Colville River Paddle Tour
Check it out Distance: 7 miles Difficulty: Moderately difficult Paddling time: 2-5 hours Season: Feb. through Dec. Maps: USGS Chewelah, Addy Info: USGS Water Resources Office in Spokane, 353-2633
Paddling trip notes
Access: To reach put-in from Chewelah, Wash., drive north two miles on U.S. Highway 395. Between mileposts 209 and 210, turn west onto Steinmetz-Old Chewelah Highway. Then turn right (north) behind LDS church onto Steinmetz Road and go one mile to put-in at bridge.
Route has three take-out options from Highway 395:
Duncan Road: Turn west off Highway 395 just south of milepost 212 and go 1/8 mile to bridge.
Bluecreek: Turn west at milepost 213 and drive short way to put-in at bridge. Parking available short way farther at railroad crossing.
Addy: Turn west onto Addy-Gifford Road between milepost 215 and 216. Wind through town 1/2 mile, crossing railroad tracks to bridge and small parking area at river.
Highway mileage from Steinmetz Road to Addy: 7-2/3 miles.
Attractions: Colville River maintains floatable levels in summer. Stream generally freezes bank-to-ban only about four weeks a year. Provides primitive experience along major highway. Floating generally easy, but made technical by occasional log jams as river - barely wider than canoe - winds through brushy areas ripe with wildlife. Seeing other paddlers unlikely. Cattle more common.
Hazards: Log jams. Occasional fence strung across river. No clearance under bridges in high water.
Comments: Virtually entire route courses through private land. Without permission from landowners, paddlers must stay on river except for brief portages around log jams.
Portages through thick, thorny brush. Wear knee-high rubber boots or hip waders. Avoid shorts, short-sleeve shirts and sandals. Keep boat light with minimal gear. ABS or fiberglass boats highly recommended for ease in dragging over logs.
Colville Valley historically known for flooding. In 1910, farmers used federal and local funds for first of many dredging and straightening projects on river. Improvements for farming have been to detriment of wildlife, expecially waterfowl. Remaining oxbows and sloughs hold wildlife such as white-tailed deer and waterfowl as well as blue herons, beavers, muskrats and variety of songbirds.
First stretch of this route, from Chewelah to Bluecreek, is gnarliest, with most potential for log jams. Bluecreek to Addy is slightly easier with fewer and easier portages.
WARNING: In spring, water levels can be bank high. Avoiding log jams can be difficult. Clearance under railroad trestles or farm bridges can be nil.
Debris collecting at log jams is unpleasant. If every floater collected some junk, river scenery would improve. Gallon milk jugs common. Ranchers fill them with water and attach with wire to stabilize fences across stream.
Colville River holds some rainbow trout in upper reaches. Brown trout inhabit lower stretches.
Routine U.S. Geological Survey monitoring on Colville River occurs only near Kettle Falls. However, flows in Addy area are roughly HALF of flows recorded at Kettle Falls, should you seek stream flow info.
Long-term data indicate lowest mean flows (at Kettle Falls) are in August with 85 cfs, rising to roughly 115 cfs by October. Mean peak flow months are March with 478 cfs, April with 816 cfs, May with 671 cfs.
At Orin-Rice Road, Colville River is two to three times wider than at Chewelah.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Map of area
The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = COLUMN - Routes: Classic Trips in the Inland Northwest