Cowlitz
3. salmon hatchery to Blue Creek access (The Lower)
March 9, 2025
| Reporter | Sam Westover |
| Gauge Reading | 5000 cfs at COWLITZ RIVER BELOW MAYFIELD DAM, WA |
| Flow | High Runnable |
Four of us (2 canoes, 2 kayaks) from PTCC ran the 7.5 miles between the salmon and trout hatcheries. The current was fast, but even though AW says 5000CFS is above recommended, we didn't have any troubles.
We had a strong headwind that liked to push the canoes off course, but it was a pretty run, with lots of mergansers and other birds. We were on the river for just under 2 hours, including a 20 minute lunch stop. We only passed a few fishing boats until we got close to the trout hatchery, and all were easy to get by.
The AW map has lat/long coordinates for the hatcheries, but they're a little off. Here are more precise locations:
Put-in: 46.51608856335347, -122.63772465187431
Take-out: 46.48399636154291, -122.73061239133085