fish out of water
Seven great places to marvel at returning salmon
Words by Jennifer Dorothy
Pro tip: to see salmon better, wear polarized glasses. (Photo: Brian Kilpatric)
For thousands of years, salmon have been the primary food source and the lifeblood of those who call the Pacific Northwest home. Salmon symbolize abundance, fertility, prosperity and renewal. Anyone living in or visiting the West Sound recognizes the salmon symbol of Northwest Coast Native American art. They are iconic, revered and central to local tribal culture.
In Kitsap County, residents are fortunate to be able to witness their remarkable migration firsthand. There are a number of viewing sites where you can watch their epic swim home during salmon spawning season, mid-September through mid-November. Here are a few.
Grovers Creek Salmon Hatchery
23175 Indianola Rd. NE, Poulsbo
Located at the head of Miller Bay on
Grovers Creek, this hatchery raises and
releases hundreds of thousands of salmon
each year. Here you can observe salmon
at a variety of life stages, from eggs to
returning adults.
Clear Creek Trail, Ridgetop Pavilion
9228 Ridgetop Blvd., Silverdale
Since the Clear Creek Task Force built
its first trail in 1994, the group’s mission has been to preserve the creek and
educate the community about healthy
salmon habitat. With the Bucklin Hill
Bridge replacing two 72” culverts, salmon no longer have to wait for high tide to
swim upstream to spawn. This location is
wheelchair accessible.
Keta Legacy Rhododendron Preserve
2401 Seabeck Highway, Seabeck
Hike down to the creek to catch a glimpse
of salmon plowing through the creek.
The hike is through a rare old-growth
forest preserve, over rough and steep terrain (1.5 miles round-trip). Dogs are not
allowed in the preserve.
Poulsbo's Fish Park
288 NW Lindvig Way, Poulsbo
This 40-acre park provides great wildlife
viewing opportunities along Dogfish
Creek and into the estuary at the end
of Liberty Bay. Here you can see chum,
coho, and cutthroat trout. This location
is wheelchair accessible.
Salmon Haven at Dickerson Creek
Northlake Way NW and Taylor Rd.,
Bremerton
At this site, where Dickerson Creek
branches off from Chico Creek, you can watch salmon choose their stream based
on where they were born. A picnic shelter lets you enjoy the stream restoration,
rain or shine.
Chico Salmon Viewing Park
3121 Chico Way NW,
Bremerton
Located on five acres in the lower reaches
of the Chico Creek watershed, this unique
area supports natural populations of native
salmonids including chum, coho, steelhead, and cutthroat trout. Restoration
projects in the area have improved salmon
habitat and the ecosystem as a whole.
Jarstad Park
4230 W Belfair Valley Rd.,
Bremerton
This 4-acre city park is located along the
Gorst Creek watershed, which supports
summer and fall runs of Chinook, silver
and coho salmon.
To learn more
Catch a free guided tour with a Salmon Docent through the Washington State University Kitsap County Extension program. November 5, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.extension.wsu.edu/kitsap/water-stewardship
facebook.com/wsukitsapextension
For additional sites, the Kitsap Sun has an online guide at kitsapsun.com/salmon
Site descriptions courtesy of Washington State University Kitsap Water Stewardship Program.