Trip Report
Sea Kayak - Sammamish River
A very pleasant day. We had high water, sun, clouds, a rainbow and a little rain. We saw wildlife including ducks, geese, Cormants, ospreys, a river otter, a muskrat.
Barbara Motteler
- Sat, Dec 20, 2025
- Sea Kayak - Sammamish River
- Sammamish River
- Sea Kayaking
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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Due to recent rains that caused flooding in the region, the Sammanish River was deeper and faster than usual, but still basically within its banks. There were a couple of sections such as in the vicinity of the creek just past Woodinville, where we wouldn't have been able to paddle upstream. Our route was all down stream so we made good time. The weir near Marymoor was completely underwater and not at all visible so we floated over it with no special effort.
High water at launch near the Sammamish Rowing Association dock.
7 intrepid paddlers met at 9am at the Boathouse parking lot near the Sammamish Rowing Association boathouse. This lot can be busy when rowing programs are in session, but we were almost the only ones there today. The lot has a $1 per car parking fee, payable at the Kiosk via cash or using a QR code.
We worked together to unload kayaks and gear and then used our wheels on the 6 minute walk to the river. 2 people stayed with the kayaks while the others drove 5 of our 6 cars to the takeout in Kenmore and returned in one vehicle. Thus, we had 4 cars at the takeout and two at the launch site. The shuttle took a bit over an hour.
The normal launch area was underwater, but we waded in with our kayaks until we got to the boat launch so that we could have everyone floating before pushing off into the current. The current here was moving along pretty briskly so we clocked a 4 knot pace with only some gentle paddling. Once pass the dog park, the scenery wasn't very varied. We saw birds, otters and a rainbow on this section.
We stopped at Wilmot Park in Woodinville for lunch. The water level was up in the grass. We made good use of the clean restrooms and picnic tables. Although it rained on and off during the day, it was dry during lunch.
After lunch we floated through the riffles between Woodinville and Bothel and then through Bothel. We admired the art installation under the bridge at Bothel Landing. It seemed like no time at all before we reached our takeout at the 68th Street Boat Launch in Kenmore.
After landing in Kenmore, we loaded kayaks on cars with two cars returning to the launch with two kayaks each to return the drivers and kayaks to the vehicles left at the launch site.
