13 Best Places to See Salmon Spawning Around Seattle, the Eastside and South Sound
Photo:
Underwater view of salmon in a river. Photo: iStock
Kennedy Creek, Mason County
Around 40,000 chum cram into the lower two miles of this creek to spawn each fall. The best viewing is from the 1.5-mile Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail. (Please note that Kennedy Creek has a no-dog policy to protect both the salmon and dogs; dogs are susceptible to poisoning from a parasite in the salmon.)
Location: From Highway 101, turn west at Old Pacific Highway. Follow the signs onto a gravel road to Kennedy Creek. Note: The Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail (KCST) is open Nov. 1–30, 2025, and the trail gate will be open to the public on weekends during that timeframe. You can still access the trail when the gate is closed by parking on Old Olympic Highway and walking 0.5 miles to the trailhead. Visit their website for full details.
When to see salmon: Weekends in November
