Salmon la Sac is a rapid on the Cle Elum River at the bridge by Salmon La Sac Campground in Kittitas County, Washington, about 16.2 miles northwest of Cle Elum.
The falls
American Whitewater rates the rapid at the campground bridge Class III and the 3.7-mile stretch that begins just below it Class II. Upstream, the same rapid finishes the Class IV to V China Gorge run.
Getting there
The China Gorge take-out is on river right, just upstream of the bridge at the campground day-use area, and the lower reach's put-in is beside the campground entrance. Its take-out is downstream on river left at the Forest Road 4308 bridge, 3.69 miles down. Salmon La Sac Campground itself is 19 miles north of Cle Elum on Highway 903/Salmon La Sac Road, and camping there is closed from October through April.
When to go
The snowmelt-fed water below the rapid typically runs in June and stays extremely cold even on warm days; moderate runoff gives the best conditions. Boaters have reported 2,000 to 3,000 cubic feet per second as a good level and 2,250 cfs as a nice one, though neither is a published range.
On site
The rapid can be watched from the road. Wood is a recurring hazard on the Cle Elum River, so current local conditions should be checked before running China Gorge. As of September 2026 the campground was under Stage 2 fire restrictions, and pets must be kept on a leash.
History and name
The bridge rapid has hosted the Salmon La Sac Whitewater Slalom Race since 1962.
Nearby
Little Salmon la Sac is about 1.3 miles away. Nixon Rapids and Cabinet Rapids are each roughly 48 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.