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.