Copalis River

The Copalis River is a stream on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. It originates in the foothills on the southwest side of the Olympic Mountains and empties into the Pacific Ocean.[2] The name "Copalis" comes from the Quinault language term /k'ʷpíls/.[5] The Copalises are a Native American group. Both the Chehalis people and Quinault Indian Nation claim the Copalis are a subdivision of their tribe.[6]

Copalis River
Copalis spit near the mouth of the Copalis River
Location of the mouth of the Copalis River in Washington
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyGrays Harbor
Physical characteristics
SourceOlympic Peninsula
 • coordinates47°17′28″N 123°57′35″W[1][2]
 • elevation360 ft (110 m)[3]
MouthPacific Ocean
 • location
Copalis Beach
 • coordinates
47°7′34″N 124°10′47″W[1]
 • elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Length24 mi (39 km)[4]

Course

The Copalis River originates in the southwestern portion of the Olympic Peninsula a few miles south of the Quinault Reservation and just north of the Humptulips River. It flows southwest for about 24 mi (39 km) to the Pacific Ocean, emptying into the ocean at Copalis Beach in Griffiths-Priday Ocean State Park.[2] At its mouth, the river is bordered by the Copalis spit, a small peninsula that serves as refuge for migratory birds.[7]

See also

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Copalis River
  2. USGS topographic maps accessed via https://mapper.acme.com
  3. GeoLocator
  4. Measured using GNIS coordinates, Google Map, and ACME Mapper 2.2
  5. Bright, William (2004). Native American Placenames of the United States. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 121. ISBN 978-0-8061-3598-4. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  6. Ruby, Robert H.; Brown, John A.; Collins, Cary C (27 February 2013). A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 102–103. ISBN 978-0-8061-8950-5. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  7. "Griffiths-Priday State Park". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
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