Suiattle

1. Sulphur Creek to Rat Trap (FR 25) Bridge

Difficulty	III+
Length	15.6 mi
Avg Gradient	n/a
Reach Info Last Updated	May 11, 2020

Recent Alerts

Suiattle River Road WashoutsThomas O'Keefe

Jan 12, 2026

Report on Suiattle River Road from Darrington Ranger District. We have completed initial reconnaissance of the Suiattle River Road from State Route 530 to Buck Creek Campground. Crews have not been able to assess damage to the Suiattle River Road between Buck Creek Campground and the road terminus at the Suiattle River Trailhead yet due to limited access. There are multiple known points of damage from the atmospheric river storm event: There is a large washout approximately 130 ft wide and 70 ft deep at mile post 4.5 blocking vehicle access to the rest of the Suiattle River Road. There is a culvert failure at approximately mile post 10. There are two landslides crossing the Suiattle River Road bellow Huckleberry Mountain at mile post 14 and 15. These landslides appear to have come from fire scars. The Suiattle River has washed out the road at approximately mile post 15.5. There appears to be significant damage to the Buck Creek Campground with flooding from Buck Creek having damaged campground infrastructure. As reconnaissance of the road system within the watershed continues, it is likely more damage may be located. To peruse repairing the road and restoring access, we have begun two processes: We have prepared a rough assessment of damages and routed it to our Washington Office. Congress will sometimes ask the Forest Service Washington Office for information on disaster impacts and could choose to provide direct supplemental funding for disaster recovery. This money could begin to be implemented if and when allocated by Congress. We have submitted a notice of intent and have begun coordinating with the Federal Highway Administration in preparation of applying for the Emergency Relief and Emergency Relief for Federally-owned Roads (ERFO) Program. This program was established to assist federal agencies with the repair or reconstruction of federally owned roads that are open to public travel which are found to have suffered serious damage by a natural disaster over a wide area or by a catastrophic failure. The timeline for ERFO projects vary greatly from a few months to a few years depending on project urgency and complexity. I will not have a timeline for repairs until we complete a full assessment of damages, design fixes, and line up money for repair. Thanks!

Projects

Management of the Skagit Wild and Scenic River (WA)

Beginning high in the North Cascades, the Skagit Wild and Scenic River winds down steep slopes, through forested hillsides and wide open valleys, eventually reaching Puget Sound. The rivers of this system – the Skagit, Sauk, Suiattle, and Cascade – flow through rugged wilderness, forestlands, rural communities, farmlands, and [...]Read More

River Description

FUN FACT: Unique as one of the most intact river systems in Western Washington. Opportunities for an overnight trip.

SEASON: You can find boatable flows throughout the year but the river is particularly popular during the summer when glacier melt keeps the river running longer than other nearby runs. If you're looking for an endless supply of big wave trains check this run out after several days of hot weather just after peak flows on the Sauk have passed.

ACCESS: Follow Highway 530 about 15 minutes north out of Darrington and cross the Sauk River (mile 56.1). Continue on Highway 530 to mile 56.5 and take the turn-off for Suiattle River Road (FR 26). Continue on this road to mile 10.0 and turn on to FR 25 which dips down to the river. This is the Rat Trap Bridge (aka Boundary Bridge) which is the take-out for the run. The boat launch on river left washed away in the October 2003 flood but paddlers have found a route adjacent to the upstream river right side of the bridge. This side of the river is all private land so stay within the bridge right-of-way. To reach the put-in, return to FR 26 and continue upstream along river right. After you cross Downey Creek you will soon arrive at the Downey Creek trailhead at mile 20.2 (Northwest Forest Pass required). There is a steep slide (~100') down to the river that provides access to a good eddy just upstream of the Downey Creek confluence and this is the recommended put-in for rafters and kayakers who want to avoid the worst of the wood hazards. Continuing on upstream past Sulphur Creek Campground the road ends at the old horse camp (mile 22.0) that provides decent river access.

For the most recent road and river information check the [Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest web site](http://
www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs) (check forest road conditions for Darrington District), or call the Darrington Ranger District at (360) 436-1155 .

DESCRIPTION:

The Sui

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River Features

Put In

Distance: 0 mi

Take Out

Distance: 16 mi

Take Out

Trip Reports

David Elliott

Jul 30, 2007

This run is currently not accessible (July 2007). About 2 miles above Rat Trap Bridge, the road is washed out and there is no alternative access.

As for the levels, the guides are often confusing, using percentages of flows differently. What I do is to take the flow on the Sauk at Sauk and subtract twice the flow of the Upper Sauk. That's approximately the flow on the Suiattle.

Martin Norment

Dec 29, 2006

The river gauge here seems to be way of, in the Guide to Whitewater Rivers of Washington the minimum suggested level is 1500 cfs where the post says 3000 and in the pictures there are peolpe paddling at 2000 cfs.

tom,susan andrews

Jul 2, 2006

Exhilerating ride with four points requiring portage. This fast paced river is not for the rookies.

Thomas O'Keefe

Nov 6, 2003

This condition report from Devin Smith following the major floods of October 2003:

The flood aftermath on the the Suiattle was incredible to see... clearly the Suiattle (along with the Whitechuck) was a major driver of the recent flood downstream. At the Downey campground the river avulsed 300-400' towards the left bank side, (away from Downey Creek) and there were numerous other locations where the river avulsed and occupied new channels, and where large amounts of bank were eroded. The floodwaters easily reached ten feet or more above the channel and deposited silt and huge accumulations of old growth logs on benches out in the forest. The river channel widened substantially, taking out large tracts of forest and leaving huge bars of cobble/boulders and silt/sand. There were a tremendous amount of new logs and full spanning log jams in the main channel-- we walked our kayaks more than paddling them, portaging I think 10 jams in five miles and did not even make it as far as Buck Creek. As a whitewater resource on the Forest, I don't think anyone but hydrologists and masochists will want to paddle the Suiattle for some time! Rafting would be near impossible.

Thomas O'Keefe

Jan 1, 1900

This is the first rapid below the put-in at the old horse camp. The log jam seen on river right is typical of the wood hazards on this run.