Dungeness,

1. Gold Creek to Dungeness Forks Campground

Gauge Information

River Description

SEASON: March through July during spring melt

LOGISTICS: From Highway 101 mile 267.4 take Palo Alto Road south through farmlands and into the foothills of the Olympics. This road is paved all the way and in 8.0 miles the road splits with FR 2860 heading off to the left and FR 2880 heading to the right and down to Dungeness Forks Campground. Follow FR 2880 1.0 miles down to the Dungeness River. You will cross it at a bridge just upstream of the Gray Wolf confluence which comes in from river left. The campground which is the take-out is here between the two rivers. Nestled in the rain shadow of the mountains and surrounded by mid-age Douglas Fir, it is one of the nicer Forest Service campgrounds in the Olympics. To reach the put-in, you can no longer use the route described by Korb due to washouts that the Forest Service does not intend to repair on FR 2860 between the junction of FR 28 and East Crossing Campground (as of 2003). Instead continue up river from the take-out on FR 2880 and then in about a mile turn left on FR 2870. Follow this a couple miles to the junction with FR 2860 and turn left following the road a little over a mile to a bridge across the river near the confluence with Gold Creek. Be sure to check road conditions on the Olympic National Forest web site as roads can be snowed in during the winter.

DESCRIPTION:

Some fun rapids, trees to avoid, and a short canyon section.

lat/long very approximate by tiger map server

for additional information see:

• Korb, G. 1997. A paddlers guide to the Olympic Peninsula. third edition.
• local expert: Gary Korb & Carol Volk, 4930 Geiger Road, Port Orchard, WA 98366, 206-876-6780
• Hood Canal Ranger District, North - USFS Olympic National Forest web site