RIVERBETA · field sheet
Teakettle (Columbia Falls) to Old Steel Bridge (Kalispell)
Flathead River (mainstem)
ClassI
Length—
Gradient4 ft/mi
On-water—
SeasonMay–October
FlowGO
USGS 12363000 · Flathead River at Columbia Falls MT
3,580cfs
≈24th percentile — running low for the date · median ~3,930 cfs
Prime range 2,000–25,000 cfs
Flow at put-in today: cfs
On the water
Partly Sunny · Monday
Water47°F
Air62°F
Precip2%
Wind2 mph NW
Sunrise8:02 AM
Sunset6:43 PM
GO Running well at 3,580 CFS. · Conditions as of Oct 18, 2026, 11:45 PM. Printed snapshot generated Oct 19, 2026, 12:38 AM— conditions change, wood moves, levels swing. Verify the gauge and scout anything you can't read from upstream.
The run
Wide, braided mainstem. Island scenery. Float-fishing and family-float water.
⚠ Wood & hazard reports
- May 27, 2026 — Late May 2026: another raft flipped near Kokanee Bend due to logs — the second flip that week on the mainstem (alongside the CFAC-area incidents). High water plus moving wood; pick lines carefully. (Donna)
- May 25, 2026 — May 2026: North Valley Search and Rescue responded to two boat flips at the same spot just downriver from the old CFAC plant, river-right. A large rock there has logs caught on it this season, with a hole just upstream at current flows. One paddler reported the logs had cleared a few days later — confirm current conditions before you commit. All flipped rafters were wearing PFDs and were fine. (North Valley Search and Rescue)
Pput-in · Teakettle (Columbia Falls)Ttake-out · Old Steel Bridge (Kalispell)
Getting there & back
Put-in
Teakettle (Columbia Falls) — FWP access below the Highway 2 bridge on river-right. Nice boat launch.
Take-out
Old Steel Bridge (Kalispell) — FWP access in Kalispell. Popular for fishing floats.
Shuttle (take-out → put-in): 16.3 mi · ≈ 27 min
Rules & contacts
- Personal flotation device. A USCG-approved PFD must be carried on board for every person. Anyone 12 or under must wear a PFD while the vessel is underway.
- Bear-resistant food storage. IGBC-approved bear-resistant food storage is required in the river corridor — this is grizzly country.
- Human-waste containment. Self-contained or solid human-waste containment is required on the Middle and North Forks (recommended on the South Fork).
- Fire management. Fire pans or fire blankets are required or strongly recommended; camp stoves are preferred over campfires.
- Aquatic-invasive-species inspection. An AIS inspection (NPS and Montana FWP) is required before launching anywhere in the basin.
- 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.
- FWP warden. Tyler Melville (North Fork) · Ben Chappelow (Middle and South Forks)
- Nearest hospitals. Logan Health Whitefish and Logan Health Medical Center (Kalispell) are the primary regional facilities; serious trauma is flown to Kalispell or Missoula.
- Life-jacket loaner stations. Free loaner PFDs are available at the West Glacier and Glacier Rim access points, Memorial Day through Labor Day.
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/flathead-mainstem/teakettle-to-old-steel-bridge — the next crew is counting on you.