Index

General Information

Montana Rivers

Montana Links

Special Symbols

Symbol	Meaning
	Click for weather information local to the gauge site.
	Click for the gauge location, shown as on the displayed map.
	Click for color-coded flow (high/good/low) trigger level information.
	Click for the rating table (gauge height to river flow conversion chart).
	Click for the graph of recent flows.
	Click for a map showing put-in, take-out (if applicable) and rapid locations (if available).
	Flow on this run is likely to differ markedly from reported flow - see second paragraph below.

General Information

The following lists the various Montana flow sites reported by Dreamflows, and some whitewater runs associated with those sites.  This list isn't by any means exhaustive, but should provide a useful cross-listing.  Sites reported by Dreamflows appear against the left-hand margin in bold, while associated runs appear indented underneath.  Where available, gauge location and other pertinent information appear beneath the site name.  The terms "above" and "below" mean "upstream from" and "downstream from", respectively, and distances are in river miles.

Click on the icon, when present, for run-specific put-in, take-out and/or rapid location information.  The terms "run" and "reach" are used interchangeably; both mean a specific section of some river or stream that is typically paddled during a single trip.  Of course you're not necessarily limited to these access points and may choose others, though be sure to consider the legal and logistical aspects first.  Also, be aware that access points may not be accurately measured or displayed, and in any case can change over time, so please don't take the published access points too literally.  In particular, many access points are shown as the middle of a bridge; this doesn't mean you should seal launch off, but rather scout around for the best river-side access.

In general, the flow on any given run will differ to some extent from the reported flow for its gauge.  For example, the flow on the Chamberlain Falls run of the North American will usually be lower than the inflow at Clementine, since the run starts many miles upstream from Clementine (side creeks make up the difference).  For runs marked the difference is likely to be radical.  Please consult a good white-water guidebook for information on how to estimate the actual flow on any given run.

Information on the runs listed below was taken from one (or more) of the following sources:

Tag	Title and Author
AllAbout	All About Rivers (on online guide) - Brad Goettemoeller.
AWA	American Whitewater.
Turner	Montana Surf - Nick Turner, Matt Wilson, Russ Fry.
WWW	Western Whitewater - Cassady, Cross and Calhoun.
World	World Whitewater - Jim Cassady and Dan Dunlap.
Hearsay	Opinions expressed by humble river runners (not guidebook authors).

Almost all of the runs below have some basic information about the run: the length, the class, and a tag indicating which guidebook the information was taken from (see the above table for a list of tags).  The page numbers (where given) are for the specified edition of the guide. The class ratings listed here never include all the nuances in the guidebook.  Note very carefully that the information supplied here is intended only as an aid to selecting runs which might appeal to you.  Different authors rate runs differently, some runs have significant rapids and hazards not covered by the rating given here, and ratings change with flow.  Also, only a fraction of the information in the guidebooks is presented here.  PLEASE CONSULT AN APPLICABLE GUIDEBOOK before selecting a run to paddle.

Many of the runs listed below have links to web pages that describe the run and associated logistics.  Many also provide interesting photos.  Note: these are third-party web sites, though, and as such Dreamflows cannot vouch for the accuracy or completeness of the information provided; nor are the opinions expressed necessarily shared by Dreamflows.  Note also that for many runs, the logistical information is taken from a hardcopy book, even though there are one or more links to online pages as well.  This offers the reader multiple sources of run information.

Return to Index.

Montana Rivers

No. Blackfoot - Near Ovando

Gauge located near county road bridge, 2.2 miles above Main Blackfoot confluence.

North Fork Blackfoot River - Upper Run (4 miles, III to V-, Turner p44)

Blackfoot - Near Bonner

Gauge located 5 miles below Union Creek.

Blackfoot River - Roundup FAS to Johnsrud FAS (18 miles or 6 miles, II to III, Turner p42)

Clark Fork - At St. Regis

Gauge located at St. Regis, 0.4 miles below St. Regis River confluence.

Clark Fork - Alberton Gorge (Cyr Bridge to Tarkio) (10 miles, III to IV, Turner p38)

Prospect Creek - At Thompson Falls

Gauge located 500 feet downstream from Dry Creek, 0.5 miles upstream from mouth.

Prospect Creek - Lower Run (3 miles, IV+ to V, Turner p52)

No. Flathead - Near Columbia Falls

Gauge located 1.5 miles below Canyon Creek, 3.8 miles above Middle Fork confluence.

North Fork Flathead River - Big Creek to Glacier Rim (11 miles, II to III, Turner p120)

Mi. Flathead - Near West Glacier

Gauge located 0.8 miles below McDonald Creek, 3.5 miles above North Fork confluence.

Middle Fork Flathead River - Schafer Meadows to Bear Creek Access (27.5 miles, IV+, Turner p114)

Middle Fork Flathead River - Moccasin Creek Access to West Glacier (8 miles, III to IV, Turner p112)

So. Flathead - Above Hungry Horse Res

Gauge located 0.4 miles above Twin Creek, 2.5 miles above Hungry Horse Reservoir.

South Fork Flathead River - Big Prairie to Mid Creek Access (47 miles, I to II very scenic, Turner p118)

Swan - Near Bigfork

Gauge located 0.2 miles below Johnson Creek, 0.4 miles below Swan Lake.

Swan River - Wild Mile (1.2 miles, IV to V, Turner p122)

Flathead - Near Polson

Gauge located 0.5 miles below Kerr Dam, 5 miles below Flathead Lake.

Flathead River - Buffalo Rapids (Kerr Dam to Buffalo Bridge Road) (6.5 miles, III to III+, Turner p124)

Kootenai - Below Libby Dam

Gauge located 0.7 miles below Libby Dam.

Kootenai River - Below Kootenai Falls (1 mile, IV+, Turner p134)

Yaak - Above Kootenai Confluence

Gauge located 500 feet above bridge on Hwy-2, 0.3 miles above mouth.

Yaak River - Yaak Falls to Hwy-2 (9 miles, III to IV, Turner p136)

Madison - Below Hebgen Lake

Gauge located 0.3 miles below Hebgen Dam.

Madison - Hebgen Reservoir to Quake Lake (3 miles, II to III, AWA)    AWA

Madison - Earthquake Lake Run (1.7 miles, IV+ to V+, Turner p146)    AWA

Madison - Below Ennis Lake

Gauge located 500 feet below Madison powerplant, 1.5 miles below Ennis Lake.

Madison - Beartrap Canyon (10 miles, III+ to IV+, Turner p148)

Gallatin - Near Gallatin Gateway

Gauge located 0.3 miles below Spanish Creek, 7.3 miles above Gallatin Gateway.

Gallatin River - Big Sky to Moose Flats (8 miles, II to III, Turner p152)

Gallatin River - Moose Flats to Storm Castle (8 miles, III to IV, Turner p154)

Gallatin River - Storm Castle to Squaw Creek (2.5 miles, II to III, Turner p156)

Smith - Below Eagle Creek

Gauge located at road bridge, 0.6 miles below Eagle Creek, 2.1 miles below Camp Baker.  Gauge elevation 4350 feet.

Smith River - Camp Baker to Eden Bridge (59 Miles, I to III, AWA)    AWA

Belt Creek - Near Monarch

Gauge located 0.4 miles above Evans-Riceville Rd bridge at Riceville.  Gauge elevation 3962 feet.

Belt Creek - Sec 15 to Monarch (Neihart Section) (19 miles, II to III, AWA)    AWA

Belt Creek - Monarch to Riceville (14 miles, II to III, AWA)    AWA

Yellowstone - At Corwin Springs

Gauge located 20 feet below county road bridge at Corwin Springs, 1.3 miles above Mulherin Creek.

Yellowstone River - Black Canyon (20 miles, V to V+, Turner p228)

Yellowstone River - Gardiner Run (4 miles, II to III+, Turner p224)

Yellowstone River - Yankee Jim Canyon (4 miles, III to IV, Turner p226)

Yellowstone - Near Livingston

Gauge located 2 miles below Suce Creek, 4 miles south of Livingston.

Yellowstone River - Springdale FAS to Grey Bear FAS (9 miles, II to III, Turner p214)

Yellowstone River - Otter Creek FAS to Pelican FAS (10 miles, III, Turner p216)

Boulder - At Big Timber

Gauge located 150 feet above Old Boulder Bridge, 1 mile east of Big Timber.

Boulder River - Hells Canyon (3.25 miles, IV+ to V, Turner p210)

Boulder River - Bible Stretch (6.5 miles, III to IV, Turner p212)

Stillwater - Near Absarokee

Gauge located 3 miles below Rosebud Creek, 3.5 miles northeast of Absarokee.

Stillwater River - 3-day Mission Run (24 miles, V+, Turner p170)  

Stillwater River - Woodbine Run (3.5 miles, V, Turner p176)

Stillwater River - Absarokee to White Bird (8 miles, II to III, Turner p178)

Stillwater River - White Bird to Fireman's Point (4.5 miles, III to III+, Turner p180)

West Rosebud Cr - Near Roscoe

Gauge located 1 mile above West Rosebud Lake, 2 miles below Mystic Lake.

West Rosebud Creek - Emerald Lake to Pine Grove CG (3 miles, III to IV+, Turner p188)

Rock Creek - Near Red Lodge

Gauge located 3 miles above West Fork Rock Creek.

Rock Creek - Lake Fork to outside Red Lodge (2.5 miles, III to IV, Turner p190)

CF Yellowstone - Near Belfry

Gauge located 1.3 miles below Wyoming-Montana State line, 3 miles above Dilworth Creek.

Clarks Fork Yellowstone River - Stix and Stones (4.7 miles, V+, Turner p62)  

Clarks Fork Yellowstone River - Day Stretch (4 miles, IV to IV+, Turner p70)

Clarks Fork Yellowstone River - Honeymooner (3 miles, V to V+, Turner p72)

Clarks Fork Yellowstone River - Box (19 miles, V to V+, Turner p64)

Clarks Fork Yellowstone River - Lower Run (3 miles, IV to V-, Turner p76)

Montana Links

USGS - Montana Real-Time Flow Index