Douglas Fir Campground to Mt. Baker Highway
Washington – US
- Class
- II+ to III
- Length
- 9 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 50.02 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 1,007 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 557 Feet
- Typical season
- April to October
Current Flow
631 CFS
Gauge height: 2.86 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 10:15 PM
▼ -0.92/hr (12h) ▼ -0.46/hr (24h)
Don't bother
- Primary gauge
- NF NOOKSACK RIVER BL CASCADE CREEK NR GLACIER, WA Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 650 |
| Average | 1,200 |
| Maximum | 2,100 |
Recommended use
- Kayaking
- Rafting
- Canoeing
- SUP
- Packrafting
- Fishing
Struck-through craft are not recommended for this run.
Flow history — last 6 days
No gauge history recorded in the last 6 days.
Photos
No photos added for this run yet.
Description
The first 3 to 4 miles of this run contain the best rapids. After that the canyon opens up and the river widens and meanders down towards Maple Falls. The river is very scenic here but the difficulty drops to class II which is good for beginning kayakers.
Late in the season there are river use restrictions because of spawning Chinook fish. Check with the local fish and wildlife division if you plan on floating late in the season or at low water levels.
Near the douglas fir campground there is a decent play wave. See below or the map for details.
There is also an annual slalom river race on this section of the Nooksack. Click here for more details on that.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snowater Rapid | III | 800–2,000 | This rapid is a good park and play spot for kayakers (between 800 to 2000 CFS). Put in at the douglas fir bridge float down and surf with eddy access on river left. Then ferry across the river and walk back up through the campground to your car. Otherwise continue floating down. |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | Bridge by Douglas Fir Campground | 1,007 Feet | Yes | Yes | No | All Vehicles | Take the Mount Baker highway (542) east from Kendall and Maple Falls WA. Eventually the highway will cross the Nooksack river just below the Douglass Fir Campground. There is a parking lot on the right hand side just after you cross over the bridge. This is on USFS land so access issues aren't a problem. |
| Take-Out | Mount Baker Highway | 557 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | The take out on this section is not the best. Most of the land in this area is privately owned and therefore makes access and issue. This is a section of road that is close to the river but parking is limited. |
Camps
No river camps added yet.
Permit
No permit is required, or permit info hasn't been added yet.
Fishing
No fish species have been associated with this run yet.
External Links & Resources
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Community Run Notes
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