Follow the Salmon: Eight Kitsap Tour Stops on November 7

Bainbridge residents can explore returning salmon and the streams they depend on at eight Kitsap Salmon Tours sites on Saturday, November 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free, rain-or-shine event brings biologists, trained volunteer guides, and family activities to streams from Poulsbo to Gorst.

None of the eight stops is on Bainbridge. But the island has a direct connection to the same work: the City reports that spawning salmon reached upstream of its new Cooper Creek crossing during the 2025 monitoring season, illustrating what removing a fish barrier can make possible.

Eight Places to Explore on November 7

The WSU Extension event page and activity guide describe these stops. Each offers different activities; all have coloring stations and polarized glasses to share.

Poulsbo’s Fish Park, 288 NW Lindvig Way, Poulsbo: A scavenger hunt, salmon-survival game, and library activities accompany viewing. Nearby Martinson Cabin offers salmon arts and crafts, hot cocoa, and cider from noon to 3 p.m.

Merle Hayes Salmon Enhancement Center, 23175 Indianola Road NE, Poulsbo: See native salmon at the Suquamish Tribe’s facility, explore with microscopes and guidebooks, and make a salmon journal. Two salmon dissections are planned during the day.

Clear Creek Ridgetop Pavilion, near 9228 Ridgetop Boulevard, Silverdale: Talk with guides at the viewing platform and learn about salmon anatomy and stream insects.

Chico Estuary, 4264 Kittyhawk Drive, Bremerton: Meet guides at the water’s edge, explore salmon anatomy with a fish biologist, and learn to identify invasive crabs.

Chico Salmon Viewing Park, 3121 Chico Way, Bremerton: Activities cover beavers and salmon, fish identification, and fishing education beside a restored creek bed.

Salmon Haven at Dickerson Creek, Northlake Way NW and Taylor Road, Bremerton: Explore water quality and stream invertebrates, try a salmon-hazards game, and use citizen-science observation boxes.

Keta Legacy Rhododendron Preserve, 2401 Seabeck Highway, Bremerton: Hike to the confluence of Wildcat and Lost creeks, where they become Chico Creek. The route has steep, uneven sections.

Otto Jarstad Park, 4230 West Belfair Valley Road, Bremerton: Activities include salmon life-cycle presentations and dissections, plus information about preventing stormwater pollution and conserving water.

Bainbridge’s Salmon Connection

The City’s salmon-monitoring program follows adult returns, typically in November. Its January 2026 update reports spawning salmon upstream of the new Eagle Harbor Drive crossing at Cooper Creek. That finding concerns the previous season; it is not a report of fish present there today.

Another City effort, the Springbrook Creek fish-passage project, proposes replacing the Fletcher Bay Road culvert and downstream weirs—small barriers across the channel—with a bridge and restoring vegetation. It remains a proposed project on the City’s project page.

For a public walk on the island, Springbrook Creek Preserve, at 7550 Fletcher Bay Road NE, offers access to salmon habitat from sunrise to sunset. Stay on designated trails; dogs are not allowed. Parking is limited, with overflow at Johnson Farm across the road.

The recently opened Lost Valley Trail also provides a walk through the Cooper Creek watershed, including a wetland boardwalk. See our earlier coverage of the trail connection. These are habitat walks, not advertised November 7 tour stops. The City’s monitoring map does not establish public access to every monitored stream reach.

Beyond Saturday

Two outdoor StoryWalks extend the event: Run Salmon Run at Salmon Haven at Dickerson Creek is available dawn to dusk through November 15, and An Incredible Journey at Rhododendron Preserve runs dawn to dusk through November 30. WSU says the tour sites can also be visited outside the event, with salmon migrating through the fall.

Wear waterproof shoes and dress for rain. Check the activity guide before choosing a site: trails, parking, and restroom access vary, and Rhododendron Preserve and the path down to Chico Estuary are not wheelchair accessible. Salmon sightings depend on water levels, water clarity, and timing; the event celebrates the return even when fish are difficult to see.