While most of us are trying to stay dry as the wet season sets in, King County Parks’ partner American Whitewater (AW) is no doubt gearing up for some wet and wild runs on the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River this winter and spring.

According to American Whitewater, out here in King County, we’ve got some of the best ‘urban’ whitewater runs, with the Middle-Middle Fork located just 40 minutes outside of Seattle. From AW’s website:

“For local paddlers, the 7.6-mile Middle-Middle run is a popular “escape” that can be paddled on weekday evenings particularly during late spring when the river is fed by snowmelt from the Western Cascades. The river is also popular throughout the rainy season when winter storms provide ample flows for whitewater boating.

In addition to many of the region’s paddlers who consider this river their local run, the Middle-Middle attracts paddlers from across the country who come to sample the region’s rich outdoor recreational resources.”

For several years now, King County Parks has collaborated with the US Forest Service, WA Department of Natural Resources, the City of North Bend, Mountains to Sound Greenway, and the Middle Fork Outdoor Recreation Coalition, among other partners, to develop the river’s recreation potential. By formalizing put-in and take-out points, like the one pictured above at Dorothy Bridge and the one at Tanner Landing Park (currently under development),  King County Parks is providing safe public access to the river for kayaking, canoeing, rafting, and wading while also protecting ecologically sensitive riparian areas.