Toutle River - Course

Course

The Toutle River begins at the confluence of the North Fork Toutle River and the South Fork Toutle River near the community of Toutle. The forks originate on Mount St. Helens and flow generally west to form the main stem, which continues generally west, with significant north–south deviations. Toutle lies to the left of the river at river mile (RM) 17.2 or river kilometer (RK) 27.7.

At first the Toutle flows north for about 1 mile (2 km) along the base of Beigle Mountain, which is on its right. The river continues generally north until, at about RM 13 (RK 21), it begins a sweeping turn to the southwest. For the next several miles, Tower Road runs along the right bank of the river, and at about RM 10 (RK 16) Tower Cemetery is on the right. Downstream of the cemetery, the river passes through Hollywood Gorge, where Rock Creek enters from the right. The river continues southwest through RM 7 (RK 11), where it receives Stankey Creek from the left.

The Toutle River then turns west, passing under Tower Road and receiving Cline Creek from the right. Over the next stretch, Burma Road is on the right. Over its final 4 miles (6 km), the Toutle meanders generally southwest through large deposits of sand. The stream passes under Barnes Drive and then Interstate 5 before entering the Cowlitz River about 2 miles (3 km) upstream from the city of Castle Rock. Below the confluence, the Cowlitz continues for 20 miles (32 km), entering the Columbia River about 68 miles (109 km) from its mouth on the Pacific Ocean.