Riverbeta
Middle Fork Flathead · Flathead Valley / Glacier National Park

Schafer Meadows to Bear Creek

The premiere Wild and Scenic wilderness run of the Middle Fork. Begins in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, traverses the Great Bear Wilderness, ends near Glacier. Access only by 20-min bush flight from Kalispell to the Schafer Meadows airstrip, or a 6-mile hike from the Granite Creek Trailhead. Two major rapid series: Three Forks (mile 3) and Spruce Park Gorge (later in the run). Average gradient 35 ft/mi. Punchy Class III-IV in early-season high water; boulder-garden Class II-III at lower flows. Grizzly country — bear boxes, clean camp, no kitchen camping. Watch for woody debris year-round.

Class
III-IV
Length
27.5 mi
Gradient
35 ft/mi
On-water
—
NO
Very high at 15,400 CFS — flood-stage; do not launch.
Updated 1 hr ago · USGS 12358500 M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT
Flood WatchFlood Watch issued June 1 at 11:29AM MDT until June 2 at 12:00PM MDT by NWS Missoula MTNOAA ↗
Going-to-the-Sun Road Spring StatusGoing-to-the-Sun Road is open to Avalanche Creek on the west side of the park. On the east side, the road is open to Jackson Glacier Overlook. Travel on open sections of the road may change due to spring weather conditions. Visitors should check road conditions before their arrival.NPS · Park Closure ↗
No. 01 · Today

What the river is doing today

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Live flow and weather, straight off the gauge — updated every fifteen minutes.

FLOW USGS 12358500 ↗ Middle Fork Flathead River near West Glacier MT

15,400
cu ft / sec
rising · +2,600 over 24 h· gauge 7.21 ft
≈75th percentile for the date — a bit above normal for the date · median ~10,900 cfs
17,27812,3597,4392,520MONSUNFRITHUFORECAST →NOW · 15,400
Too low <2,800Low 2,800–4,000Prime 4,000–8,000High 8,000–12,000Too high >12,000

Zones are a community estimate — no agency publishes a flow window for this run. Today's flow sits in the band of the same color. Dashed forward lines: the NOAA NWPS short-range forecast ↗ on 7-day & 30-day, and the NWRFC ensemble outlook ↗ on Season.

ON THE WATER

Light Rain · This Afternoon · NOAA forecast ↗
Water
45°F
Air high
55°F
Precip
98%
Wind
2mph W
Sunrise
5:40AM
Sunset
9:30PM
No. 02 · Honest read

Is today the day?

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A read for what's actually running — not a generic class description. Updated with every gauge tick.

Not today

Far over the best-at range — flood-stage water moving wood and pushing hard into every wall.

Don't launch today. Come back when this drops below 8,000 CFS. The river will still be here next week.
  • ✦Wait it out. Flood flows move wood and strainers — the hazard is invisible from shore.
No. 03 · Going guided

Outfits that run this water

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Outfitters that run this water commercially — a sound call for cold, pushy water or a first time on the run. Trips run spring through fall.

Absaroka River Adventures

Columbus / Absarokee

A local outfitter running guided trips in this drainage. Check their site for current trips, ages, and rates.

Rates on their siteVisit →

Glacier Guides / Montana Raft

West Glacier

A local outfitter running guided trips in this drainage. Check their site for current trips, ages, and rates.

Rates on their siteVisit →

Glacier Raft Co

West Glacier

A local outfitter running guided trips in this drainage. Check their site for current trips, ages, and rates.

Rates on their siteVisit →
No. 04 · The run

Mile by mile

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Wilderness multi-day. Great Bear Wilderness corridor. Fly-in or hike-in access only. Several significant rapid series. True wilderness — no road, no cell, no rescue. American Whitewater ↗

Read-and-run at most flows — but rivers change. Scout anything you can't read from upstream, and treat a flaggedportage / scout note below as the minimum, not the whole story.

mi 3Three Forks Rapid series

Three Forks Rapid seriesIV

Two-mile series of intermittent rocky rapids beginning about 3 miles below Schafer Meadows put-in. American Whitewater rates Three Forks Class IV. Mostly read-and-run; the last rapid features a drop with several narrow channels. Around 3.6 ft gauge height, rafting becomes more challenging due to exposed rocks; scouting advisable at lower flows. Hazard: a pyramid rock at the bottom that can do damage — go either side. ⚠️ Recent strainer: a May 23–24, 2026 AW trip report describes a river-wide strainer about halfway down the series, a mature tree blocking the entire channel, with a portage required via a right-side overflow channel — visible from upstream but a serious obstacle. Strainers shift season to season; verify locally before launch. AW ↗
mi 12.5Upper Twenty-Five Mile Rapid

Upper Twenty-Five Mile RapidIV

American Whitewater Class IV. Busy at the top but very scout-able; main line is center to right-of-center at most flows. Hazard: a pyramid rock at the bottom — go either side. AW ↗
mi 13Lower Twenty-Five Mile Rapid

Lower Twenty-Five Mile RapidIV

American Whitewater Class IV. Paired with Upper Twenty-Five Mile; tight together. Left-to-right move. AW ↗
mi 15.95Cye Creek Rapid

Cye Creek RapidIII

Large midstream boulder just upstream of the Cye Creek confluence. ⚠️ Scout for wood (American Whitewater). AW ↗
mi 17.64Lunch Creek Series

Lunch Creek SeriesIII

Series of read-and-run rapids beginning just downstream of Lunch Creek (American Whitewater). AW ↗
mi 22Spruce Park Gorge

Spruce Park GorgeIV

American Whitewater Class IV. Two-mile rocky series at the site of the defeated Spruce Park Dam. AW places Spruce Park near mile 22 — well below the position used here; reconcile with a local. Mostly read-and-run; eddy out above the last big rapid on river-right to scout. At 3.6 ft the entrance drop can be run center or right. Center line shoots the gap between two boulders followed by a right move to avoid a left-side pourover (probably a large hole at higher flows). At higher flows watch for goose-neck bends where current pushes against walls. Large flat campsite on river-right above the rapid series in Spruce Park widening. AW ↗
mi 22.29Spruce Park Rapid Series

Spruce Park Rapid SeriesIV

American Whitewater Class IV. Two-mile rocky series at the site of the defeated Spruce Park Dam (the dam fight that helped seed the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act). Mostly read-and-run; rafts at lower flows may want to scout. Eddy out above the last big rapid on river-right to scout. At 3.6 ft the entrance drop can be run center or right. Center line shoots the gap between two boulders followed by a right move to avoid a left-side pourover (probably a large hole at higher flows). At higher flows watch for goose-neck-like bends where currents push against the walls. Large flat campsite on river-right above the rapid series in the Spruce Park widening. AW ↗
No. 05 · Getting there & back

How to get there. How to get back.

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Put-in, take-out, and the shuttle between them. Confirm road conditions before a remote launch.
Put-in

Schafer Meadows

48.0769, -113.2407Directions ↗
Notes
Wilderness airstrip in the Great Bear Wilderness (FAA 8U2, ~48.0796, -113.245). Access only by ~20-min bush plane from Kalispell (Cessna 206 fits kayaks under 9 ft; call ahead for gear/weight limits) OR a 6-mile hike from the Granite Creek Trailhead (~4 hrs, well-maintained, generally downhill). The river put-in is a ¼-mile muddy hike from the airstrip; the coordinate here is that put-in on the Middle Fork.
Take-out

Bear Creek

48.2336, -113.5670Directions ↗
Notes
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.
Shuttle

19.8 mi self-shuttle

≈ 61 min driveShuttle route ↗
Route
Spot a vehicle at the take-out, drive boats to the put-in, retrieve at the end of the day.
Source
Driving distance via the Mapbox Directions API; matches a standard road shuttle, not a back-road shortcut.
Permits
No formal permit; contact Hungry Horse / Glacier View / Spotted Bear Ranger Districts (Flathead National Forest, 406-387-3800) for current conditions. Camping permits NOT required for Forest Service land on river-right; required for Glacier NP land on river-left (Apgar backcountry office).
Season
June through early August. Later season runs too low to float continuously in places.
Rules & regulationsvia Flathead Rivers Alliance ↗
  • 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.
No. 06 · Hazards on this run

What to watch for

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Hazards we have on record for this run specifically. Universal river-safety practice — gear, group, emergencies — is on the disclaimer & safety page.
Corridor contactsvia Flathead Rivers Alliance ↗
  • 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.
No. 07 · Before you head up the highway

Today's gear call

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Tailored to today's water temperature and this run's difficulty. The full always-bring list is on the disclaimer & safety page.
Today-specific · 45°F water · class III-IV

At 45°F, this gear is non-optional.

Drysuit, or 3 mm+ wetsuit with a paddling jacket.
Water is 45°F — hypothermia risk in a swim.
Neoprene gloves or pogies.
Hands quit fast at this temperature.
Helmet rated for whitewater.
Class III-IV — boulders and shallow hits.
Throw bag per paddler; pin kit split between boats.
Self-rescue is the only rescue out here.
Dry clothes and a warm hat in a dry bag.
Hypothermia prevention after a swim.
No. 08 · From the boats that ran it

What the last few boats said

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Sorted by similarity to today's flow. Reports are the best signal we have for what a run feels like — leave one when you get home.
No trip reports on this run yetThe names of the rapids you ran, the flow at the gauge, the line you took — that is the best signal there is. Submitting your own report opens up once accounts ship.
No. 09 · From the group

From the group

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Ranger's note ·Beta pulled from the Flathead Valley Paddling Society on Facebook — organized, attributed, and kept here so it doesn't vanish into the feed. The original conversations are at the bottom.

Safety

LeeRecent report

Mid-May 2026: lots of trees/wood reported in the river and it's running muddy and off-color. Be on your game.

The run

Jimmy11,000 cfsFlow-dependent

Browns Hole at high water (~11k): start left and move right as you enter, avoid the wall on the left, and eddy out to scout — the wave can be as tall as a 14' boat is long.

Kevin / Beth / MelissaAlways true

At lower/later-season flows you'll likely need to line the raft through some drops in the Three Forks Series. Take the smallest boats you can, keep it a paddle rig over an oar boat, and budget an extra day — you'll move slower than you expect.

Conditions

RobertRecent report

Late May 2026, ~6 ft: Cascadilla → West Glacier is tan-green with about 4 ft of visibility. Two non-threatening strainers ~2 miles above where Moccasin/Deerlick Creek enter; obstacles are visible well ahead. Tunnel → West Glacier is fast and semi-smooth, not washed out.

James2,000 cfsFlow-dependent

Lower navigability floor: ~2,000 cfs is close to a hard minimum for a small raft on the upper reach from Schafer — at ~2,300 a 14' boat drags off a few rocks but goes. Flows pick up considerably once Granite Creek enters below Three Forks. (This is the 'navigable but dragging' floor; it's well below the prime band.)

Is it for you

Andy11,000 cfsFlow-dependent

At high water on the Bear Creek run you want real experience on it and dry suits.

LehiFlow-dependent

Bear Creek runs better at higher flows — high water covers a lot of the rocks so it's less bony.

The original conversations

Keagan asked

Upper Middle Fork trip planned, Schafer Meadows down to Bear Creek, put-in June 29. Packrafts and small 10ft rafts as a paddle boat or oar rig. Looks like the river is peaking early this year. Anyone have experience getting down the upper part at lower flows? We're ready for bony nonsense, but I don't want to get totally stuck.

James2000 cfs is close to a hard minimum for a (small) raft on the upper stretch from Schafer. Flows pick up considerably once Granite Creek drops in below Three Forks.
KevinYou'll do fine in packrafts and likely that smaller raft. I'd keep it a paddle rig rather than an oar boat. You'll likely need to line the raft through some rapids in the Three Forks Series. Going that late, take an extra day if you can — you'll be slower than you anticipate.
MelissaRan it at 2300 in a 14' 1000lb boat the last 3 years. Had to drag off a few rocks, but it's fine. A 10-footer should be gravy.
BethTwo years ago we did this and spent a lot of time getting our boats off rocks — we left around July 7. Take the smallest boats possible; you'll enjoy the trip more.
View the original thread →
Natasha asked

Looking for some insight. My friend and I come up every year and float on SUP's from HH to Teakettle or Kokanee. We've done Blankenship to Teakettle and HH to Old Steel Bridge before. Those are the only routes we know. Are there any other stretches of the river that you'd recommend? I've done white water rafting a few times and have been paddling the river on my SUP for around 4-5 years. Nothing crazy though, and no training.

CassidyI like middle fork golf course to Blankenship.
CajunYou need to start at West Glacier! Take out at House of Mystery. Best stretch imo.
NatashaHow long? Rapids? Do it with someone knowledgeable first?
CajunYou don't need a guide to do anything below Moccasin.
CajunYes rapids, but nothing crazy.
CajunWest Glacier to Blankenship is a little rougher than Blankenship down, in terms of whitewater.
RoyWhen are you coming? The water level makes a big difference. As Cajun said, consider West Glacier to Blankenship. There is one rapid, Devil's Elbow, worth mentioning. The river makes a big turn to the right. At medium and higher flows the current pushes you into the big rock outcrop. You can totally avoid it by portaging over the gravel bar on the right.
CarmenJust not on a remotely windy day! That last part will blow you backwards up the river!
CajunOh, I should've mentioned that. Always check the wind forecast before getting on the river.
CajunI've paddleboarded Moccasin, but I recommend a helmet and vest for that.
NatashaWe usually come mid-to-late July.
RoyA good time of year for SUP. Unless we just got a bunch of rain, the flow should be on the lower side of moderate. Definitely West Glacier to Blankenship. It'll probably be a good level to play around in Devil's Elbow — carry back up and run it multiple times trying different lines, and practice ferries, eddy turns, and peel-outs at the bottom. Have fun!
View the original thread →
Hannah asked

Hi crew! Interested in doing Bear Creek to Cascadilla tomorrow. We have run this stretch many times but never at these flows. Looks to be running around 11k. Any advice, intel, words of wisdom?

LeeRan it last year at 11,000 — it's a bunch in places. Depends on your experience. A friend who lives on the river said this morning there are a bunch of trees in the river now and it's muddy.
AndyAt this water level, you should have some experience on that stretch and dry suits if you plan on running it.
JimmyStart left and move right as you enter Browns. It'll be HUGE. You really want to avoid the wall on the left. Definitely worth an eddy-out and scout.
AndrewDrove through the area today coming from the east side. It's pumping and off-color, as expected. Should be fun, but definitely be on your game.
JessicaI wanna run this section, but not right now. Way too much wood in the water.
SamuelDefinitely scout Browns. Last year we ran it at 11k and the wave was about as tall as my 14' boat is long.
LehiBrowns Hole should be a fun wave. I prefer Bear Creek at around those levels — it clears up a lot of the rocks and it's not so bony.
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