Miller,

East Fork to NE Old Cascade Highway

Miller

Miller
Photo of Gardner Johnston by Tom O'Keefe

Gauge Information

River Description

SEASON: Falls rains and spring snow melt. Put in can be snowed in during the coldest months.

FUN FACT: One of the classic creek runs in the Sky drainage

TAKEOUT: Turn onto NE Old Cascade Highway from Hwy. 2 at mile 45.9 (you'll see the sign for Money Creek campground). Follow this road 1.3 miles to the bridge across the Miller River (elevation 890').

PUT-IN: Head back west from the bridge 0.2 miles to Miller River Road (FR 6410). Drive past the West Fork bridge (mile 3.5) to a put-in where the river approaches the road anywhere near mile 4.3 at 1290' elevation (no the rocky channel you may have passed with no water is not the main channel). Be sure to put-in higher upstream than the put-in described in Bennett's guidebook--his put-in at the West Fork bridge skips most of the good whitewater. Check put-in road conditions with Mt. Baker - Snoqulamie National Forest; follow link to the forest road conditions report under the recreation link.

DESCRIPTION:

The Miller is less popular with those looking for cutting edge steep creeks, but it's a fun run for the occasional class IV creek boater. That being said, however, this run still demands respect and there are plenty of log and pin hazards.

The Miller starts out with fun class IV boulder garden rapids. Most of these rapids have clear lines that are easy to read from your boat. The best whitewater lasts no more than two miles and after that the pace calms down considerably as you pass through lower gradient boulder gardens and gravel bars. As long as you have water this lower stretch is fine, but be warned that low water can be a pain.

lat/long approximate by Tiger server

photo credit: Gardner Johnston on the Miller, shot by Tom O'Keefe

for additional information see:

• Bennett, J. and T. Bennett. 1997. A guide to the whitewater rivers of Washington, second edition. Swiftwater Publishing. Portland, OR.
• Skykomish Ranger District - USFS Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest website