RIVERBETA · pocket sheet
Schafer Meadows to Bear Creek
Middle Fork Flathead · III-IV · 27.5 mi · 35 ft/mi · June–August
OK3,120 cfs
Mile by mile
- 1Three Forks Rapid seriesIV · RM 77.5⚠ scout — Two-mile series of intermittent rocky rapids beginning about 3 miles below Schafer Meadows put-in. American Whitewater rates Three Forks Class IV. … cont. on back →
- 2Upper Twenty-Five Mile RapidIV · RM 68 — 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.
- 3Lower Twenty-Five Mile RapidIV · RM 67.5 — American Whitewater Class IV. Paired with Upper Twenty-Five Mile; tight together. Left-to-right move.
- 4Cye Creek RapidIII · RM 64.55⚠ scout — Large midstream boulder just upstream of the Cye Creek confluence. ⚠️ Scout for wood (American Whitewater).
- 5Lunch Creek SeriesIII · RM 62.86 — Series of read-and-run rapids beginning just downstream of Lunch Creek (American Whitewater).
- 6Spruce Park Rapid SeriesIV · RM 58.21 — 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). … cont. on back →
⚠ Wood & hazards
- Jun 8, 2026 — Wood at the upper end of Three Forks has shifted and is passable — takes real effort moving right. … cont. on back →
- Jun 6, 2026 · 11,000 cfs — The Three Forks strainer has migrated downstream to the S-Turn near river mile 66. A party of 13-ft rafts ran the right line with no issues at 11,000 cfs. (Maggie)
- May 30, 2026 · 15,000 cfs — Strainer above Three Forks rapid still in place. At ~15,000 cfs it forced mandatory lining of catarafts and rafts. All other rapids down to Bear Creek were clear of wood. (Guy)
- May 29, 2026 — River-wide strainer reported at the top of the Three Forks section. At high water this reach is no place to meet new wood — see the follow-up reports for where it went. (Anders)
Field notes
P Schafer MeadowsT Bear Creekshuttle 19.8 mi · ≈56 min
Last 7 days · USGS 12358500
Mile by mile — continued
- 1 Three Forks Rapid seriesIV · RM 77.5 (cont.) — … 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.
- 6 Spruce Park Rapid SeriesIV · RM 58.21 (cont.) — … 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.
⚠ Wood & hazards — continued
- Jun 8, 2026 (cont.) — … NEW: a big downed tree in the slot at lower 25 Mile, very hard to see from the boat. Catch the small eddy river-right against the wall for an easy portage up and over. (Jack)
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
USGS 12358500 · Conditions as of Jul 16, 2026, 1:45 PM · Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 91°F. Printed Jul 16, 2026, 3:00 PM— levels swing, wood moves. Verify the gauge and scout anything you can't read from upstream.