The White Salmon is a Class III-IV river with a runnable Class V drop, Husum Falls. This river is an amazing spot for intermediate kayakers. With its crystal clear waters, canyons, and lush greenery, this is an ideal spot to start or continue your kayaking career. More than 25 miles of the White Salmon is designated Wild and Scenic territory. This river flows for 45 miles before joining the Columbia River. The White Salmon is located in south-central Washington and the surrounding towns are White Salmon and Bingen.
In 1913, the Condit Dam was installed to produce hydropower. The Dam disrupted the salmon and steelhead and forced them to the lower three miles of the river. This was due to the fact that a fish ladder had not been installed in the dam. All in all, the Dam caused many more wildlife problems than it did power. In 2011, the dam was removed and now its former location is almost unrecognizable. The destruction of the dam connected White Salmon to the Columbia River. With the Condit Dam removed, the fish only have the Bonneville Dam to overcome, but this has a fish ladder.
Buck, Mill, Dry, Gilmer, Trout Lake and Rattlesnake Creeks are all tributaries coming into White Salmon. Other rivers surrounding this river are the Little White Salmon, Hood River and the Klickitat. It got its name from the abundance of salmon returning to the creek. The river is formed through glacial runoff coming down a volcano called Mount Adams.
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