Canadian Border to Polebridge
NO Very low at 851 CFS — boney and likely unrunnable. · Conditions as of Sep 1, 2026, 1:45 AM. Printed snapshot generated Sep 1, 2026, 2:23 AM— conditions change, wood moves, levels swing. Verify the gauge and scout anything you can't read from upstream.
Mile by mile
- 1RM 48.56Upper Kintla RapidsII Class II at mile 9.14 — the headline feature of the upper sub-segment. AW lists it as both an access waypoint and the named rapid for this reach.
Getting there & back
Put-in
Canadian Border — Flathead National Forest river access (Canadian Border Boating Site) — ~58 mi north of Columbia Falls via the North Fork Road (County Road #486 / formerly MT-486). Last access road on the U.S. side at the closed Flathead/Trail Creek border crossing. Designated parking, vault toilet, boat slide; no potable water; day-use only, no fees, 3-night camping limit, solid human waste containment required. The road north is long and unpaved in places — plan for a slow approach.
Take-out
Polebridge — Long bumpy drive on largely unpaved, poorly maintained road. Plan accordingly. National Park gate access has been regulated since ~2023; check current rules. Used as a take-out for the Canadian Border → Polebridge upper run and the put-in for Polebridge → Big Creek.
Shuttle (take-out → put-in): 21.8 mi · ≈ 60 min
Rules & contacts
- 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.
- 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. Tyler Melville (North Fork)
- 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.
Trip log
Spot wood or a changed rapid? Add it to the run page when you're back in coverage — riverbeta.app/north-fork-flathead/canadian-border-to-polebridge — the next crew is counting on you.