Middle Fork Flathead · Multi-day trip
Schafer Meadows to Blankenship — full Middle Fork descent
The hypothetical full Middle Fork — wilderness fly-in at Schafer all the way to the Middle/North Fork confluence at Blankenship. ~72 miles of Class III-IV wilderness, road-accessible Class II-III canyon, and easier mainstem-feeder Class II below West Glacier. Rarely done as one trip end-to-end; more often locals string two or three of the stages together.
Is it running today?
- 1NO15,400 cfs
- 2NO15,400 cfs
- 3NO15,400 cfs
- 4NO15,400 cfs
- 5OK15,400 cfs
Roll-up assumes the weakest-link rule — any stage outside its runnable range trips the whole trip. Click a stage for the full per-segment page with the live chart, rapids, and per-segment beta.
Will it be running?
Outlook · most-downstream gauge · USGS 12358500The prime band is the overlap of every stage's window — the flow range where the whole trip is in shape — and the trip-window verdict gates on the stage that needs the most water (4,000 cfs). Readings are from the most-downstream gauge; the upstream wilderness reaches run lower.
- Too low
- Low
- Prime
- High
- Too high
The trip
AW does not publish this as one reach — but it's the structural full Middle Fork descent, and worth knowing about as a 5-day-or-so expedition. Stage 1 is the wilderness fly-in Schafer Meadows → Bear Creek (27.5 mi, Class III-IV, true wilderness — bush plane or 6-mile hike from Granite Creek Trailhead). Stage 2 is Bear Creek → Paola (12 mi, Class II-III canyon). Stage 3 is Paola → Moccasin (18 mi, Class II-III; Cascadilla takeout at mi 11.62 is the practical cutoff). Stage 4 is Moccasin → West Glacier (8.9 mi, the classic Class III day-run with Jaws, Pinball, Bonecrusher). Stage 5 is West Glacier → Blankenship (5.4 mi, Class II+ scenic with Devil's Elbow). The complete descent is rare; most paddlers do stage 1 alone (fly-in wilderness) or chain 2–4 together (canyon + classic) or 5 alone (family scenic). Worth knowing the whole geography exists.
Planning
Season. June through early August. The wilderness section sets the window — Schafer needs the higher water of early summer.
Permits & regs. No formal float permit. Wilderness segment (stage 1) requires planning around fly-in or hike-in logistics. Camping on Glacier National Park land (river-left from Bear Creek down) requires a backcountry permit; Flathead National Forest land allows dispersed camping. Wild & Scenic Corridor regulations apply throughout (PFDs, IGBC bear-resistant food, solid waste containment, fire pan/blanket).
Stages
Each stage is its own page with rapids, live flow chart, hazards, and community beta. Use those for the granular detail — this page is the trip-level overview.
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.
- Stage 2Bear Creek to Paola Access ↗
Class II-III canyon water immediately below the Great Bear Wilderness. Red-mudstone canyon walls, the Walton Goat Lick, and the historic Izaak Walton Inn at Essex as a landmark.
Long Class II float with one Class III feature (Brown's Hole), opening to broad braided cobble bars in Nyack Flats. Cascadilla Access (mi 11.62, river-right) is the recommended takeout — Moccasin Creek as a takeout is impractical.
Continuous read-and-run whitewater. The most popular day-trip whitewater run on any of the three forks. Railroad along river-left, Glacier National Park on river-right.
Scenic float with one Class III rapid. Deep gorges, impressive cliffs, deep pools. The family-friendly section.