| Salmon River | |
| Name Etymology: | salmon, the fish[1] |
| Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map: | USA Oregon |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the mouth of the Salmon River in Oregon |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Oregon |
| Subdivision Type4: | County |
| Subdivision Name4: | Lincoln, Tillamook, and Polk |
| Length: | 24miles[2] |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 339cuft/s[3] |
| Source1: | Saddlebag Mountain |
| Source1 Location: | Central Oregon Coast Range, Lincoln County |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 44.995°N -123.7764°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 3050feet[4] |
| Mouth: | Pacific Ocean |
| Mouth Location: | near Cascade Head |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 45.0467°N -124.0061°W[5] |
| Mouth Elevation: | 0feet |
| Basin Size: | 75sqmi[6] |
The Salmon River flows from the Central Oregon Coast Range to the Pacific Ocean coast of northwest Oregon in the United States.[5] About 24miles long,[2] it begins and ends in Lincoln County but also flows briefly through western Polk and southern Tillamook counties. Much of its course lies within the Siuslaw National Forest.[7]
Rising in the mountains near the Lincoln - Polk county line, it flows east into Polk County, then north and west, re-entering Lincoln County, entering Tillamook County and re-entering Lincoln County near Oregon Route 18. It continues generally west-southwestward through the Siuslaw National Forest, turning west again to enter the Pacific near Cascade Head, about 4miles north of Lincoln City.[7]
Following the river through the mountains, Route 18 connects to Sheridan, McMinnville and the South Yamhill River valley to the east and U.S. Route 101 to the west. The river and highway pass through the Van Duzer Forest Corridor State Wayside.[7] The river supports populations of wild steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout, as well as chinook and coho salmon released each year from a hatchery at Otis.[2]
Named tributaries from source to mouth are the Little Salmon River, which enters from the right; Boulder Creek, left; Indian, Prairie, and Sulphur creeks, right; Deer Creek, left; Treat River, left; Alder Brook, right; Widow Creek, right.[8]
Then Slick Rock and Bear creeks, left; Panther Creek, right; Willis Creek, left; Deer and Salmon creeks, right; Frazer and Rowdy creeks, left, and Crowley and Teal creeks, right.[8]