Humptulips, E. Fork
1 - FR 2206 access to FR 22 Bridge (Narrows Run)
| Difficulty | III |
| Length | 3.9 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 24 fpm |
| Gauge | Humptulips River Below Hwy 101 Nr Humptulips, Wa |
| Flow Rate as of 45 minutes | 439 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | January 20, 2026 |
River Description
The Narrows section of the Humptulips is one of the true gems of the Olympic Peninsula and a beautiful gorge run suitable for intermediate paddlers. Flowing through a narrow canyon tucked within a strip of old-growth forest gives a strong sense of the Pacific coastal rainforest’s true beauty (you almost forget the clearcuts when you're down in the gorge). The run nearly always has dependable flows through the winter rainy season (November to May) and is a good bet when nearby runs turn out a little lower than expected. Low-elevation snow can make the run inaccessible in winter, even though sufficient flows often exist.
Once you find the river, the first section is characterized by a meandering channel that can collect some impressive log jams. After the first mile or so, the river squeezes over a boulder-choked ledge and into a canyon at the mouth of Flatbottom Creek. The only viable route through this drop is the fish ladder on river left. It’s not the most elegant descent, but it goes. Alternatively, you can usually find a spot to seal launch into the pool at the base of the fish ladder. From this point down to the bridge, the river is constrained between tight bedrock walls.
The gorge features class III rapids around boulders and through narrow chutes, and is very tight in some sections. The primary routes are somewhat technical but not overly demanding, with good recovery stretches between drops. Although the rapids are straightforward, logs do appear, so don’t commit to lines you can’t comfortably boat scout. In some years the gorge has multiple wood hazards; in others it is relatively clean.
You’ll pass a couple of impressive waterfalls. One of the best rapids comes just upstream of Goforth Creek, which enters as the most dramatic waterfall on river right.
The river opens up a bit after passing under the bridge, with a couple more fun rapids before the take-out, which is now along the road. The spur road that once served as the histo
...River Features
Put In
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 to mile 12.9 (just west of the bridge across the East Fork Humptulips). This is FR 2206 and it heads north along the west side of the river. Follow it up to mile 3.2 where a faint trail (an old logging spur that has largely faded back into the forest and now blocked by a berm) heads down into the forest. After about a hundred yards the trail becomes less distinct but if you keep toward the right and follow the elk trails down the hill it should only take about 5 minutes to reach the river.
Take Out
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 to mile 12.6 where the river comes up near the road. Before continuing to the put-in, most continue on to mile 13.0 where FR 22 crosses the river. This gives you a decent visual check on flows and you can take out on the upstream river left side of the bridge if you're hiking your shuttle.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportIt had been a while since I went down this sweet little section of the white waters. The water was wet, but it was a bit low, still fun though. As always, I was a bit worried bout the wood in play, but to my suprise, the fish ladder and most of the run was the cleanest I have ever seen it. There was one river wide log with a tiny little route underneath at this low flow, but this would become a madatory portage at medium-high flows. Luckily, this log isnt in a rapid and it isnt in the steep canyon section, so there should be an eddy/portage route around it at higher levels.
It was dumpin all dat rain all day and I was all like, 'Ah dang mang, I bet dis riva gon' be really wet very soon, ahhh dang', and sure enough, the river blew up over night, going from 1,680 cfs the day of the paddle, to 10,000 cfs the following day. I imagine some new wood is in play. So if you go, always watch for dat wood 'round dem corners. Ah dang.
Love this river.
Ah dang.
On 12/9/18, we put in at 1100 cfs and it was bony but still enjoyable for the scenery and the salmon spawning. Ran the slopy seal launch on river left that drops you in just below the sieve. Be mindful that there is a large boulder just under the surface just downstream from the landing zone.
If you are running this section for your first time (as we were), be careful with the hike-in. If you blindly follow the trail, it will lead you to a large bar that is an impentrable jungle of thorns. Leave the trail before the final steep part and head downstream where the thorny bar ends.
11/17/17 logs in both sides of the center boulder
As of 01/23/2010, the Narrows is clean! Do not run the falls however, as it is backed up with nasty wood, but the Fish Ladder goes and so would the seal launch on the right into the pool below the falls. The Landslide below Goforth Creek is also runnable far right. There is a good hole and some burly water to plow through but is Class IV- at the low flows we saw. You can portage this on river left, if you desire.
Ran the Narrows Satuday, 10/30/2004 @ 2000 cfs on the combined gauge. Plenty of water. One log portage early in the run, above the falls at Flatbottom Creek. All channels were full of wood at the rapid at Goforth Creek. We removed what we could, right side is clean. SCOUT THIS DROP!
No other wood problems, but a couple of very small slots due to wood. Pay attention. A full trip report is posted at this site.
Friends from Wisconsin, Helge and Steve, came out to Washington State and we had a chance to enjoy the East Fork Humptulips. It was a good run at 1850 cfs.
Tom, Dawn, Victor, Ed, and Grace enjoyed a trip through the Narrows with Ed and Grace paddling OC-2 and the rest of us in kayaks. At 620 cfs flows were too low for a proper whitewate run but it was still a scenic trip down the gorge and the river is navigable even at this low flow.
My friends Chiharu and Tadano were visiting from Japan and I wanted to take them on an Olympic Peninsula adventure. I had not run the Humptulips Narrows before and when we arrived snow covered the shuttle road. We hiked up to the put-in through the snow and then descended into the gorge. We barely made it out before nightfall so it was a proper adventure.