"Until we get a good rain." That is how Dr. Jeffrey S. Jensen put it in an October 21 post on his salmon-watching blog. He was describing fish on the UW Bothell campus whose trip upstream "will be halted by a giant beaver dam" until the water rises.
That one phrase explains November in Bothell's creeks. The salmon are here. Many of them are waiting low in the system, and the weather decides when they move. If you want to see fish this month, pick your spot based on the last storm.
Where the fish are stacked up right now
Jensen photographed the Sammamish River near the mouth of Little Bear Creek on October 18, 2026. By his count, the frame held at least three sockeye and at least 10 fish he identified as kokanee or sockeye residuals. He also counted "a couple coho" moving through, which he described as the greenish shapes on the left side of the image.
A month earlier, the river looked different. In a September 21 post, Jensen wrote that surveys at the sites he checks had turned up only Chinook so far. In four weeks the river went from one species to a mix of sockeye, kokanee and the first coho. That matches the seasonal order that local viewing guides use for the area: Chinook in September, sockeye in October, coho in November.
Jensen said the fish turned up "in just the places I would expect them to." He listed the Sammamish at the mouth of Little Bear, the lowest part of Little Bear Creek, and the UW Bothell campus. Those are the spots to check during a dry stretch. Fish that can't get past low water in the creeks wait in and near the river.
After a good rain, move up North Creek
Once a real storm raises the creeks, it makes sense to head upstream. The best-documented self-guided walk in Bothell starts at North Creek Trail Park, 1011 183rd Street SE. The Salmon SEEson listing for the site says to walk along the creek and look for coho in November. Depending on which way you go, the route runs south toward the Country Inn and Suites at 19333 North Creek Parkway or north to 240th Street SE.
The same listing has a few practical tips:
- Check under the bridges, where fish often hold.
- Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
- Bring polarized glasses to cut the glare on the water.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife salmon-viewing guidance covers how to behave once you find fish. Approach slowly and quietly, stay out of the water, and leave dead or dying salmon where they are. Keep pets under control, and respect closures and private property lines. Along North Creek, much of that comes down to staying on the trail and keeping dogs leashed at the banks.
The closed half of Wayne is being rebuilt for these same fish
The City of Bothell broke ground on the Sammamish River & Waynita Creek Restoration Project inside the Wayne Open Space property. Construction started September 8, and the "Back 9" will stay closed to the public until the area reopens, which the City plans for early 2028.
According to the City's groundbreaking announcement, the work will re-meander Waynita Creek, reconnect groundwater to the stream, and add slow-water refuge and cold-water habitat for migrating Chinook. It will also bring in more large wood, remove invasive plants and plant native trees and shrubs. Once construction ends, the City says the restored area will have trails, pedestrian bridges and viewing areas.
Funding comes from a long list of partners. It includes the Washington Department of Ecology, King County Parks and Flood Control District, the Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed group known as WRIA 8, the Salmon Recovery Funding Board, the EPA and Forterra, along with Meta and Swire Coca-Cola USA. The City's project page is at bothellwa.gov/waynita.
So during this run and the next one, the Chinook passing Bothell will swim by a creek being rebuilt specifically to give them places to rest. The Back 9 is closed this November because of that work.
What stays open next to the construction
The closure covers only part of the property. The City says the "Front 9" of the former golf course is still accessible, and so is Blyth Park next door. The City's facility listing for Blyth Park includes parking, trails, restrooms and picnic areas. On a cold, wet afternoon, the restrooms and parking make it an easy place to start.
Blyth Park also sits at the start of the river corridor. King County describes the Sammamish River Trail as a paved 10.1-mile route. It begins at the Burke-Gilman junction near Blyth Park and passes Bothell Landing and Sammamish River Park. That paved path follows the river where Jensen counted fish in October. A walk from Blyth Park lets you check the open Front 9 and follow the river, so you can see both the habitat being built and the fish using what's already there.
One stop near the trail closes for the winter. The Bothell Historical Museum, at 9919 NE 180th St. in Park at Bothell Landing, lists public hours of Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., April through October. Those listed hours end with October.
Six new murals at Triangle Junction
Walk up from Bothell Landing toward Main Street and you'll find the same theme on the walls of Triangle Junction, at the corner of Bothell Way NE and Main Street. The City dedicated the new outdoor gallery on September 26. Six murals were chosen from more than twenty applicants, all built around the theme "Intersection."
According to the City's dedication announcement, the six works are:
- Taylor Ruhland's Confluence and Currents, about how waterways, wildlife and plants depend on each other in local ecosystems
- Luke Brannon's Where We Meet, inspired by haiga, the Japanese form that pairs images with haiku, and focused on our connection to nature
- Julio Velela's mural, drawn from his life as a Bothell resident and graphic designer, celebrating downtown gathering places
- Devika Kapoor's mural, which blends Warli folk art of India with present-day Bothell imagery
- Ananda Basak's mural, which uses music and bold color to show culture and connection meeting
- Students from the Alyssa Burnett Center, whose mural uses rainbows, nature, transportation and geometric forms to show intersection and intersectionality
After a morning at the river, Ruhland's piece covers much the same subject in paint.
Plan around the November 6 to 9 closure
If you're coming to the river by car from the north end of town, watch the freeway schedule for the first full weekend after this post. WSDOT's I-405 construction schedule closes northbound I-405 between SR 522 and SR 527 from 11 p.m. Friday, November 6, until 5 a.m. Monday, November 9. Canyon Park Park & Ride is closed that weekend as well. The City also listed the closure in its October 5 notice.
| Date | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri. Nov. 6, 11 p.m. to Mon. Nov. 9, 5 a.m. | Northbound I-405 closed, SR 522 to SR 527; Canyon Park Park & Ride closed | I-405 through Bothell |
| Sat. Nov. 14, 2 to 4:30 p.m. | "Give a Dam For Salmon" fundraiser and film screening, members only | Northwest Stream Center |
| Sat. Dec. 5, noon to 6:30 p.m. | Tree Lighting Festival and Holiday Market | Main Street and 102nd Avenue NE |
At the November 14 event, Jensen is scheduled to talk about the challenges beaver dams create for salmon in the UW Bothell Wetlands. The talk comes before a screening of the documentary "Betting on Beavers" and a short Q&A panel. The event is open only to Northwest Stream Center members.
On December 5, the Tree Lighting Festival and Holiday Market takes over Main Street and 102nd Avenue NE. The market runs from noon to 5 p.m., activities run from 4 to 6:30 p.m., and Santa is scheduled to arrive at 5 p.m. Until then, keep an eye on the forecast. After the first heavy rain of the month, head for North Creek.
Jenell Steltz knows Bothell by its seasons as well as its sales, and that includes the Wayne restoration reshaping one side of town over the next two years. If you own a home near the trail or the creeks and want to know how it compares today, Jenell Steltz can help. Request your free home valuation and seller strategy.
