Washington whitewater - Elwha River, Olympic Mountains, Clallam County

Clallam county, Grand Canyon section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 

CLASS V     8.5 miles
  The starting location is a short drive from Port Angeles, please print out a copy of the road map further down the page so you won’t get lost. The natural beauty of Washington and the playfulness of the water beats anything. Not too many hotels nearby, you'll have to drive a bit to get to one, and if you make reservations in advance you're all set. For all you camping people there are campgrounds nearby. No matter if you're whitewater rafting or kayaking around here you'll find a large number of good places. The Grand Canyon section of Elwha River in Washington
    is 8.5 miles long and is according to American Whitewater a class V section of whitewater. There are a few other stretches in this river system that can be paddled as well. The average Washington whitewater rafting or kayaking river tends to be harder to run than those in other
states, so you'd better keep in mind that many runs in this state are not easy. This stretch has has enough mileage, good for a one day paddling trip. Whitewater paddling here in the Olympic Mountains is a great experience. A bit of exercise and just being out on the river for a while will make you glad you came.

Briefly about the general area:
Elwha River gets much water; the wettest month of the year is commonly December, that's the one that rains the most; July on the other hand is the driest. Take a hike on the Lillian River Trail, and
 
Elwha River is right next door to Grand Canyon which is beyond doubt worth a visit.
All the outdoors enjoyable stuff in the Olympic Mountains will keep you coming back time and again. The best way to spend a winter day is on the slopes of nearby Hurricane Ridge Ski Lodge, and if you're looking for a good spree, Olympic National Park is pretty near. At this river you will always have a good time. Have a glorious hiking adventure along the Long Ridge Trail. During the summer months at Elwha River highs are typically in the 70's. Summer overnight lows dip down to the 50's. The winter comes with highs in the 40's, and winter nights come with lows in the 30's to Elwha River.

Elwha River, Grand Canyon road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: V
Length: 8.5 miles
Average Gradient: 70 fpm
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 47.90616
Longitude: -123.49135

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 48.00215
Longitude: -123.59733

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Current weather conditions at Elwha River, Olympic Mountains, Washington
WXPort

Local climate location: ELWHA RANGER STATION 13 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Quality Inn Uptown, Port Angeles
11 miles away
Below the mountains, above the harbor, Quality Inn is located on the bluff overlooking the Port Angeles Harbor, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Vancouver Island. Hotel is within close proximity of the ...

Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles, Port Angeles
11 miles away
Guestroom renovations were completed in May 2006. The Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles has been setting the standard for Olympic Peninsula hospitality for over 30 years. Situated on the shores of Hollywood...

Days Inn Port Angeles, Port Angeles
12 miles away
The Days Inn Port Angeles is located in an area known for its year round breathtaking scenery and hiking trails. It is just 2 miles from the city center and the ferry terminal bound for Victoria, BC a...



OTHER_INFO
  Olympic Mountains Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in the Olympic Mountains.

Olympic Mountains Outdoors Info
Complete outdoors info for the Olympic Mountains.

All Washington Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Washington.
Books about whitewater paddling on Elwha River, Washington
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Elwha River, Washington.
Find a whitewater outfitter in Washington

Whitewater Basics
If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info.
Outdoors Recreation Near Port Angeles, Washington
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Port Angeles, Washington, the metro area neareast to Elwha River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Elwha River.
 Whitewater Near Elwha River:
Elwha River, Clallam County , 5 miles away, Class II-III(IV) - 4.5 miles long (Mills Reservoir to Highway 101)
Elwha River, Clallam County , 8 miles away, Class II - 4.9 miles long (Aldwell Reservoir to river mouth)
Quinault River - North Fork, Jefferson County , 14 miles away, Class V - 3 miles long (Geoduck Creek to Kimta Creek)
Quinault River, Jefferson County , 17 miles away, Class IV-V - 3 miles long (Pony Bridge to Graves Creek)
Lyre River, Clallam County , 21 miles away, Class IV-V - 3 miles long (to Lyre River Campground)
Skokomish River - North Fork, Mason County , 23 miles away, Class V+ - 5.6 miles long (Seven Stream to Staircase)
Quinault River, Jefferson County , 23 miles away, Class II - 6.5 miles long (Cannings Creek to South Shore Road access)
Gray Wolf River, Clallam County , 25 miles away, Class IV-V - 9.5 miles long (Deer Park to Dungeness Forks Campground)
Skokomish River - North Fork, Mason County , 25 miles away, Class II-III - 1.5 miles long (Staircase to Lake Cushman)
Soleduck River - North Fork, Clallam County , 27 miles away, Class IV - 5.3 miles long (North Fork Trail Bridge to FR 2918 Bridge)
 Ski Areas Near Elwha River:
Hurricane Ridge Ski Lodge, Washington , 2 miles away, 800 vertical feet
Cypress Mountain, British Columbia , 71 miles away, 2410 vertical feet
Grouse Mountain, British Columbia , 74 miles away, 1260 vertical feet
Mount Seymour, British Columbia , 77 miles away, 1083 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Elwha River:
Quality Inn Uptown, Port Angeles , 11 miles away
Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles, Port Angeles , 11 miles away
Days Inn Port Angeles, Port Angeles , 12 miles away
Super 8 Port Angeles, Port Angeles , 12 miles away
Quality Inn & Suites Sequim, Sequim , 29 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Elwha River:
Altair Campgrounds, Clallam County, 5 miles away
Elwha Dam RV Park, Port Angeles, 7 miles away
Welcome Inn Trailer Court/rv, Port Angeles, 9 miles away
 Trails Near Elwha River:
Lillian River Trail, Clallam County , 1 miles away,  25.4 hiking miles, 4030 feet elevation difference
Long Ridge Trail, Clallam County , 2 miles away,  40.2 hiking miles, 5708 feet elevation difference
Hurricane Hill Trail, Clallam County , 2 miles away, 5.9 hiking miles, 5674 feet elevation difference
Little River Trail, Clallam County , 4 miles away, 7.5 hiking miles, 5188 feet elevation difference
Elwha River Trail, Clallam County , 5 miles away,  64 hiking miles, 4020 feet elevation difference
Lake Creek Trail, Clallam County , 10 miles away,  4.4 hiking miles, 557 feet elevation difference
Happy Lake Ridge Trail, Clallam County , 10 miles away,  17.2 hiking miles, 4377 feet elevation difference
 National Parks Near Elwha River:
Olympic National Park, Port Angeles - WA , 5 miles away

Outdoors related information copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. - Detailed hotel information copyright © Interactive Hotel Solutions
Some content, including Reach Name, Class, and Length, comes from American Whitewater