Nooksack, N. Fork, WA

Bench Drop

Bench Drop
Photo of Damon Goodman by Keith Robinson @ 700 cfs

Gauge Information

River Description

FUN FACT: Short little creek run good for the advanced boaters who want some fun before joining intermediates for the run from Douglas Fir Campground down.

SEASON: Glaciers on the slopes of Mt. Baker keep this run flowing from late spring to early fall. This is often a good run in late summer or early fall when other runs are too low. The seasonal river closure on the North Fork Nooksack does not affect this section (i.e. it's open for boating as there is no Chinook spawning).

DESCRIPTION: For boaters in the Bellingham area, this is a good starting point for the harder runs in the drainage.  Roughly from easiest to hardest, I'd say it goes Horseshoe, Canyon on the Middle Fork, Upper Middle Fork, Clearwater, and (above and beyond the rest) Racehorse Creek (600 FPM)!

The first rapids are easy, but really fun to warm up on. There is some decent play at depending on levels. After a couple III+/-IV type drops, it's time to start keeping your eyes peeled for a big log jam on river right.  This marks bench drop. Scout right, to choose your door. After two more quick rapids, there is a small pool above SAT.  Definitely scout SAT, for the last drop in the rapid has an undercut and a pin rock to avoid.  If it's your first time on Horseshoe, SAT may tax your ability to remember your line.  After SAT it's a short jaunt to the take out or just continue down past Douglas Fir Campground to the intermediate run downstream.

Logistics: This run is approximatly 30 miles from Bellingham, east of the town of Maple Falls on Highway 542. As you make the drive towards Mt. Baker, you will first reach the take-out access at the bridge at Highway 542 mile 35.4. This is Douglas Fir Campground and there is parking for river day-use on the upstream river right side of the bridge. Sign in on the river user log (at the top of the steps that go down from the road) as this is important for documenting river use.

There are a couple put-in options. Some just hike up the trail along river right from the take-out to take in the last set of rapids, or if you want some warm-up and a couple more fun rapids then continue up the road to mile 36.6 where an unmarked dirt road heads 0.1 down towards the river. When you reach the T junction at the bottom of the hill you will see concrete barriers to your right and a flagged trail that takes you down to the river. This is the preferred access as it avoids the lower gradient reach above that is optimal salmon spawning habitat. You are also parked off the highway which is nice. An alternate access is at Highway 542 mile 37.1. There are two large pullouts here. If you go to the second one (further east) there is a decent trail down to the river. Paddlers are requested not to use this access during salmon season (from spawning in August to the time the eggs hatch at the end of March).

It's another couple miles up to Nooksack Falls but this section is less frequently boated. Although there are rapids at the base of the falls and it is navigable, access is a challenge and then the channel consists of class II gravel bar sections with a fair amount of wood. For those who want to continue downstream on an easier section, see the description for the North Fork Nooksack from Douglas Fir Campground.