Northwoods Creek
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| | Raps:4-8, max ↨200ft
Red Tape:Permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 18 Apr 2026
"First time back in Northwoods for me since 2019... A bunch of new logs down across the creek (likely due to winter storms), but otherwise much as I re |
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| Best season: | Mar-May
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46.0402, -122.0099
46.0540, -122.0173
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Waterflow
Introduction
Something of a seasonal creek located just outside Northwoods, WA. The creek has a long-ish approach, but is likely a good one for beginners with competent leadership. It has some of the easiest creek-walking in the Pacific Northwest, lovely ramp-y drops, and a terrific 150-200ft rappel right in the flow. Worth a visit in the early season; don't bother in summer.
- Area is visited by hunters, so wearing bright colors on the hike in may be a good idea.
- See also Red Tape below. A free permit is required to hike in.
- Watershed: 1.15mi^2. The flow seems to become beginner-friendly somewhere in April to May. More experienced folks might enjoy Northwoods in higher water conditions.
Directions
From the small community of Northwoods, WA, locate the Eagle Cliff store & campground. Across the street take the No 10 Rd (not signed) downwards for 0.4mi to a gate and turnaround. Park here, but don't block the gate. The flow here may or may not be a great representation of what's going on higher up on the creek as it seems to go underground near the bottom. This is the same trailhead for Able Creek.
Approach
Follow the road upward through a giant clear cut ("leave no tree behind!"). Map and GPS useful here as there's a few side-turns and it's easy to walk off down the wrong spur. Great views of Mt. St. Helens on a clear day. Upon entering the woods at the top of the clear cut, reach a junction and go left. Go left at the next junction. This road quickly becomes overgrown, but push on through and persist until you reach the end of the grade. This is a good place to suit up. From here, bushwhack down-slope to the east wherever is easiest. You will reach a small stream first. Cross and pickup an elk trail on the far side, paralleling the tributary until it intersects the main Northwoods Creek. From the end of the grade it's a 5min walk.
Descent
From the drop-in, just follow the creek downstream back to the car. Northwoods Creek is somewhat unique for the amazing amount of bedrock which has been completely swept clean of rocks and other obstacles. Some of the easiest creek-walking in the Pacific Northwest.
A number of the drops on Northwoods Creek are low angle... we've tried to guestimate the vertical height, but sometimes more rope will be required for the rappel given the horizontal distance involved. Be aware when rigging.
- 10ft ramp. Downclimb DCL.
- R1: 10ft. Possible dirty downclimb through the devils club DCL.
A long-ish walk on stretches of bedrock to R2.
- R2: 50ft low-angle drop to a platform. R3 comes immediately.
- R3: 40ft low-angle drop from tree DCR. A single bolt anchor in the DCL wall would be nice and allow rappellers to stay in the flow.
- R4: 12ft step.
- R5: 35ft photogenic ramp-falls.
- R6: Northwoods Falls. The world suddenly drops away underneath you. 200ft+ depending on where you rappel from. We anchored on tree DCL and rappelled a nice line down the DCR side of the falls. Either land on a platform about 150ft below, or run the rope out a full 200ft to the bottom. Stay on the DCR side of the falls or you risk a pendulum. (Platform: it's possible to downclimb, but use caution if it's slippery. Alternatively, rappel 50ft to the bottom from a tree DCR.)
The next two rappels come in rapid succession.
- R7: 80ft. Anchored on a tree on an "island" DCL. Blocky, stair-steppy pitch.
- R8: 45ft.
At the bottom, climb down a chute. Not far below, reach a dumped bullet-marked sports car in the middle of the drainage. Yay.
Exit
Continue down the drainage for 0.25mi to the bridge where you parked. In 2019, there were lots of downed trees in the drainage, just make your way through wherever is easiest. Sometimes it's easier to make your way out of the drainage to one side or the other to make forward progress. In low flow the creek may vanish into the rocks leaving a dry channel until you pick up a tributary entering DCR just before the bridge.
Red tape
Free non-hunting recreational permit from Rayonier Hunting & Recreation is required. "Pope Swift South Non-Hunting Individual" is what you need.