Washington whitewater - Nisqually River, Northern Cascade Range, Thurston County Thurston county, McKenna to Yelm Hydro Plant section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS III     7 miles   Hey, I have rafted the Nisqually river since I was about 13 years old (27 now). The thing you should know about the Nisqually is that it is like most rivers, every year there is something new and unexpected. There are a few notable obstacles and log jams that have stuck over the past ten years or so. One of them is between McKenna and the Nisqually railroad trestle. It has been there as long as I can remember. But the river isn't too fast there and you should have plenty of time to get outta the way. The other problems are further down the river, the log     jams that are past the Nisqually pines aren't too bad. Most of them are so far up on the river bank that only a few trees hang into the river ( not to say that there are none of them.) But the problem is that you raft right under the cliffs on FT. Lewis. They seem to like to throw cars off the cliffs and watch them hit the water.. Or this is a good way to dispose of stolen cars.. Because the water just churns and turns these cars into a spiky nightmare for the rafters and tubers of the Nisqually. I have yet to see one person go over the cars and not instantly blow there raft apart.. Just keep a good eye out for any colors that don't belong in the river. Sometimes its just a small corner hanging out of the river. Says Tim I noticed you would like a little info on rafting the Nisqualy river. I raft the river alot every year and   would say it is a very mild float. From Mckenna to the Nisqualy pines park in yelm is very mellow and there are no places to worry about. You can make this float with minimal knowledge in almost anything that floats. There are 3 small/fun rapids sections. Says Yelm-ite I would like to know if anyone has been down this and can let me know of any log jams that are on the Mckenna-Hydro stretch that need to be avoided. Says Lori The starting point is not too far from Olympia, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. The beautiful scenery of Washington and the beautiful way the water current moves down the stream beats anything. Getting some good exercise and a chance to spend some time outdoors have people coming from far and near. The beautiful Northern Cascade Range scenery is an added bonus. This section of Nisqually River in Washington is 7 miles long and it is classified as a class III section by American Whitewater. Whitewater rafting and kayaking in Washington is often more difficult than elsewhere, so if you're not from around here don't forget that rivers here are less forgiving. The nearby hotels are a bit away from the river, but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination. This section is long enough to enjoy a good non stop paddle, good for a one day paddling trip. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way in this general area you'll find lots of paddling rivers. If you're a camper you can camp at one of the great campgrounds nearby. There are a few other stretches in this river system that can be paddled as well. Briefly about the general area: High temperatures at Nisqually River during the months of summer are in the 70's while nighttime lows are usually in the 50's. Daytime highs throughout the wintertime are in the 40's while Nisqually River night low temperatures throughout the wintertime are in the 30's. The high level of precipitation makes Nisqually River a quite wet spot; the month with most of the rain is December, and the driest month is July. Nisqually River, McKenna to Yelm Hydro Plant road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: III Length: 7 miles    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 46.93999 Longitude: -122.56 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 46.97 Longitude: -122.57 Paddler input for Nisqually River, Washington: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Nisqually River, Northern Cascade Range, Washington Local climate location: GRAPEVIEW 11 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. Thornewood Castle Inn And Gardens, Lakewood 9 miles away Nestled on four acres at American Lake and dotted with old growth fir trees is Thornewood Castle. Built in 1911 by Chester A. Thorne, this 27,000 square foot manor is of the Gothic Tudor style and is ... La Quinta Inn AND Suites Lakewood, Lakewood 10 miles away You will find accommodations at the La Quinta Inn & Suites Lakewood packed with all of your travel needs. This Lakewood hotel is located only 2 miles from Tacoma. We are also located just 2 miles from... Best Western Lakewood Motor Inn, Lakewood 11 miles away This charming Tacoma, Washington hotel is a 100% non-smoking property offering a complimentary continental breakfast and meeting space for up to 65 people. Hidden away in Washington's Lakewood Colon...   Northern Cascade Range Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in the Northern Cascade Range. Northern Cascade Range Outdoors Info Complete outdoors info for the Northern Cascade Range. All Washington Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Washington. Books about whitewater paddling on Nisqually River, Washington List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Nisqually 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 Olympia, Washington Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Olympia, Washington, the metro area neareast to Nisqually River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Nisqually River.   Whitewater Near Nisqually River: Deschutes River, Thurston County , 7 miles away, Class II - 9.3 miles long (Vail Loop Road to Military Road) Nisqually River, Thurston County , 9 miles away, Class II - 14 miles long (Mashel River to Mckenna) Nisqually River, -blank- County , 17 miles away, Class V - 1.9 miles long (La Grande Reservoir to Mashel River) Mashel River, Pierce County , 19 miles away, Class II-IV - 7.5 miles long (Eatonville to Nisqually River confluence) Tilton River, Lewis County , 19 miles away, Class III-IV - 11 miles long (Bremer to Ike Kinswa State Park) Little Nisqually River, Lewis County , 20 miles away, Class IV+ - 5.7 miles long (Winston Creek to Alder Lake) Tilton River - North Fork, -blank- County , 21 miles away, Class IV - 2.5 miles long (above Tilton confluence) Tilton River, Lewis County , 23 miles away, Class II-III - 8.5 miles long (Morton to Bremer) Cowlitz River, Lewis County , 23 miles away, Class I-II - 10 miles long (salmon hatchery to Blue Creek access) Puyallup River, Pierce County , 23 miles away, Class I-II - 6.1 miles long (McMillin to Puyallup)   Ski Areas Near Nisqually River: Crystal Mountain, Washington , 75 miles away, 3100 vertical feet Hurricane Ridge Ski Lodge, Washington , 82 miles away, 800 vertical feet Alpental, Washington , 82 miles away, 2280 vertical feet Summit at Snoqualmie, Washington , 82 miles away, 2280 vertical feet White Pass, Washington , 83 miles away, 1500 vertical feet Stevens Pass, Washington , 95 miles away, 1800 vertical feet Mt. Hood Ski Bowl, Oregon , 96 miles away, 1500 vertical feet Timberline Lodge, Oregon , 97 miles away, 3590 vertical feet Cooper Spur, Oregon , 98 miles away, 500 vertical feet Mt. Hood Meadows, Oregon , 99 miles away, 2777 vertical feet   Hotels Near Nisqually River: Thornewood Castle Inn And Gardens, Lakewood , 9 miles away La Quinta Inn AND Suites Lakewood, Lakewood , 10 miles away Best Western Lakewood Motor Inn, Lakewood , 11 miles away Americas Best Value Inn of South Tacoma, Lakewood , 11 miles away Rodeway Inn Tacoma, Tacoma , 13 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Nisqually River: Rainier Villa Mobile Park and RV, Spanaway, 11 miles away Oaknoll RV Park, Lakewood, 11 miles away Nisqually Plaza RV Park, Olympia, 12 miles away   National Parks Near Nisqually River: Mount Rainier National Park, Ashford - WA , 42 miles away   Golf Courses Near Nisqually River: Nisqually Valley Golf Course, Yelm , 3 miles away   Lakes Near Nisqually River