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RIVERBETA · field sheet

Scotty Brown Bridge to Johnsrud Park

Blackfoot River
ClassII-III
Length31.6 mi
Gradient15 ft/mi
On-water≈ 10 hrs
SeasonMay–September
FlowNO
USGS 12340000 · Blackfoot River near Bonner, MT
858cfs
steady over 24h · gauge 2.44 ft · water 64°F
44th percentile — about normal for the date · median ~902 cfs
Prime range 1,500–6,000 cfs
Flow at put-in today: cfs
On the water
Areas Of Smoke · Monday
Water64°F
Air73°F
Precip6%
Wind3 to 7 mph WSW
Sunrise6:18 AM
Sunset9:06 PM

NO Very low at 858 CFS — boney and likely unrunnable. · Conditions as of Aug 3, 2026, 3:30 AM. Printed snapshot generated Aug 3, 2026, 4:47 AM— conditions change, wood moves, levels swing. Verify the gauge and scout anything you can't read from upstream.

Mile by mile

  • 1RM 36Bear Creek RapidsII Class II on the FWP float map, just upstream of the Bear Creek Flats float-in campsite.
  • 2RM 29.2Roundup RapidIII At the Highway 200 bridge by the Roundup access — 'a fun rapid that ranges from a bit technical to rowdy wave trains depending on flow' (American Whitewater). Easily scouted from Highway 200.
  • 3RM 17Thibodeau RapidII-III About two miles below Whitaker Bridge — watch for the large rock right-center as the river drops (American Whitewater). Big Sky Fishing calls it the Blackfoot's best-known piece of whitewater with the safest route on the right; FWP's float map grades it Class II. Flow-dependent.
  • 4RM 12.8The LedgeII A surf wave a quarter mile above Johnsrud that comes in when spring water is up — parking directly above and across the road, popular for park-and-play laps (American Whitewater).
Scotty Brown Bridge to Johnsrud Park river map
Pput-in · Scotty Brown BridgeTtake-out · Johnsrud Park#numbered rapids — see mile by mile

Getting there & back

Put-in

Scotty Brown BridgeFWP hand-launch access at the county-road bridge, the upstream end of the American Whitewater reach. Small site: parking is limited to 4 vehicles and prohibited on the county road within 300 yards of the bridge; no toilet. Day use.

Take-out

Johnsrud ParkThe largest site on the river and the downstream end of the Recreation Corridor — concrete ramp, drinking water, toilets, and a reservable group picnic shelter (406-542-5500). Day use; closed in winter. On hot summer days it is a full-on beach scene, and the take-out gets very busy.

Shuttle (take-out → put-in): 28.9 mi · ≈ 33 min

Trip log

Date
Party / boats
On the water
Off the water
Flow at launch
Shuttle / keys
Wood, hazards & notes

Spot wood or a changed rapid? Add it to the run page when you're back in coverage — riverbeta.app/blackfoot-river/blackfoot-scotty-brown-to-johnsrud — the next crew is counting on you.