Big Quilcene River
Encyclopedia
The Big Quilcene River is a river
on the Olympic Peninsula
in the U.S. state
of Washington. It rises in the Buckhorn Wilderness
near Marmot Pass
, south of Buckhorn Mountain, and near Mount Constance
. It flows generally east through the Olympic Mountains
and the Olympic National Forest
. After flowing south briefly the river is joined by Tunnel Creek and again flows east. It cuts through the Quilcene Range of the Olympic Mountains in which it collects a number of tributaries, including Mile And A Half Creek. Near Rainbow Campground the river turns north and is paralleled by U.S. Route 101
. In its last few miles the river turns east and flows by the south side of Quilcene
before emptying into Quilcene Bay, part of Hood Canal
. The Little Quilcene River
enters Quilcene Bay less than a mile to the north.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
on the Olympic Peninsula
Olympic Peninsula
The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington state of the USA, that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the east by Puget Sound. Cape Alava, the westernmost point in the contiguous...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington. It rises in the Buckhorn Wilderness
Buckhorn Wilderness
The Buckhorn Wilderness is a mountainous wilderness area on the northeastern Olympic Peninsula in Washington, USA. Named after Buckhorn Mountain , the wilderness abuts the eastern boundary of Olympic National Park which includes nearby Mount Constance , Inner Constance , Warrior Peak , and Mount...
near Marmot Pass
Marmot Pass
Marmot Pass, at -high, provides a trail corridor through the Buckhorn Wilderness in the Olympic Mountains of Washington state. The pass is situated near Buckhorn Mountain and Iron Mountain . From Marmot Pass, one can see the tallest peaks in the mountain range, and look down at the Dungeness...
, south of Buckhorn Mountain, and near Mount Constance
Mount Constance
Mount Constance is a peak in the Olympic Mountains of Washington and the third highest in the range. It is the most visually prominent peak on Seattle's western skyline. Despite being almost as tall as the ice-clad Mount Olympus to the west, Mount Constance has little in the way of glaciers and...
. It flows generally east through the Olympic Mountains
Olympic Mountains
The Olympic Mountains is a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. The mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are not especially high - Mount Olympus is the highest at - but the western slopes of the Olympics rise directly out of the Pacific...
and the Olympic National Forest
Olympic National Forest
Olympic National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in Washington, USA. With an area of 633,677 acres , it nearly surrounds Olympic National Park and the Olympic Mountain range. Olympic National Forest contains parts of Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, and Mason counties...
. After flowing south briefly the river is joined by Tunnel Creek and again flows east. It cuts through the Quilcene Range of the Olympic Mountains in which it collects a number of tributaries, including Mile And A Half Creek. Near Rainbow Campground the river turns north and is paralleled by U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is an important north–south U.S. highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States...
. In its last few miles the river turns east and flows by the south side of Quilcene
Quilcene, Washington
Quilcene is a census-designated place in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. The population was 591 at the 2000 census.The community is located on the scenic Olympic Peninsula along the seawater-filled glacial valley of the Hood Canal...
before emptying into Quilcene Bay, part of Hood Canal
Hood Canal
Hood Canal is a fjord forming the western lobe, and one of the four main basins, of Puget Sound in the state of Washington. Hood Canal is not a canal in the sense of being a man-made waterway—it is a natural waterway.-Geography:...
. The Little Quilcene River
Little Quilcene River
The Little Quilcene River is a river on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. It rises in Clallam County, near Mount Townsend of the Olympic Mountains. The river flows generally east through the Olympic National Forest. After exiting the higher mountains and the national forest the...
enters Quilcene Bay less than a mile to the north.