Hamma Hamma River
Template:Use American English Template:Infobox river
The Hamma Hamma River is a river on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. It rises near Mount Washington in the Olympic Mountains within the Olympic National Park and drains to Hood Canal and thence to the Pacific Ocean.
The name Hamma Hamma comes from a Twana village once located at the river's mouth and called Hab'hab, referring to a reed that grows along the river's banks.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
At its mouth, the river splits off into to two channels which feed into the Hood Canal and create a marsh. There are two bridges that cross these parts and marsh called the North and South Hamma Hamma Bridges respectively.<ref>https://historicbridges.org/washington/us101hammahammariverbridgenorth/wa0451data.pdf Template:Bare URL PDF</ref>
Near the river, you can find the Hamma Hamma Balds Natural Area Preserve.
Geology
The Hamma Hamma River begins deep within the Olympic Mountains, cutting through steep ridges that rise dramatically from sea level to over 6,000 feet. Flowing northeast between Mt. Ellinor and Mt. Washington, it carves one of the few major valleys that breach the mountain front before descending toward Hood Canal.<ref name=":0">https://intranet.ess.uw.edu/content/people/student_publications_files/robinson--john-w/Robinson_1938.pdf Retrieved 2025-11-10</ref>
The river’s course is shaped by parallel ridges that direct its drainage and that of nearby streams like the North Fork Skokomish. Glacial activity during the Pleistocene greatly altered its path, leaving behind gravel plains, marshes, and smaller creeks that now feed into it as it winds toward the sea.<ref name=":0" />
See also
- List of Washington rivers
- Eldon, Washington
- Hamma Hamma River Bridges
- Hamma Hamma Balds Natural Area Preserve