Donkey Creek

SEASON: Winter rains

FUN FACT: Fun waterfall makes for a great photo spot.

TAKEOUT: At Hwy 101 mile 112.6 (approximately 4 miles north of the bridge across the Humptulips) look for the sign to Wynoochee Lake Recreation Area, and take Donkey Creek Road (FR 22) east off Highway 101 for 4.9 miles to a bridge across the West Fork Humptulips. A short road provides access on the river left upstream side of this bridge for a take-out. If you just want to run the waterfall continue on to mile 7.3. The falls are a bit tricky to spot from the road but you should notice the abrupt elevation change (just look for the spot where the creek is suddenly much closer to the road as you're driving upstream). For a put-in upstream of the falls you can just scramble down the bank wherever you see a spot or continue to mile 7.6 where a bridge crosses the creek.

DESCRIPTION:

The highlight of this run is Perfection Falls, a fun ~16' drop with a clean pool below (check for logs!) Many come just to run the falls on the way home from other nearby runs. To find the falls from the road, head downstream from the put-in bridge less than 1/2 a mile. Although the falls are visible from the road, they are difficult to see. Downstream there is another waterfall that needs to be portaged and with most of the gradient lost, the river settles out to easy class I as you boat out onto the West Fork Humptulips.

for additional information see:

• Korb, G. 1997. A paddlers guide to the Olympic Peninsula. third edition.