It’s that time of year again. While most of us are planning Thanksgiving dinner, some of us are getting excited about the local salmon run. The best time to see this magnificent event is mid to end November. So if your feeling holed up indoors as the weather turns, take a day trip to Sullivan lake, Wa.
Located close to the Canadian border and about 100 miles from Spokane Wa. Sullivan lake always has a lot to offer. The Harvey creek salmon run, takes place on the south side of the bridge near the Noisy creek campground. Right there off the bridge on Sullivan lake road. Sullivan lake ranger station.
The Salmon are land locked due to damns on Pend’Orielle river. So they can never make it to the ocean. Therefore they have made Harvey creek their spawning grounds. The fish are not the biggest, they run about 12 in. However seeing hundreds of salmon is an awesome experience. Spokesman review article.
The Salmo-Priest wilderness is a wild place. So keep your wits about you. Your not the only one drawn to the spawning spectacular! The area is frequented by black, brown, and grizzly bears. Usda grizzly Faq’s Local projects, release bears that are captured wandering in wrong place; in the area.
However, you can see the salmon practically from your car. While their look up on the big Hall mountain. Keep your eye’s peeled and bring some binoculars. If your lucky you may catch a glimpse of Rocky mountain sheep herd. Hall mt. Sheep herd status.
The forest department used to have a winter feeding station for the sheep. However a cougar preyed on and attacked a warden, so they put the cabosh on that. He actually waited for the ranger in the hay-loft, that’s second hand from the park ranger I asked. Luckily I was able to see it when I was about 8 yrs old, my dad took me up to see the sheep heard being fed. It was so cool!
This year we got to take our go-pro up for some under-water shots. Though going this late in the month it was cold, however we made some hot cocoa with the jet-boil. The area is quite peaceful and serene, when other human’s are not around. Photographers keep it quite busy on the weekend, so if you’re looking for solitude and some nature commune, head up early morning, or a week day. Salmon spawn in the rain, if you can hack it!
alongthewaywithjacque 
A few years back, I hiked from Noisy Cr. Campground to the top of Hall Mtn. I only had about 2hrs of daylight left after a 6 hr hike so decided to just go straight off the peak down to the lake. I went about 100 yrds off the peak and walked right into several nice rams laying in the high grass you see down from the road looking up the the peak. I was a once in a lifetime event. I’ve been told they are now letting the population die off and even be hunted to get them out of there. Major bummer….
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Sullivan Lake is a horrible place, grizzly bears are everywhere and they love eating little kids so stay out of the campgrounds. The lake is full of skin eating algae and the people in the area hate vacationers. It is highly advisable to stay out of the area oh, and the ticks are horrible and Bigfoot is on the prowl and loves the taste of out of state transplants….
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