| Difficulty | IV-V |
| Length | 8.5 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Wind R. @ Stabler |
| Flow Rate as of 2 hours | 2.39 ftbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 28, 2026 |
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
Upper Trout Creek is a high quality, steep, class V run. Be very mindful of wood as it is abundant. It is similar style and comparable or harder than getting busy on The Little White Salmon. For additional information see the Trout Creek description on Rackley's Oregon Kayaking site.
Lower Trout Creek is an excellent quality alternate put in to the upper wind river for those seeking some steeper lower volume creeking prior to the big water feel of the Upper Wind. Park next to the bridge in Stabler, which is the former site of the hemlock dam, and a small trail will take you down to the river. The general character of Trout is somewhat technical class IV boulder gardens that build in intensity as you approach the confluence of the Wind. There are plenty of eddies so boat scouting all rapids is easy. Due to the lower volume nature of the run it is a good idea to be heads up for wood, though generally, it is pretty clean. There is one manky ledge about 1/2 mile below the put-in that isnot very intuitive from a boat scout and is best run center left. Vibey creeking continues for another mile or so when the action picks up. After a mankier entrance into two sweet airplane boofs, cutting hard right is best as the ledge on the left lands on sharp rocks at all but high flows. Afterwards the action continues into the braided shallow confluence of the Wind, there is some pin potential in this last section.
Flows: There is no online gauge on Trout creek but is usually in at a very low level when the stabler gauge is reading over 6 ft. Most prefer Trout when the gauge is over 6.5. There is a rock with a pothole cup on river right directly below the put-in bridge. If the cup has water Trout is good, the quality of Trout improves as it gets higher but the Wind becomes class V at over 6.5 feet.
Access for Trout Creek at the bridge.
Access is on river left on the upstream side of the bridge at the former Hemlock Dam site. This is the Putin for the Lower Trout Section.
This is the location where Trout Creek joins the Wind River. No access is available at this location but boaters can continue on to run the Upper Wind.
Apr 2, 2012
The tree in the last drop before the confluence has shifted, so the drop is now runnable. At high flows can go right over the ledge above it, and at lower flows you can probably run the left closer to the tree and then cut right just above it.