Quinault River (North Fork)

FLOW

• USGS Gauge: Quinault River at Quinault Lake is the closest gauge but has little bearing  as it measures outflow of the lake. 
• USGS Gauge: Humptulips River Below Hwy 101 Nr Humptulips may be useful to see trends in the area. 
• USGS Gauge: Hoh River At US Highway 101 Near Forks may also be useful to see trends in the area. 

PUT-INS

All of these put ins require hiking in from North Fork Trailhead.  From Amanda Park on the west side of Lake Quinault, take North Shore Road for 45 minutes. The drive along North Shore Road is something to behold.  Note, Amanda Park is the last place for cell phone reception, gas, groceries, and a restaurant. From the lake, take North Shore Road 17 miles following the signs until the road ends. There is ample room for cars and a pit toilet.

• Wolf Bar:   Hike 3 miles from NF Trailhead.  A large camp site on a riverside bench. This is a class III put in, or can be used as a take out, which would require hiking 3 miles back to the trailhead.  From Wolf Bar to the Quinault Bridge is 6 river miles, all class II except for one class III drop 1/2 mile below Wolf Bar. 
• Halfway House:  Hike 6 miles from NF Trailhead. 1/4 mile before reaching Halfway House the Wild Rose Creek must be negotiated.  200 feet up the creek an old growth log bridges the creek and can be walked by some with good balance or butt scootched across.  Another 1/4 mile through park landscape and you reach Halfway House camp, a primitive camp with several sites.  The put in is a wide gravel bar just above a rapid that leads into a gorge.  This is a class III put in. 
• Elip Creek:  Hike 7.5 miles from NF Trailhead, continuing past Halfway House for another 1.5 miles and gaining another 200 feet.  Put in here for roughly 4 miles of class III. 
• Kimta Creek:  Hike 8.5 miles from NF Trailhead. After Elip Creek there is one more creek crossing at Stalding Creek before reaching Kimta. (Above Kimta Creek is a 3 mile Class V reach.) 

TAKE-OUTS

• North Fork Campground:  Accessible by car. This is either the take out for the class III reach or the put in for the class II reach.  It is a 45 minute drive from Amanda Park on the west side of Lake Quinault. From the lake, take North Shore Road 17 miles and into the forest. The turnoff for the campground is on the right just past the Irely Lake trailhead you will see on the left.  There is a use trail to the river and a decent eddy. Camping fee is $20 per night.  
• Quinault Bridge:  This is the bridge connecting North Shore Road to South Shore Road. The take out is just downstream of the bridge at the boat ramp on river left. There is a short gravel spur road off South Shore Road leading down to the river and space for 4 vehicles.  There may be other take out options along South Shore Road to do more class II floating. 

ON THE RIVER

kimta creek to elip creek

An intense Class IV reach down to Elip Creek of roughly 1 mile. The gradient is 100 feet per mile. The gorge the river cuts is sheer. There are several class IV+ drops. All of the big drops can be scouted, but only one can be portaged.

ELIP CREEK TO NF Campground

This is the recommended class III reach, which does not require a shuttle.  An 8 mile reach through a series of gorges with side creeks cascading in.  The class III rapids are primarily in the first 3 miles from Elip Creek to Rustler Creek, which enters from a wide valley on river left.  In several places large old growth logs span the entire width of the river overhead, having been deposited by high floods.  Once below Rustler Creek the character changes to a wider and flatter river valley with some braiding and more wood.  1/2 mile below Wolf Bar is the final class III drop at a constriction with a ledge drop. This stretch is swift in places with a lot of wood and some funky eddy lines. Between Wolf Bar and NF Campground expect to have several portages for wood. 

nf campground TO QUINAULT BRIDGE

A 3 mile reach of class II whitewater down a braided river. Impressively large wood adorns the riverbed. 

NOTES

• Avg. Gradient: 50 feet/mile from Elip Creek to Rustler Creek.  35 feet/mile below Rustler Creek. 
• The hike is stunning amongst massive old growth Sitka Spruce, Cedar, and Big Leaf Maple, beautifully draped in moss and ferns. The trail is well maintained and climbs gradually. Some creek crossings can be spicy and it may be worthwhile to put on the drysuits to fjord them in high water. 
• There are numerous camp sites, along the North Shore Road, South Shore Road, and the North Fork Trail. Most are managed by the Forest Service and are first come first serve. Elip Creek Campground, Halfway House, Wolf Bar, and Irely Lake are hike-to camp sites.  Willaby Creek, Falls Creek, and Gatton Creek campgrounds are on the lake.  North fork Campground is the most convenient for packrafters. 
• Amanda Park, on the south side of Lake Quinault has gas ($1 per gallon cheaper than Seattle), a restaurant/bar, diner, grocery and two motels. 
• Can be combined with Humptulips, Wynoochee or Hoh rivers for a multiday adventure.  

• Suitable Activities: Packrafting
• Seasons: Year-round, February, March, April, May, June
• Weather: View weather forecast

• Difficulty: Class II+ River, Class III River, Class IV River
• Length: 11.5 None
• Elevation Gain: 750 ft
• High Point: 1,000 ft

• Land Manager: Olympic National Park
• Parking Permit Required: National Park Entrance Fee
• Recommended Party Size: 6
• Maximum Party Size: 12
• Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 12