THE BLACK RIVER IS INDEED ALL THAT IT IS ALL THIS IS REPORTED TO BE AS A
BIRDING AREA. THERE A FEW INTERESTING MAMMALTHAT MAYBE ENCOUNTERED-BEAVER,
MUSKRAT, NUTRIA AND RIVER OTTER. FAMILY GROUPS MAYBE OBSERVED AS WELL.

THE BLACK RIVER IS AN INTERESTING HISTORIC TRADE ROUTE. BOTH PRIOR TO AND
DURING THE EARLY SETTLEMENT PERIODE AS WELL. NATIVE AMERICANS FROM THE
COLUMBIA R COUNTRY TRADED WITH PUGET SOUND TRIBES AND NORTHWARD USING THE
BLACK R AS A CONNECTING LINK --FROM THE COLUMBIA UP THE COWLITZ TO A
TRIBUTARY STREAM DRAINING THE NEWAUKUM RIDGE. A PORTAGE WAS NECESSARY TO
REACH THE CHEHALIS RIVER ALTHO THE NEWAUKUM MAINSTEM MAY HAVE BEEN USED AS
WELL TO REACH THE CHEHALIS. LOGGING HAS DESTROYED TRACES OF THE PORTAGE NOW.
ONCE ON THE CHEHALIS PADDLE DOWN THE CHEHALIS TO THE CONFLUENCE WITH THE
BLACK UP (NORTH)THE BLACK TO BLACK LAKE -PADDLE TO NORTH END OF THE LAKE
THEN DOWN THE SMALL STREAM (NOW NAMED PERCIVAL CR) TO PUGET SOUND. THE REACH
OF THE BLACK FROM BLACK LAKE TO 3 ABOUT 3 MILES NORTH FROM LITTLE ROCK IS
NEARLY IMPASSABLE NOW DUE BEAVER DAMS AND LARGE WOODY DEBRIS (IT WAS SO 5 OR
6 YEARS AGO I TRIED IT SEVERAL TIMES BUT GAVE UP-- COULD HEAR POWER BOATS ON
THE LAKE HOWEVER.

I'M SURE THE GREEN ABALONE FROM SOUTHERN CAL AND USED BY NORTHERN TRIBES
MUST HAVE COME THIS WAY PRIOR TO HISTORIC TIMES.

HUDSON BAY TRADERS USED THIS ROUTE BOTH WAYS AND THE WILKES EXPEDITION
EXPLORED THIS RIVER AS WELL A LOCAL GROUP FROM CENTRALIA AND VICINITY
ORGINIZED A 2-DAY CANOE TRIP IN CELEBRATION OF THE US BICENTENAL COMPLETE
WITH DECALS FOR THE CANEOS.SOME THE SAME CANOES WENT DOWN THE McKENSIE
RIVER TO THE ARCTIC OCEAN SPORTING THE DECALS. MORE RECENTLY WHEN THE PORK
BARRLE WAS FULL OF FAT A SHIP CANAL WAS PROPOSED USING THIS SAME ROUTE TO
AVOID THE HAZARDS OF SAILING AROUND THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA. THIS PROJECT ONLY
MADE IT TO THE MAP STAGE.

LOW WATER IS NOT BAD THERE ARE SEVERAL GRAVEL RIFFLES IN THE MID REACH OF
THE BLACK SLOW PASSABLE WATERS IN THE UPPER AND LOWER REACHES.

SUGGEST ONE PUT IN AT THE LITTLE ROCK FISHERMAN ACCESS 2+ MILE SOUTH OF LR
ON THE LR/ROCHESTER ROAD. AN INTERESTING SIDE TRIP OFF THE MAINSTEM IS TURN
RIGHT AT THE REMAINS OF A WOODED LOGGING RR BRIDGE. PADDLE N UP THE SLOUGH
THAT PARALLEL THE RIVER THRU A NRROW PASSAGE WAY SOMETIMES BLOCKED BY A
BEAVER DAM GO ON INTO THE UPPER POOL TO THE NORTH END.THE HEAD ON IT. YOU
WILL FIND EVIDENCE OF INFLOW FROM SPRINGS THAT CLEAR THE MUCK OFF THE GRAVEL
BED. ORGIN OF THE SPRINGS IS PROBABLY THE BLACK HILL TO THE NW. THERE USE TO
BE VISIBLE LARGE OPEN THROATS IN BOTTOW OF THE POOL THAT WERE FORMED BY BIG
SPRINGS IN THE PAST. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THEM RECENTLY. HEAD OF THE
POOL GOOD PLACE TO EAT A MID MORNING SNACK. WALK NORTH ALONG THE RIPARIAN
ZONE GOOD WILLOW SWAMP TO RIGHT AND TO THE WEST ARE MIMA MOUNDS. NOW STATE
LAND. FLOWERS ARE A SIGHT TO BEHOLD -ESPECIALLY THE SHOOTING STARS.

ONE OF OUR SONS FOUND EVIDENCE OF FIRE PITS AND FLINT CHIPS NEAR THE PULL
OUT POINT. THAT WAS 20 YRS AGO. HE WAS A UW ARCHAEOLOGIST MAJOR. REST OF THE
TRIP IS FOR BIRDING AS OTHERS HAVE REPORTED. OH, I HAVE SEEN AN OLD PHOTO
OF A SMALL JURY RIGGED PADDLE STEAMER THAT RAN BETWEEN OAKVILLE AND LOCAL
POINTS UP TO LITTLE ROCK. AND, DURIING THE *GREAT WAR* A CANAL WAS
CONSTRUCTED TO DRAIN THE MEADOWS NORTH OF LITTLE ROCK FOR AGRICULTURAL
PURPOSES. THAT IS STILL VISIBLE AND WAS FULL JUNK BUT PADDLEABLE IN THE
EARLY '80'S
ENOUGHT HISTORY FOR NOW HOPE THIS WILL YOU SOME HISTORIC FEELINGS FOR THE
BLACK WHILE BIRDING. BILL