RIVERBETA · pocket sheet
Blankenship Bridge to Teakettle (Columbia Falls)
Flathead River (mainstem) · I · 10 mi · 4 ft/mi · ≈3 hrs · May–October
GO3,580 cfs
The run
The upper mainstem — confluence-to-Columbia Falls. Wide, scenic, mostly Class I with strong steady current. Bad Rock Canyon scenery and the House of Mystery as a midway landmark; the South Fork joins about 5 miles below the put-in.
No named rapids on record — read and run, but wood moves.
Emergency
- Emergencies. Dial 911. Cell coverage is limited throughout the corridor — plan to be self-reliant between accesses.
- Primary rescue. North Valley Search & Rescue covers all three forks of the Flathead.
- Nearest hospitals. Logan Health Whitefish and Logan Health Medical Center (Kalispell) are the primary regional facilities; serious trauma is flown to Kalispell or Missoula.
Field notes
P Blankenship BridgeT Teakettle (Columbia Falls)shuttle 10 mi · ≈22 min
Last 7 days · USGS 12363000
USGS 12363000 · Conditions as of Oct 18, 2026, 11:45 PM · Partly Sunny, 62°F. Printed Oct 19, 2026, 1:02 AM— levels swing, wood moves. Verify the gauge and scout anything you can't read from upstream.