Palouse River Paddle Tour (Colfax-Shields Road)

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Distance: 14 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Paddling time: 3-5 hours

Season: Late winter and spring; sometimes late fall.

Maps: USGS Colfax North, Diamond, Endicott

Info: USGS Water Resources Office in Spokane, 353-2633

PADDLING TRIP NOTES:

Access: Put-in: Behind Les Schwab Tire Co. on State Highway 26 at Colfax.

Take-out: From junction of U.S. Highway 195 in Colfax, follow Highway 26 east toward Dusty for 3-3/4 miles and turn right (north) at the Whitman County Fairgrounds onto Endicott Road. Drive 5-1/3 miles, passing through the small town of Diamond, and turn right (north) onto Shields Road. Follow graveled road 2-1/2 miles to bridge over Palouse River.

NOTE: No public parking or access provided. Be respectful of private land. Limit vehicles at put-in to one or two. At take-out, there’s room for two or three vehicles on county road right of way at northeast side of bridge. Do not block farmer access to gates.

Attractions: Travel back through time to see Palouse countryside somewhat as it was before the dramatic changes made by farming. River winds along steep basalt cliffs, timbered slopes, with surprising paddling action for those who hit the short window of opportunity in spring. Area rich with wildlife including deer, kingfishers, geese, hawks, muskrats, otters.

Hazards: One Class 3 rapid; some choices to be made when stream braids into channels.

Comments: Virtually all land along this trip is privately owned. Several gravel bars provide responsible rest stops below high-water mark.

Trip begins behind Les Schwab, goes under Highway 26 bridge and through channelized area. Suddenly, wild flavor begins, with route choices around midstream islands.

Watch for Class 3 drop of roughly 3 feet on stretch of river heading north. Plenty of room to portage on river right. Big standing wave poses formidable challenge. Sharp basalt ledge might force even accomplished canoeists to portage in lower flows.

From here on, riffles not much of an issue, except in riffle areas and sharp bends where maneuvering required. Some good waves and tricky paddling be found toward end of route for boats that choose wrong channel in braided sections.

Watch for abandoned railroad tunnel that disappears into ridge and reappears after you make long bend.

Only major detraction on trip is illegal garbage dump near Harpole. Winter floods in 1997 washed garbage downstream for miles.

Be sure to respect private property at take-out.

Late winter and early spring provides only reliable window of flows high enough to make this trip without bouncing canoes on rocks.

Ideal flows for this section roughly 2,500 cfs to 4,500 cfs on Hooper gauge (site No. 13351000). Internet users can check USGS web site at http://wwwdwatcm.wr.usgs.gov/. Go to “current hydrological data,” then click on “realtime water resources” data.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Map of paddle tour

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