Kanaskat-Palmer State Park by Black Diamond Hill spans both sides of the Green River. McDonald Mountain rises to the east, and Nolte State Park near the south. In addition to hiking, activities here include whitewater rafting and metal detecting.
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Kanaskat-Palmer State Park at a Glance
Access: Cumberland-Kanaskat Road (park info)
Round Trip: 3 miles
Elevation Range: 750′-850′
Essential Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-friendly: yes
Playlist: Ethereal
An Afternoon Along the Green River Gorge
This small, tucked-away camping park is in the quiet community of Ravensdale, Washington. Last month, it was temporarily closed due to hazardous conditions caused by the winter storms. So, we waited until it was clear before making our quick visit.
Driving down to the day-use area when the gates are open during regular hours is possible. But to take advantage of the trails, we started past the ranger station from the plateau. A short walk through the forest would soon bring us down to the shore.
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Viewing Watercraft in Kanaskat-Palmer State Park
The park’s main feature was the Green River along the hiking and biking paths. Luckily, the scenic River Trail hugged the two-mile shoreline with a constant river view. Spur trails leading to the river offered an intimate look at the whitewater.
River rafters and kayakers began appearing the moment we reached the shoreline. Most groups started from the park’s northwest corner, which we passed before the watercraft disappeared. A small part of the trail around the bend was now under high water.
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Return to the Plateau by the Ranger Station
After a brief pause by the empty day-use area, we continued east back in the trees. As we strolled along the river gorge, the elevation slowly rose with the water now below our feet (and paw). Soon, homes with riverfront views started to appear north of the water.
As the path veered south and uphill in the last mile, there were debris piles off to the side. It looked like the park service had done some serious cleaning and pruning. Overall, it was a peaceful outing, as we only met a park worker, three hikers, and two dogs.
See more trip photos here.