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Whitewater timing varies with scouting, portages, and group pace. Use as a planning baseline.
Description
Below the confluence with the Gray Wolf river the Dungeness river flows through a beautiful section of river with mature forests and consistent gradient over the course of the run. The typical season is November through July with good rain events in the winter and then snowmelt that can continue into the early part of summer. There are no big drops on the run but the river serves up continuous action with class II and III whitewater.
Although the channel is relatively wide, you can expect wood to be in play and it is not uncommon to have a couple of channel-spanning pieces. Several engingeered structures installed in recent years have compounded the hazards of this run. Don't commit to any blind corners as eddies can be limited in places and wood hazards can come up quick. Towards the lower half of the run there are a few islands where you may find it important to pick the clean channel.
Be sure to scout the take-out so you recognize it. You will know you are getting close when you start to see infrastructure associated with the hatchery (water pipes, etc.) on river left but the actual take-out point has few defining features.
ACCESS: To reach the put-in from Highway 101 mile 267.4 take Palo Alto Road south through farmlands and into the foothills of the Olympics. This road is paved all the way and in 8.0 miles you will see a turnoff to the right (FR 2880) for Dungeness Forks Campground. Follow this road 1.0 miles down to the Dungeness River. You will come to a bridge across the Dungeness River just upstream of the Gray Wolf confluence at Dungeness Forks Campground (one of the nicer Forest Service campgrounds in the Olympics). The put-in is on river right upstream of the bridge and you can hike up to run the final rapids of the upper run. Alternatively, you can cross the Dungeness to river left and continue on FR 2880 about a mile. Turn right onto FR 2870 at the Y and you will soon be at the bridge across the Gray Wolf. This alternative put-in adds another 0.7 mile to the run on the lower section of the Gray Wolf.
To reach the take- out, head back out to Highway 101 and head west to mile 262.0 (just west of the bridge across the Dungeness) and turn south on the Taylor cut-off. Follow this road 2.7 miles and then turn left on May Road. In another 0.3 miles head right on Fish Hatchery Road. There is a small public parking area at the hatchery. The river is a couple hundred yards away so be sure to scout it out so you recognize it when you see it.
for additional information see:
- Korb, G. 1997. A paddlers guide to the Olympic Peninsula. third edition.
- Hood Canal Ranger District, North - USFS Olympic National Forest web site