This is a short but challenging run with class IV+ boulder gardens and a couple of class V drops. The season is generally November to June dependent on water withdrawal for Port Townsend (diversion dam at Tunnel Creek). Best after heavy rain or a good snowmelt. Use caution with higher flows.
The run starts out with a couple class III rapids before quickly plunging into a challenging class IV+ section with a couple of drops that are class V. The whitewater is continuous for close to a mile and consists of complex boulder-congested rapids contained within bedrock canyons. At moderate flows scouting and portaging is generally not too difficult. Once you leave the last set of challenging drops the river begins to taper off with some class III rapids and finally class II. As you pass under a foot bridge you will see a staff gauge on river left. The river calms down considerably after this point and it's a relatively short paddle through braided channels, past homes, and over a small diversion dam to the take-out. Those looking for more of a challenge can start out with the 2 miles of additional, and more challenging, whitewater on the
Upper Big Quilcene.
ACCESS: The take-out for the run is the pullout at Highway 101 mile 296.9 just upstream from the bridge across the Big Quilcene. Scramble up the bank on river right to the road across from the fish hatchery. To reach the put-in head south on Highway 101 to the old Rainbow Campground at mile 299.7. The camgpround has been decommissoned so it is recognized by a gate and with a Road Closed sign. It is a short hike to the Rainbow Canyon which is a 1/2 mile switchback trail that takes you down to the river.
for additional information see:
• Halsey, Dan. Jan/Feb 1999. Sun Induced Craziness on the Olympic Peninsula: Tackling the Big Q. American Whitewater Journal. Vol. 39(1):36-41.
• Korb, G. 1997. A paddlers guide to the Olympic Peninsula. third edition.
• Hood Canal Ranger District, South -
USFS Olympic National Forest web site