White Salmon
2 - Trout Lake to Green Truss Bridge(Farmlands)
| Difficulty | IV-V |
| Length | 5.2 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 60 fpm |
| Gauge | White Salmon River Near Underwood, Wa |
| Flow Rate as of 46 minutes | 988 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | June 6, 2024 |
Projects
Washington’s legendary volcanoes – Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams – are the source of wild, free-flowing rivers and streams that cascade over big drops and through deep basalt canyons on their way to the Columbia River. Rivers like the Clear Fork of the Cowlitz, Cispus, Green, [...]Read More
Working closely with partner organizations, American Whitewater has played a leading role in stewardship projects addressing both conservation and public access on the White Salmon River in Washington. Over decades of advocacy, we have helped secure federal Wild and Scenic designation, established public access points, and supported the complete [...]Read More
River Description
Dramatic gorge with numerous ledge drops that rate class IV-V set in the agricultural lands around Trout Lake that gives this section its name of the Farmlands run. The run is normally paddled during the snowmelt season of April to June. Lava Dam and Off Ramp are the big drops that can be portaged.
Check out the Farmlands section of the White Salmon page on Jason Rackley's site
Logistics: Follow Hwy. 14 along the Columbia River and at mile 63.6 take Alt Hwy 141 north (this turn is a couple miles to the west of the Hood River bridge across the Columbia). Continue 2.2 miles to the junction with Hwy. 141 and then follow this north towards Trout Lake.
The recommended take-out is located on private land, owned and managed by Lupine Forest LLC, where an informal kayaker trail originates at Hwy. 141 mile 17.3 across the highway from Carr Road just upstream of the Green Truss Bridge. It's 200 yards from the highway down to the river. The bank is steep but not as treacherous as the climb up the cliff band at the historic Green Truss Bridge access immediately downstream. Parking for this site is located at a DNR site a short distance down the B-700 Road which heads west from the junction of Carr Road with Hwy. 141. Please treat this site with respect and recognize that it is private propoerty. Dispersed recreation use at this site is permitted but it is a privilege and it is important that we be responsible users. The traditional access site was at the Green Truss Bridge located at Hwy. 141 mile 17.1 where the private Winegartner road turns off the highway to the river to the Green Truss Bridge. Access was up the cliff band on the downstream river right side of the bridge. It is a hazardous take-out and there have been injuries. If you do use this access please treat the site as load/unload only and do not park at the access point or blo
...River Features
Sunnyside Road Put In
The traditional access site has been on the upstream river left of the Sunnyside Bridge but the site is private property and parking is very limited.
Sidewinder
Rapid that is also used as an access point but includes private land. Parking is limited and maintainng a positive relationship with local residents is important.
Lava Gorge
Triple Drop
Off Ramp Rapid
Green Truss Bridge Take Out
The take-out is on private land, previously owned by SDS Timber but now owned by The Conservation Fund as the Lupine Forest. Please treat this access point with respect. The preferred access point is upstream of the Truss Bridge on river right directly across from Carr Road.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportSite visit to access facilities on the Farmlands Run.
Scouting access sites on the Farmlands Run.
There's new subsurface wood in the outflow of Off Ramp as of 7/9/11. Just a couple of twigs are above the surface at 3.6, and it look like a fir or hemlock. It looks and feels as if there is a larger stem sticking into the left bank where the current is. There's hearsay that someone was stuck on it, but I haven't heard from anyone who has actually seen a pin..
The Farmlands section is a lot of fun. Lava Falls is the largest vertical drop of the run, but there was still plenty of gradient to enjoy
That's why we do it!
This drop is under the Green Truss bridge and just above the takeout.