Fall is here, and salmon are returning to streams and rivers around the Puget Sound. Chinook, coho, chum, sockeye, steelhead, and cutthroat trout exist. They are heading for the streams where they hatched so that they can spawn. They’ll struggle through the current, compete for mates and spawning spots, and then die in the streams (except for the steelhead, which usually returns to the sea). Here are some places to get a glimpse of this amazing journey.
Issaquah Salmon Hatchery: Easy Access and Educational Tours
The Issaquah Salmon Hatchery is not open for guided tours and self-guided audio tours for individuals and small groups.Visit www.issaquahfish.org for more information. The hatchery is located at 125 W. Sunset Way in Issaquah.
See Sockeye on the Cedar River Salmon Journey
Join the Cedar River Salmon Journey and see spawning sockeye – bright red fish with green heads – at four sites along the Cedar River near Renton. Self-guided tours are available and Seattle Aquarium’s Naturalists will be available for questions and short talks. Go to this website for tour details, and kids activities.
Watch Chum and Coho at Carkeek Park’s Piper’s Creek
See hundreds of returning chum and dozens of coho make their way into Piper’s Creek at Carkeek Park throughout November and December. This is the easiest place to see spawning salmon within city limits.
Look for fins and tails in the waters of Piper’s Creek. (Image: iStock)
Self-Guided Salmon Viewing at Bear Creek in Redmond
View sockeye and chinook salmon in Bear Creek from late September to mid-November by visiting a short trail behind Redmond’s Keep It Simple Organics at 12526 Avondale Road N.E. This is a self-guided tour.
Duwamish River Hotspots for Fall Salmon Migration
Visit three sites – Codiga Park, Duwamish Gardens Park and North Wind’s Weir – on the Duwamish River to glimpse pinks, chinook, coho and chum migrate to upstream spawning beds. For more information, check out the county’s SalmonSEEson page. Check out www.DuwamishAlive.org for information about the river, restoration efforts, and special events.
Kelsey Creek and the Mercer Slough Fish Ladder
In October, salmon may return to Kelsey Creek at the Mercer Slough fish ladder south of Southeast 8th Street in Bellevue and at the west tributary at Kelsey Creek Farm Park. A webcam provides views of the creek. Call or email for updates before you go: 425-452-5200 or streamteam@bellevuewa.gov.
Boardwalk Views at Lake Sammamish State Park
Lake Sammamish State Park has a boardwalk trail near where the lake feeds into Issaquah Creek. This is where several salmon species journey from the lake up the creek to the salmon hatchery and beyond. The best viewing occurs mid-September through mid-October, with numbers usually highest in early October. You will need a Discover Pass to park at the state park. There is an automated pay station in the parking lot where you can buy one.
Rare Kokanee Spawning at Ebright and Lewis Creeks
If you are patient and lucky, you might see a little kokanee. They are the same species as sockeye but spend their whole lives in freshwater streams and lakes. From early November through late January, these native fish run at creeks feeding into Lake Sammamish. The runs have been quite small, and scientists are worried the Sammamish kokanee is near extinction. Here’s more information, including a map showing where to look for them.
