Salmon running in Percival Creek

Unlike the well-known salmon viewing at Fifth Avenue bridge, the Percival Creek salmon run is something that few seem to be aware of.

Recently I hiked into Percival Canyon on the Percival Creek Trail, a footpath that runs from Evergreen Park Court Southwest to 15th Avenue Southwest, to view the salmon working their way upstream in the creek. I’ve hiked the Percival Creek Trail often and have never seen salmon. One reason for their absence would be the gate that until recently had been put in place at the entrance to Percival Cove to block salmon from entering the creek so that they would instead swim up the Deschutes to the hatchery.

Typically, the gate would be removed about mid-October when the hatchery had all the eggs and milt needed so the fish were not excluded completely from spawning in the creek. Starting last year the gate has not been installed so salmon are now free to enter Percival Creek throughout the duration of the run.

For me, a strong salmon run in Percival Canyon only a hundred yards from where I live was an exciting find. The steps down to the bridge on the Evergreen Park Court end have been recently redone and storm damage to the bridge has been repaired. Access to the creek bank is steep and slippery but salmon can be viewed from the bridge. There were abandoned homeless camps along the creek so it would be best to visit the area with a group.

This story was originally published October 24, 2016 at 10:32 AM with the headline "Salmon running in Percival Creek."