4/30/2026

This launch has been "gate locked closed" for months now. Even the "shitter" has been taken away.

I don't think this will be opened "ever again, as a boat launch". This creates a major problem for access to this part of the Chehalis River.

Friends Landing is the closest launch, long run from Cosie, Fuller could be used but will fill fast AND very early. I've been there when the lot is jammed, and parking on both sides of the road has rigs parked there. This area of the Chehalis is a Jet boat and drift boat running area, NOT SAYING that prop boats can't fish that area BUT LOW WATER can be tough on propellors. It can be tough on JET Boats, trying to run areas at low tide water.

Area around "water intakes" can be bad at low water parts of the tide. MANY jet boats, over the years, have run the river at mid to high tide then try to run back to Fuller or Monty launch and "filled pump with gravel or sand, or actually put boat on a gravel and have to wait for incomming tide to float the boat off. ME, only 1 time, in 50 years of running that area, had to wait 5 hours to get enough water to run my boat, grrrrrrrr

I know this is way early but time goes by quickly!!!!

One last thing on Monty boat launch, launch looks ok but not much parking......maybe the area could still be used to "flush out motors from fishing salt water', many have done that for years...

5/15/2026

Update Friends Landing

Work is currently being done.....

What I see, what I know

1. This site is Port of Grays Harbor property

2. upgrades to this site had been in planning stage.

3. Work is now being done.

4. Handicapped "help ramp" has been built

5. Lot's of work being done, so that water drains away from parking area.

6. No Black top had been, as of 5/12 but it is in plan when #5 is done

7. There is not a 2nd boat launch planned at this time......grrrrrrr

8. Problem will be, if one person trys to launch boat, then tie boat up so they can pull trailer out, NOT A GOOD PLAN, just no where to get this done. Yes it can be done, at times but not when there are MANY people trying to get their boat launched......know what I mean?????

Last comment, yes the area looks like there will be a lot of parking BUT there will be no where to park if the lot is full, road going to area is not very wide.

5/15/2026

If you are reading this AND YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN to Friends Landing, you should before this becomes your planned launch.

The road going in is 2 lane but NO WAY TO TURN AROUND ONCE YOU START DOWN THIS ROAD, until you get clear in to Friends Landing. I have not ever "checked mileage" but it is at least 1/2 mile....but I will go for a drive soon, and I will check the actual mileage from turn off to actual parking area.

Even then if Parking lot is full, turn around will be to drive around the single lane road going thru the "travel trailer" area.

DW has pretty much got it all laid out. FL boat launch ended up this way for many reasons including WDFW brain surgeons help. Thing is this it is a two person launch you must take your boat to the floating dock a 100 ft or so down stream while your rig is being parked. If you try to not do that with folks waiting to launch nothing good will likely happen.

How can such a launch be designed? DW figured it out in a couple minutes. Was he a Civil Engineer or somesuch?

Same way we got the boat launch at the Satsop Bridge WDFW staff good intentions really bad results. You have to get agencies ( many ) to sign off and you can't be fighting with them and get grants. It was one hell of and effort by local folks to get Friends Landing built. Is it not as all would have wanted? No but the end product jewel for sure.

Now the otherside of the coin is that FL was not intended to be a primary access site for fishers but handicapped accessible fishing, nature trail, lake, floating pier, RV Park in other words multi use. The loss of South Monte is likely create more than one issue up and down the river.

There were times (60s and the 70s that I'm aware of) that WDG especially worked at developing access. Both walking and boat. It seems that most of the riverine access was at least initially designed for steelhead (salmon were supposed to be caught in marine waters). I wonder if the current drive to eliminate and/or downgrade steelhead fisheries leads to low priority for access.

Then the money "saved" can go elsewhere.

DW says that he was told that South Monte would be open this fall. How much parking might be a little problem!