from mistreating the land. Within days, most of the signs, out of defiance, were either defaced or torn down.
The railroad trestle crossing Boxcar Canyon near Walker Road caught fire and burned down in the late 1970s or early 1980s. The tall creosote timber structure burned readily.
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