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
This stretch of Nisqually River in Washington is 7 miles long and is according to American Whitewater a class III section of whitewater. If you've been whitewater rafting and kayaking outside this state you might find the rivers here a bit more challenging, so if you're not from around here don't forget that many of the rivers here are not very forgiving. The beautiful scenery of Washington and the playfulness of the water are in themselves reasons enough to come here to paddle. Getting a good workout and a chance to spend some time outdoors have people
coming from far and near. The nearby hotels are a bit away from the river, but you'd better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up quick. You might be into whitewater rafting or kayaking or both, doesn't matter, there are lots of good rivers for that around here. The
put-in location is a short drive from Olympia, there's a road map further down the page with more info on that. The wild scenery of the Northern Cascade Range is great. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. The McKenna to Yelm Hydro Plant section is one of a few paddling sections in this river system. This is a pretty decent length section, it's perfect for a one day trip.
Briefly about the general area: Nisqually River commonly gets a lot of rainfall; the month of December is the wettest with most of the rain; July
meanwhile is the driest month. For the period of the summer months highs here at Nisqually River reach the 70's, and during summer nights temperatures are in the 50's. The wintertime comes with highs in the 40's; night lows at Nisqually River during the wintertime regularly drop into the 30's.
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 ...
10 miles away
You will find accommodations at the BRAND NEW HOTEL - 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 locate...
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...
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 WashingtonWhitewater 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.