White Water Paddling in Seattle, WA

With so many snow-fed rivers running down from the Cascades, Washington is a terrific state for white water rafting. The Skykomish River, also known as “Sky River,” or just “The Sky” is the go-to destination from Seattle. The entire river is almost 30 miles long, with sections of everything from beginner to expert rapids. The 9-mile stretch from the edge of Gold Bar to Sultan, which includes fun class II rapids, is a good place to start. With wild yet forgiving rapids and plenty of summer sunshine, taking the 16-mile ride down the Wenatchee River from Leavenworth to Cashmere also makes for a good, family-friendly adventure. While this run is rated an intermediate Class III, it gets that grade from the rapids’ size rather than their technicality—and every one of them ends in a pool of calmer water, meaning that the stakes are relatively low. This river will be enjoyable for beginners and more advanced paddlers alike.