Fall Colors & Salmon

Salmon are a big part of the Pacific Northwest. On our first time out to look at salmon swimming upstream to spawn we lucked out and selected probably one of the best spots around for observation.

The Renton Library is built over the Cedar River. The entrance to the library is a bridge that makes an excellent observation deck.

This sign indicates the months each type of salmon come up the Cedar River to spawn. Sockeye and Chinook salmon appear in the river in October. A man told us these are Chinook salmon. (Although looking online, the coloring appears to be that of Sockeye salmon.)

All told there were 20 or more salmon swimming up the river and/or resting in place. Some of the females had already created redds, areas where they lay their eggs.

These salmon started their journey in the Pacific Ocean, came through Puget Sound, up a fish ladder into Lake Washington and then into the Cedar River. The people we talked with couldn't tell us how long that took and we couldn't find the information online.  Some salmon will swim miles further up the Cedar River before laying their eggs. 

Click here and here for interesting information on salmon and spawning. 

We went to the Gene Coulon Park on Lake Washington. In the picture below Joe comes out of Kidd Valley restaurant after lunch. We enjoyed looking at the water, the beautiful fall colors, and a family playing in the park.