Chiwawa
3 - Huckleberry Campground (near Brush Creek) to Wenatchee R.
| Difficulty | III |
| Length | 13 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Chiwawa River Near Plain, Wa |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 1390 cfsmedium runnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 8, 2025 |
Projects
The Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests encompass more than four million acres and are jointly managed with headquarters in Wenatchee, Washington. The rivers flowing through these forests are essential to the whitewater paddling community—both as close-to-home runs for Washington residents and as classic objectives for paddlers traveling from across [...]Read More
River Description
The Chiwawa is a great intermediate run through the Wenatchee National Forest with continuous class II and III rapids over most of its length. At intermediate flows there are plenty of great surf spots. Wood is in play on this run and you can expect to have logs that extend into the channel. The river is generally wide enough that you can find your way around but in some years there have been trees across the channel that required a portage so be alert. The other issue to be aware of is the dense riverside vegetation. At spring flows the alder trees extend into the river and the banks are generally very brushy.
For those who want a shorter run of the best whitewater you can run just the first 6 miles and take out at the Forest Road 62 Bridge. If you have more time it's worth continuing downstream another 4.6 miles. The first couple miles of the lower section continue at the same pace as above with some great surf spots. The action then begins to taper off and you encounter a number of cabins as you approach the Chiwawa Loop Road Bridge. For an even longer run you can continue on down to the Wenatchee River. Just downstream of the confluence the Wenatchee River passes under the Beaver Valley Road Bridge. In 2017 Chelan PUD constructed parking and river access at their Plain Substation on the downstream river right side of the bridge.
River Features
Huckleberry, Put In
An unmarked dirt road just past the turn for Grouse Creek Campground leads down to a dispersed camping area at Huckleberry that serves as the put-in.
Grouse Creek Campground
Alternate access point on river left at a Forest Service Group Campground. The campground can be reserved by a group and accomodates up to 50 campers and up to 30 vehicles.
Surfer's Corner
A nice surf ledge where the river hits a big wall and heads off to the left. River mile 10.8.
Meadow Creek Campground
Primitive campground with providing access to the river on right right.
Alternate Access, Forest Road 62
This alternate access can be used as a take-out if you only want to run the upper half. River mile 6.7.
Chiwawa Loop Road, Alternate Access
This access serves as the standard take-out as it avoids the fish trap and the float out to the Wenatchee. Access is available on river right under the Chiwawa Loop Road bridge. River mile 2.1.
Plain Substation, Take Out
This take-out option is on the Wenatchee River (downstream of the confluence where the Chiwawa joins the Wenatchee) at the Chelan PUD Plain Substation. The PUD constructed a parking area and trail to the river on the downstream river right side of the Beaver Valley Road Bridge.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a report2 of us in kayaks ran from a little above Grouse Creek CG to the Chiwawa Loop/Pine Tree Bridge at 1650cfs on 5/9/2026. No blockages/portages anywhere. We took out at the river right side of the bridge. The upstream side has a log pile, but we could catch eddy behind the logs. Fun and bouncy for almost all the way! The eddy is not small, but when the current is fast like today, it can be tricky.
Three of us (2 kayaks and a packraft) paddled the Chiwawa today from Huckleberry Ford to Plain at 960cfs. Lots of wood up high but everything was navigable without portage. Lots of new-looking stream restoration projects on the left bank downstream of the put-in (engineered log jams). Popped out a couple times to scout a few blind corners. Guidebook said 13 miles but we got 16.5 miles on GPS track--went quick but felt like a long day.
Huckleberry ford campground had no signage on chiwawa river road, we found it relatively easily via downloaded maps.
Our first time on this run and it was wonderful.
This is a follow up to previous report about logs in the chiwawa. I have run the river twice recently and the log below meadow creek campground definitely got my attention. Both times I was able to run left of the log without difficulty. Not a lot of room but enough for my kayak with room to spare.
We paddled from Huckleberry Ford campground to Chiwawa Loop Road and found some changes to the river-wide logjams. The first portage around a single log is still there. The bigger logjam just downstream from there is no runnable on river right against the wall. Looks like wood was cut, and can be seen downstream on the right side. Finally, we found a new river-wide tree fallen about 1.25 miles downstream from Meadow Creek Campground. Portage on river right. May be passable on river left, but didn't look good to go to us. Great flows and beautiful natural wood out there!
Was able to make it to the huckleberry campground. Snow is gone. Small patches on turn off to campground. There is one massive log jam 1.1 miles down. Everything else is good.
See my track with pictures here: Chiwawa
I tried to get to Huckleberry campground but the last mile was snow covered. Should be clear in a week. Went down to the alternate takeout and put in there. Very fast moving continuous rapids until the takeout. Only took 52 minutes. No portages. Fun flow. See the track here: Chiwawa
Ran this again the next day at 2800cfs.
We did the run from Huckleberry down to Chiwawa Loop Road (the standard run). It was all good to go except one river-wide log portage (above Surfer's Corner). It was not too bad to portage for kayaks but required some dexterity as there was not a great eddy upstream of the log (just some slower current along the bank). It would be trickier in a raft. We encountered a few logs in play in a few other places along the run but we were able to paddle around them. We did not encounter any access issues and were able to drive to the river at the put-in and take out on river right at Chiwawa Loop Road. Flow was right around 1000 cfs which was bank full and a fun level.
Site visit to access point in Plain constructed by the PUD.
From post on WKC forums. 5/12/16 1700cfs About 15 min river time from the Grouse Creek launch and before the rapid known as 'Thread-the-Needle' is a mid-river island that has both right and left channels blocked by trees. It is a mandatory portage on river left.
Does anyone know if the road to the putin at Huckleberry Crossing has a locked gate on it in 2013?