Riverbeta
Flathead Valley / Glacier National Park

North Fork Flathead

The quieter fork. Originates in British Columbia, forms the western boundary of Glacier National Park. Wild and Scenic. Mostly Class I-II with a few Class III features in the lower canyon. Less traffic than the Middle Fork.

Runs
4
Class range
I–III
Length
57.8 mi
Season
May–Nov
No. 01 · The river

Where the runs sit

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Every run drawn as its actual river channel, colored by today's runnability. Hover a line for the run; tap to open it.
  • Too low
  • Low
  • Prime
  • High
  • Too high
No. 02 · Runs

The sections, top to bottom

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Listed headwaters to confluence. Pick a run for live conditions, rapids beta, and the whole plan.

  1. Canadian Border to Polebridge

    TOO HIGH
    I-II · 24 mi · Half-day

    Upper North Fork wilderness float. Not whitewater — Class I-II with numerous log jams and tight turns through grizzly country. Multi-day put-in for the longer 58-mi North Fork descent, or a 2–3 day standalone trip.

    14,400 cfs todayprime 1,500–7,000

  2. Polebridge to Big Creek

    TOO HIGH
    I-II · 18.5 mi · 10 ft/mi · ≈ 5 hrs · Full-day

    Long scenic float, not whitewater. Glacier NP boundary on river-left. Best as part of a multi-day. Wood hazards are the main concern.

    14,400 cfs todayprime 1,500–7,000

  3. Big Creek to Glacier Rim

    TOO HIGH
    II-III · 11.5 mi · 18 ft/mi · ≈ 3 hrs · Half-day

    Most popular North Fork run. Canyon section below the Camas Creek road. Burn-scar landscape from 2001/2003 fires. Several Class III features. Several good surf waves at medium-low flows.

    14,400 cfs todayprime 1,500–8,000

  4. Glacier Rim to Blankenship Bridge

    HIGH
    I · 3.8 mi · 6 ft/mi · ≈ 1.5 hrs · Half-day

    Short, mellow, family-friendly. Ends at the confluence with the Middle Fork.

    14,400 cfs todayprime 1,000–10,000
No. 03 · Multi-day trips

Multi-day trips

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Overnight trips — you camp on the river. Committing wilderness with no road bail-out, or a road corridor you can shorten or break into day-runs. Each rolls up today's runnability across its whole length.
No. 04 · Reference

Gauges & outside resources

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Where the live readings come from, and the outfits with the deeper river-by-river database.
Gauges & flow
  • USGS 12355500 · North Fork Flathead River near Columbia Falls MTUpdates every 15 min
Run databases
No. 05 · 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

Jimmy12,000 cfsRecent report

Late May 2026, ~12,000 cfs: the Shelf (the "charcoal" rapid — the same drop locals also call the North Fork Ledge) runs as a nice wave train at this level, but a sweeper remains river-left, below the rapid on the corner. Avoid it. Reported as still in place this season.

BethAlways true

The North Fork Ledge is a real boat-eater and can be highly retentive. If you're floating all the way to Blankenship, avoid it — stay far river-left.

AmberAlways true

The North Fork shelf/rapid, river-right below Polebridge, is extremely dangerous — it does not look abnormal from upstream, and parties report it flips boats and strips gear. Scout it; treat it with serious caution.

Nicholas / Art / Melissa / CodyAlways true

Where the Ledge is, per consistent local reports: about 1 mile above the Glacier Rim boat ramp, roughly a quarter mile past a large culvert on river-right (the Canyon Creek culvert — right where the road's pavement turns to gravel, so you can scout it from the car). You'll see a shallow line of whitewater reaching from the right shore to about mid-river. Stay LEFT and it's easily avoided; it's deceptive and easy to miss if you drift right.

JulieAlways true

Coal Creek to Big Creek: if you take the LEFT channel there's a channel-blocking log jam, and the right channel is hard to pick out. One paddler picked wrong with kids aboard and had to unload and portage the whole raft. Choose carefully.

Debra / AmyAlways true

Spring high water on the North Fork is no joke: strong current, big waves, and lethal wood. Tree roots are the worst hazard — a trained packrafter drowned pinned at a tree root in shallow water when the bow folded around her legs. Novices should wait until late June/July; one paddler aborted Ford → Polebridge less than a mile in last spring. Stop at the Polebridge Mercantile for current river updates.

The run

BrandonFlow-dependent

The Kintla rapids are the only real "technical" water up high — at lower flows just dodgy boulder gardens. Also a few very avoidable log jams.

Samuel / Bill / CodyFlow-dependent

Fool Hen is really a Class II+ at most levels — easy point-and-shoot, mostly standing waves and maybe one hole. Straightforward for an experienced oarsman, especially in a 12–14 ft boat; it can get trickier at high flows.

NateAlways true

There's one small rapid on the border-to-Polebridge run: watch for a large culvert on river-right — the rapid is just past it. Stay river-left and the current carries you past with no issue.

James L.Always true

Per-segment read from a paddler who ran the whole river: Ford → Polebridge is the safest stretch; Polebridge → Big Creek has wood piles and strainer hazards to dodge; Border → Ford can be low on water but is very pretty, with one splashy wave train at Kintla Creek.

Conditions

James L.6,500 cfsRecent report

Late May 2026: a paddler floated the whole North Fork from the border at 6,000–7,000 cfs with no major obstructions — a little new wood piled up but easy to see and avoid; a raft company reported border → Polebridge clear.

Rick13,200 cfsRecent report

Late May 2026, 13,200 cfs: Polebridge → Camas ran fast (2:10), fun Class II wave trains and high water. Several log pileups and strainers, but nothing difficult to avoid.

Ethan400 cfsFlow-dependent

Don't run the upper North Fork much under 400 CFS — you'll be dragging. Watch the USGS gauge.

JulieFlow-dependent

The border-to-Ford section is often too shallow to enjoy in July, especially a low-snow year — many parties put in at Ford instead and take out lower (e.g. Coal Creek).

Beth1,000 cfsFlow-dependent

American Whitewater lists below 1,000 cfs as 'not recommended' on the North Fork. (Distinct from the ~400 cfs point where you're simply dragging.)

Camping

BethAlways true

Camp only on river-right. River-left is Glacier National Park and requires a permit — camping there is illegal and ticketed.

BrendonAlways true

Camping is good river-right the length of the upper North Fork. A popular spot is where Red Meadow Creek meets the North Fork. Scout your first campsite ahead and camp there the night before launching.

DebraAlways true

The Big Creek campground is reserved out from June on and its boat launch gets packed in season — Northern Flats is a better camp choice.

Logistics & rules

AmberAlways true

North Fork regulations: release bull trout (no black-tipped fin — put it back), and you are legally required to carry a portable toilet for solid waste.

Tyler threadAlways true

For North Fork multi-days, leave the hard-sided drift boats — bring rafts. 10–15-mile days are very doable; in June daylight runs from before 6am to around 10pm.

SheenaAlways true

Early season, the raft companies run training and guided floats before private boaters are out — calling their front desk is a good way to get current conditions. Wild River Adventures, Glacier Raft Co, and Glacier Guides & Montana Raft cover the Middle Fork; all the companies except Great Northern run the North Fork.

Shuttle

Annie threadAlways true

Shuttle help on the upper North Fork: Cameron Trey runs shuttles, and Jonathan Munroe runs shuttles out of Home Bottom Ranch. A Polebridge-based shuttle service has also been operating in recent summers.

Is it for you

BethAlways true

The upper North Fork float is Class III at most and can be done in about 3 days (extendable). The rapids can get tricky at certain flows but ease off as the season progresses.

ChrisAlways true

Ford to Polebridge is about 11 miles — spectacular and quiet; you can have it to yourself.

Noah / Mark threadAlways true

Locals routinely run this stretch with young kids (around age 4) if there's an experienced oarsman — the trick is to put a second adult up front to hold the child through the wave trains. With a small child aboard, some take out at Big Creek to skip the Ledge entirely.

JessicaAlways true

The North Fork sees far fewer people than the Middle Fork. Anything above Big Creek is quiet; Big Creek and Glacier Rim are busier. Even putting in at Glacier Rim, traffic is much lighter than the Middle Fork.

Good to know

SheenaAlways true

The Flathead Rivers Alliance publishes a North Fork trip-planning reference — camping (Glacier NP vs Forest Service), river access, and food storage — at flatheadrivers.org.

Flathead Rivers AllianceAlways true

The Flathead Rivers Alliance posts current North Fork condition videos to their Facebook during the season — a quick way to read color and level before you drive up.

The original conversations

Haley asked

Curious about details of floating the North Fork this summer? Camping? We have heard many different things. Thanks!

SheenaThis Facebook group is a great source of info. For camping (Glacier NP vs Forest Service side), river-access stats, food storage, etc., the Flathead Rivers Alliance has a quick trip-planning reference: flatheadrivers.org.
BethThe float is a good one. Lots of camping — but make sure you camp only on the right. The left is Glacier National Park and requires a permit. This float can be done in 3 days but can also be extended if you want to chill, fish, whatever. Max Class III rapids, but at certain flows they can be tricky. Shouldn't be a problem as the season progresses. How far down do you plan to go? If you're going all the way to Blankenship, please avoid the North Fork Ledge — it can be a real boat eater and can be highly retentive. Let us know if you have other questions!
Tyler asked

Montanan looking for local advice for a June North Fork float, Ford to Glacier Rim, 10 people with various experience and boats. Can we bring drift boats or should we stick to rafts? What's the magic CFS for that float? Is averaging 10–15 miles per day realistic? Any must-see stops or suggested campsites?

CynthiaRafts! No drift boats.
DanDon't bring hard-sided boats. 10–15-mile days are very easy to do — the sun is up before 6am and sets around 10pm.
View the original thread →
Jes asked

How's the color of the North Fork above Polebridge? Looks pretty huge online!

Flathead Rivers AllianceHere's a North Fork video from this week.
CodyVarying shades of brown, with a chance of tree.
View the original thread →
Maree asked

Anyone been up the North Fork? We'd like to do Ford to Polebridge.

ChrisI did Ford to Polebridge on Saturday morning and it was absolutely spectacular. Didn't see another soul the whole 11 miles.
LisaIt is high and fast!
RobThe river is flowing!!
Annie asked

Need some honest advice from those of you familiar with the Flathead Canadian-border-to-Polebridge section. We'll be two 14' rafts, 2 adults and 1 kid per raft, loaded with overnight gear for a 4-day/3-night trip launching July 28. What are typical flows that time of year? Any technical sections we should know about? With the lack of snow this year, are we going too late? Suggestions for a great 2nd/3rd-night camp spot? Any leads on someone to shuttle trucks?

BrandonMight be a little boney up towards the border end of July, but probably still doable with some dragging here and there. The only "technical" spots would be the Kintla rapids, which would just be dodgy boulder gardens at those flows, plus a few very avoidable log jams. Lots of great camping everywhere river-right, and there's a shuttle guy working out of Polebridge this summer. Watch flows carefully as you get closer — if it gets too low, I'd recommend putting in a little lower.
AmberCameron Trey is your shuttle. Watch out for the North Fork shelf/rapid — river-right below Polebridge. It leaves no survivors. No joke, you will be flipped, and it doesn't look abnormal from upstream, so once you hit it… goodbye gear and friends. Never camp river-left — that's Glacier Park, illegal, and you'll be ticketed. Release only bull trout — no black-tipped fin, put it back. You must, by law, carry a portable toilet for solid waste.
KathrynWe floated in pack rafts a few years back, June 1-3, from the border to Blankenship bridge. It was excellent. Border to Polebridge is great and easy. We winged the campsites — pull out and look around, just make sure it's not private land. Have a map.
BrendonBorder to Polebridge is easily done in a couple days, so consider going further. With this snowpack and early runoff it may be boney closer to the border — still doable but you may wade a little. Check USGS flows for averages. I recommend scouting your first campsite ahead, camping there the night before you launch, then floating in. I typically float border-to-Ford, then Ford-to-Sondreson for a shorter day, then Sondreson-to-Polebridge, then Polebridge-to-Coal Creek — easily four days of floating.
RoseJonathan Munroe runs shuttles from Home Bottom Ranch.
JulieIt can be really shallow between the border and Ford in July. I'd plan to put in at Ford and get out at Coal Creek instead.
CameronI'm happy to run your shuttle.
NateWe did it last year — put in at the border on June 29. There's a side channel that was very thin; otherwise you'd drag boat and gear over the rock bar to the main channel. The Ford put-in looked very doable at those flows. I'd take out further down — 10-to-12-mile days are perfect. There is one small rapid on river-right: you'll see a large culvert on river-right, and just past it is the rapid. Stay river-left and the natural current takes you right past it with no issue. Expect a few strainers from the winter.
PaulMy suggestion for a family trip that time of year: skip the upper section and do Polebridge down. There's a lot more water, lots of great camping, and you can make a two- or three-day trip. We're likely to have low water this year — not much snow.
ToniaBorder to Ford is often too low that time of year, unless you really like carrying your boat.
LukeGo all the way to Blankenship bridge. Boney up top, and the Ledge on the last day — stay far river-left on the Ledge.
BrianBorder to Big Creek. Camp where Red Meadow Creek connects with the North Fork. Nothing technical.
EthanWatch the USGS flows. If I remember right, I wouldn't run it if it's reading under 400 — you'll be dragging.
DebraLast year the North Fork was so low in May we swore it was July levels. Folks coming in late July need to really check river levels — we were dragging bottom in several places in June, and we draft in 4-5 inches of water.
BenThat's going to be a lot of work in a 14-footer that time of year, especially with overnight gear. If you can go earlier or lighter, I would.
BillWould be too low for me to enjoy, and three nights of camping from Polebridge is a very slow pace.
LeeMake sure you have the river guide book.
ArtThe Shelf is a ways below Polebridge — actually just above the Glacier Rim take-out, just after the Canyon Creek culvert on river-right. It's about 1/4 mile after the culvert and easy to miss if you go river-left. For flows, use the USGS site and select median on the chart; above median should be OK. It just had a major flow way above median.
BethBelow 1000 CFS is considered "not recommended" per American Whitewater.
JessicaMy family rafts the North Fork a ton. Anything above Big Creek is not very crowded; once you get to Big Creek and Glacier Rim it's a little busier. We stick to the North Fork because there are way fewer people — even putting in at Glacier Rim, the traffic is significantly less than the Middle Fork.
DebraThe campground at Big Creek is reserved out since June and the boat launch will be packed around that time. Northern Flats is a better choice.
Jimmy asked

Shelf / charcoal rapid, North Fork Flathead, ~12,000 cfs. Nice wave train. There's a sweeper that's still there — river-left, below it on the corner. Hopefully this is the year it gets washed away.

View the original thread →
Mark asked

Planning to take my 4-year-old daughter on the North Fork in mid-June. There's a section called Fool Hen rated Class III — are these typically easy in mid-June? Also, is The Ledge easy to spot and avoid? I'm an experienced rafter, but having my daughter makes me wonder if we should take out at Big Creek this trip.

CodyDepends on level, but the Fool Hen rapids are fairly straightforward if you have some experience on the oars. As for the Ledge, it's easily avoidable — once you pass the river-right culvert you'll see it downstream on the right. Stay left of it and you'll be good.
MelissaThe Ledge is one mile upstream from the Glacier Rim boat ramp.
SamuelFool Hen is really a 2+ at most levels — easy point-and-shoot. The Ledge is pretty easy to avoid, just watch for it and stay left.
BillAn experienced person at the oars with other experienced people should have no problem on that stretch. Fool Hen is just standing waves and maybe one hole. The Ledge is easily seen from a ways away — pay attention and stay left.
NicholasIf you have experience, Fool Hen is not much to worry about, especially in a 12–14 ft boat. The Ledge can be deceiving — it's about a quarter mile past a large culvert on river-right. You'll see a shallow line of whitewater from the right shore to about halfway across the river. Just stay left. You can scout it from the road; the culvert is right before the pavement turns to gravel.
DonnaJune is typically high water — it may be lower than normal but it's still rushing. My personal opinion would be no, with a 4-year-old. Yesterday another raft flipped near Kokanee Bend — second one this week due to logs in the water.
JulieStay away from Coal Creek to Big Creek — if you take the left channel there's a channel-blocking log jam, and it's hard to pick the right channel. I picked wrong once with my little kids and we had to unload and portage the whole raft. The rest of the river is straightforward for an experienced oarsman.
NoahMy daughter turns 4 this summer and this will be her third year on this trip. If you're an experienced oarsman, go for it — but have another adult sit up front to hold the kiddo through the waves.
View the original thread →
James L. asked

Any recent beta on new log jams or strainers? Planning a float soon and wanted to check for any major obstructions from the border down. Thanks!

SheenaThe raft companies have been running training floats and guided trips for a week or so — a great resource for early-season conditions when there aren't many private floaters out. Calling their front desk usually gets you updates: Wild River Adventures, Glacier Raft Co, Glacier Guides & Montana Raft, and Great Northern for the Middle Fork; all the companies except Great Northern for the North Fork.
MelissaJust spoke to a local raft company who ran border down to Polebridge this past weekend — they said it was clear.
James L.We floated the whole river from the border with no difficulties at 7000–6000 cfs. Watch out for wood — a few trees dangling from the banks and a few up side channels that you want to stay away from — but the main channel is generally obvious and clear. Little bit of new wood piled up in a few places, easy to see and avoid.
James L.Ford to Polebridge is probably the safest stretch. Polebridge to Big Creek has some wood piles to avoid and strainer hazards. The border to Ford may lack water but it's very pretty and has one wave train at Kintla Creek that's splashy.
View the original thread →
Rick asked

Planning to kayak from Polebridge to Camas, solo. It's flowing 13,200 right now. Did it three years ago with no drama at lower flow. Anything new at this cfs?

RickIt was a fast run today — 2:10 from Polebridge to Camas Creek. A couple of fun Class II wave trains and high water. Several log pileups and strainers, but nothing difficult to avoid.
View the original thread →
Chris asked

New to the area and looking at trying out a pack raft, thinking Ford to Polebridge on a Saturday morning. I've kayaked a bit but consider myself a river novice. Did this stretch years ago and don't recall it being difficult. Anyone want to join with a second vehicle?

DebraThe river changes every year and every day, and there can be some bad spots. Tree roots in the water are to be avoided at all costs. One well-trained gal with a pack kayak drowned in 3 inches of water a few years ago — the front end folded around her legs in the swirling water around the tree root. Stop at the Polebridge Mercantile and ask about the latest river updates; someone there usually knows the river scene. Life jackets are mandatory.
AmyI'd be very careful on the river this time of year. Last May I set out to kayak Ford to Polebridge and had to abort less than a mile in because the current was so strong and the waves so big — it was just dangerous and I knew it. You might want to wait until late June or July.
View the original thread →