The Nisqually Land Trust is offering two raft trips, each floating a different section, giving the public a unique chance to see a different side of the Nisqually River.
“You may not realize how wild and scenic the Nisqually is,” Land Trust executive director Joe Kane said in a prepared statement. “This river is close to home, yet 75 percent of the river’s lower 42 miles – from Alder Dam to the delta – is permanently protected, undeveloped and relatively inaccessible. Rafting is really the best way to see the Nisqually and its eagles, hawks, deer, and other wildlife.”
The first trip departs Saturday from the Nisqually’s confluence with the Mashel River, near Eatonville. This 13-mile trip passes along several Land Trust properties, including the three-mile length of one of the trust’s largest holdings, Powell Creek, which includes stands of mature forest.
“Nearly every mile along this stretch of river is permanently protected by the Land Trust or our partners,” Kane said in the statement. “This is a beautiful illustration of what cooperative conservation can achieve.”
The July 29 trip covers 10 miles of the lower Nisqually, starting near Yelm and travels along a river corridor protected in large part by Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the Nisqually Indian Tribe. The stretch is rich with towering old-growth forests and lush aquatic habitat.
The family friendly trips are meant for those ages 6 years and older and are professionally outfitted and guided by Wildwater River Tours. Each trip lasts four-five hours and includes a catered riverbank lunch.
Reservations are $100 per person.
For reservations and further information, call the Nisqually Land Trust at 360-489-3400 or go to the Trust’s website at www.nisquallylandtrust.org.
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