The Miller River is a
river
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
in
King County,
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
. Named for 1890s prospector John Miller,
it is a tributary of the
Skykomish River, which it joins near the community of Miller River (which was, prior to World War I, known as Berlin). The Miller River is about long from the confluence of its main tributaries, the East Fork and West Fork.
Miller River Campground is located just downriver from the confluence.
West Fork
The West Fork Miller River begins at the ridge dividing it and the
Taylor River. It flows northeast from there, converging with the East Fork near the West Fork Campground. Its only officially named tributaries are Cleopatra and Coney Creeks. Cleopatra Creek drains a basin just north of the West Fork’s source while Coney Creek drains high-elevation Coney Lake. Just above its mouth, the West Fork drops over two small
waterfalls
A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.
Waterfalls can be formed in several w ...
, Borderline Falls then Immigration Falls. Access along the West Fork road is currently gated, washed out, and grown over (as of 2015) and there is no known plan for re-opening/repairing the road. Mechanized (Car, Bicycle, Helicopter, etc.) access is prohibited higher up on the roadbed due to Alpine Lakes Wilderness restrictions.
West Fork Tributaries
*Gouging Lake Outlet Stream
*Cleopatra Creek
*Coney Creek
*Francis Lake Outlet Stream
East Fork
The long East Fork Miller River begins at the outlet of
Lake Dorothy
Lake Dorothy is a lake in King County, Washington. First labeled on Oliver Phelps Anderson's "New Map of the County of King, State of Washington, 1894"; the name was bestowed by Anderson for his daughter Dorothy Louise Anderson (1893-1912), a mem ...
.
Upon exiting the lake, the river drops over a
headwall
In physical geography and geology the headwall of a glacial cirque is its highest cliff. The term has been more broadly used to describe similar geomorphic features of non-glacial origin consisting of a concave depression with convergent slopes ty ...
as it makes its way toward the bottom of Camp Robber Valley. Florence Falls occurs near the bottom of the headwall. Shortly after the falls, the river is joined by Camp Robber Creek, from the south, then Smith Creek from the west. Flowing north, the East Fork is joined by several unnamed tributaries. Great Falls Creek, which drains tiny Tumwater Lake, joins from the west.
East Fork Tributaries
*Camp Robber Creek
*Smith Creek
*Hinter Lake Outlet Stream
*Purvis Lake Outlet Stream
*Great Falls Creek
Mainstream
From its source at the confluence of the East and West Forks, the Miller River flows north to its confluence with the Skykomish River near the community of Miller River. A major tributary is Happy Thought Creek, which drains small Cleveland Lake. Mohawk Creek flows joins the North Fork upstream of Happy Thought Creek and about 1/4 of a mile downstream of the West Fork.
Mainstream Tributaries
*Happy Thought Creek
*Mohawk Creek
See also
*
Miller River Waterfalls
There are a total of 3 waterfalls on the 2 forks of the Miller River. Below is a description for all of them:
East Fork Florence Falls
Florence Falls, at , is located a short distance downstream from Lake Dorothy. The falls are a long casc ...
*
List of rivers in Washington
This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of Washington.
By drainage basin
This list is arranged by drainage basin. Respective tributaries are indented under each larger stream's name and are ordered downstream to upstream.
Fraser River (Britis ...
*
Lake Dorothy
Lake Dorothy is a lake in King County, Washington. First labeled on Oliver Phelps Anderson's "New Map of the County of King, State of Washington, 1894"; the name was bestowed by Anderson for his daughter Dorothy Louise Anderson (1893-1912), a mem ...
References
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Rivers of Washington (state)
Rivers of King County, Washington