Washington State Rafting Rivers

Washington State supports a diverse set of rivers with amazing scenery of all kinds and a varied landscape of mountain ranges, rainforest, desert, and coastal regions.

If you're looking for desert, raft the how or Tieton for whitewater; or, the Yakima for a more leisurely float trip.

For beautiful canyons, consider the White Salmon or Green River Gorge, which run through narrow, lush canyons; or the Klickitat River, which has carved its way through a broad canyon lined with tall, columnar basalt formations, small waterfalls, and ponderosa pines.

Forested river areas include the Skykomish and the Cispus. Great mountain views can be seen from the Suiattle, Sauk, and Nooksack Rivers.

For calmer trips allowing for viewing of wildlife along with the scenery, try the Skagit, Nisqually, Elwha, or Hoh Rivers. And if you're looking for great whitewater close to civilization, the Wenatchee is everyone's favorite trip.

Go Northwest! Bookstore
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Washington Whitewater: The 34 Best Whitewater Rivers
by Douglass A. North
March 1992, revised edition, Paperback, 304 pages, (guidebook)
All the information you need before running a river: maps, river flow data including recommended ranges, directions to the put-ins and take-outs, and river logs identifying various rapids and hazards.
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Washington Boating and Water Sports
by Terry Rudnick
April 2000, Paperback, 550 pages.
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Camping! Washington: the Complete Guide to Public Campgrounds for RVs and Tents
by Ron C. Judd
May 1999, Sasquatch Books, 288 pages (non-fiction)
Facilities and ratings for more than 600 Washington campgrounds, by a Washington native.
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