Bear Creek to Paola Access
GO Running well at 3,120 CFS. · Conditions as of Jul 16, 2026, 1:45 PM. Printed snapshot generated Jul 16, 2026, 2:07 PM— conditions change, wood moves, levels swing. Verify the gauge and scout anything you can't read from upstream.
Mile by mile
- 1RM 52.97Bear Creek RapidsII-III Bouldery Class II-III feature just below the put-in. Gets more pushy and challenging at high water (American Whitewater).
- 2RM 51.01Staircase RapidsIII Series of wave trains and maneuvering around boulders — more technical and demanding than the surrounding Class II water. One of the most notable drops on the run (American Whitewater).
- 3RM 50.21Goatlick RapidsII+ Short, lively, straightforward — sits near the Walton Goat Lick interpretive site. ⚠️ Stopping is prohibited within 1/4 mile upstream or downstream of the Goat Lick to protect the mountain goats (USFS).
Getting there & back
Put-in
Bear Creek — Large parking area off Highway 2 with a small raft slide on river-right, at the Bear Creek confluence — the highest (most upstream) access on the Middle Fork along Highway 2, where the river emerges from the Great Bear Wilderness ~3 mi above Essex. Used as the take-out for the wilderness Schafer Meadows section and the put-in for the Bear Creek → Paola Class II-III canyon run.
Take-out
Paola Access — Flathead National Forest river access (Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger District) on river-left where Paola Creek joins the Middle Fork — about 45 mi east of Hungry Horse on US Highway 2. Designated parking, vault toilet, native-surface ramp. Day-use only, no fees. Wild & Scenic Corridor regulations apply (solid human waste containment + fire pan/blanket required; 3-night camping limit). Used as the take-out for Bear Creek → Paola and the put-in for the Paola → Moccasin run.
Shuttle (take-out → put-in): 9.3 mi · ≈ 11 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. 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
Spot wood or a changed rapid? Add it to the run page when you're back in coverage — riverbeta.app/middle-fork-flathead/bear-creek-to-paola — the next crew is counting on you.