Canyon Creek (North Cascades)
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| | Difficulty:2B (v1a2) Raps:
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| Best season: | Jul-Sep (avg for this region)
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48.1103, -121.9695
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Introduction
Taken from canyoneeringnorthwest.com:
There are 27 “canyon creeks” in Washington. This one is a tributary of the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River and is near the town of Granite Falls. The last mile before the confluence has a gorgeous canyon with some nice narrows. It is one of the best opportunities to see a beautiful canyon, which requires little effort, and is fairly close to Seattle. The canyon is nontechnical and requires no equipment beyond a wetsuit. The watershed is over 55 square miles, so there is a significant water flow. There is some swimming in current. Unless you are in a kayak, this one is for late summer.
From the east end of Granite Falls, turn left on South Alder Ave. which is also the Mountain Loop Highway. Go 1.9 miles, and turn left onto Canyon Road. Go 0.7 miles and park at a school bus turn out on the left (if school is not in session). There is a sign on the right indicating a public fishing access. A short trail leads to the creek. The hike ends at a bridge crossing the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River. This bridge can be reached from highway 92. On the west end of Granite Falls go north one mile on Jordan Road. Without a vehicle shuttle, it is a five mile road walk back to the start.
The creek goes under a bridge and starts out in a shallow bedrock canyon with houses on both sides. The canyon soon deepens and narrows and the houses disappear. There is a lot of scrambling over boulders and a fair amount of swimming. In places the canyon walls soar hundreds of feet. Eventually the canyon ends, and a house appears on the right. Walk down the banks of the creek a third of a mile to the confluence with the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River. Turn right, and head down stream a few hundred yards to the above mentioned bridge. The total length is 1.3 miles. Allow one and a half to two hours.
Approach
Descent
Exit
Red tape
Beta sites
CanyoneeringNorthwest.com (archive.org) : Canyon Creek (Snohomish County)- Super Amazing Map : Canyon Creek (Snohomish County)