Sam's
500 Bridge to Queets Campground
| Difficulty | IV-V |
| Length | 9 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Reach Info Last Updated | May 20, 2025 |
Projects
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River Description
The Sams River is a remote and challenging whitewater run defined by three distinct gorges—Yosemite Sam, Son of Sam, and Play it Again Sam—each offering a unique flavor of challenge. The action begins immediately with a class IV drop near the put-in at the 500 Spur Bridge, quickly escalating into the first gorge, Yosemite Sam, which holds the river’s most difficult and committing whitewater. This section features sustained class IV/IV+ rapids, including a major class V drop, and demands precise scouting or portaging. Once through, paddlers are likely to face a mile of log-choked river requiring several portages around large wood.
The second gorge, Son of Sam, is shorter but still packs a punch, culminating in a technical drop beneath a dramatic log-choked falls. Afterward, the river eases into a boulder-strewn stretch of class III rapids—straightforward at higher flows but rocky at low water—before tightening again into Play it Again Sam. This final gorge offers more moderate whitewater with and opportunities to enjoy the dramatic scenery. Though slightly mellower than the earlier sections, it still includes ledge drops and occasional wood hazards, rounding out a diverse and adventurous run.
Access: The put-in can be reached from Highway 101 mile 137.5 where you take FR 21 east (this is also marked as West Boundary Road). Follow FR 21 to mile 8.2 and turn left onto FR 2180. Follow this road approximately 7 miles to the end. From here it is a couple mile hike down the old road (now decommissioned), bear left at the Y, and head towards the river along the route of the old 500 spur road which crosses the river at the old bridge serving as the put-in. To add another gorge, skip the 500 spur road, and continue hiking along the old bed of FR 2180. Continue 2.5 miles from the Y and follow the creek down to the river. To reach the take-out backtrack out towards the point where we got on FR 2180 and look fo
...River Features
2180 Road End Parking
The put-in can be reached from Highway 101 mile 137.5 where you take FR 21 east (this is also marked as West Boundary Road). Follow FR 21 to mile 8.2 and turn left onto FR 2180. Follow this road approximately 7 miles to the end. From here it is a couple mile hike down the old road (now decommissioned), bear left at the Y, and head towards the river along the route of the old 500 spur road which crosses the river at the old bridge serving as the put-in. To add another gorge, skip the 500 spur road, and continue hiking along the old bed of FR 2180. Continue 2.5 miles from the Y and follow the creek down to the river.
2180-500 Bridge Access
This is the access point where you put your boat in the water at the old bridge crossing but you can no longer drive to this point with the road decommissioned.
Yosemite Sam Gorge
The first gorge, 'Yosemite Sam', begins with the challenging class V rapid, 'Yosemite Sam Slam'. It's tricky to spot as the river sharply bends left; you'll glimpse it through the trees on the hike in. For a safe portage, exit on river left about 100 yards before the river bends out of sight (hike back to the road). You can also navigate the class III+ lead in to the edge of 'Yosemite Sam Slam'. An eddy behind a bedrock peninsula on river left offers a challenging portage along a steep bank. 'Yosemite Sam Slam' features a dramatic S-turn where the river drops approximately 25 feet in two significant pitches, with a recovery pool below. The remainder of the 'Yosemite Sam' gorge is IV/IV+ and can be read and run. The final drop in the gorge is a careful scout at V-, with an easy portage or scout on river left if done early. The 70-yard drop includes three 2-3' (Class III+) ledges followed by a 5-6' drop, combining for a Class IV+ to V- challenge.
Son of Sam Gorge
The second gorge is called 'Son of Sam' and is the shortest of the three. It starts out with some great rapids that are pretty easy to boat scout but then ends with a split falls called 'Son of Sam Slam'. This rapid is worthy of a careful scout and potential portage. It is a 6 ft falls that is easy to recognize because 3 ft diameter logs are suspended 10 ft above the drop--jammed between the gorge walls during a flood. It's best to eddy out early and way upstream due to the difficulty of portaging from the most proximate eddies on river left or right.
Play It Again Sam
The final gorge is called 'Play it Again Sam' and the first ledge drop is called 'Play it Again Sam Slam'. This first drop can most likely be boat scouted, but it's got a couple holes lurking behind the boulders. This final gorge is longer than the first two and the whitewater is a notch lower in degree of difficulty. There are some great play spots as the river settles onto the Queets Valley. Once again you'll probably have a log portage or two.
Queets Trailhead Take Out
The Queets Trailhead is rustic and lightly used, featuring a small parking area, trail signage, and no reliable amenities. To reach this access turn off Highway 101 at mile 137.5 where you take FR 21 east (this is also marked as West Boundary Road). Follow FR 21 to mile 8.2 and turn left onto FR 2180 and follow the signs where this road forks to the left at FR 2180-100 (aka Q2100). This road heads down to the Queets River corridor. Head upstream to the end of the road at the trailhead right at the Sams River confluence (road mile 13.7). The campground is located 0.2 mile downstream.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportGorges were all clear of wood as of 11/22/20. We only had two portages, both in the braided section below the last gorge. The rapids seemed much easier than the description. The entrance drop and Yosemite Sam felt like IV+ or V-, everything else felt like IV. I'd describe our flow as a medium low (6k on the Queets and falling). We had slightly less water than shown in the Yosemite Sam picture.
Eric and I camped at the Queets Campground the evening before and then ran Sam’s together. It was a good level around 4400 cfs on the Queets. A couple of the drops were a bit low but it was a nice level for Yosemite Sam Slam. All drops had a clean line and were runnable. There were half a dozen wood portages in the alluvial sections between the canyons.