Polebridge to Big Creek
NO Very low at 716 CFS — boney and likely unrunnable. · Conditions as of Oct 18, 2026, 11:45 PM. Printed snapshot generated Oct 19, 2026, 12:31 AM— conditions change, wood moves, levels swing. Verify the gauge and scout anything you can't read from upstream.
The run
Long scenic float, not whitewater. Glacier NP boundary on river-left. Best as part of a multi-day. Wood hazards are the main concern.
⚠ Wood & hazard reports
- May 26, 2026 — New wood buildup around Home Bottoms Ranch. It looks river-wide from upstream, but there's a gap on the inside corner to navigate through. (Trevor)
- May 25, 2026 — Watch for strainers near Coal Creek. (Same report: everything ran clean at 6,000-7,000 cfs before the early-June rise.) (James)
Getting there & back
Put-in
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.
Take-out
Big Creek — Forest Service campground on river-right just after the Big Creek confluence.
Shuttle (take-out → put-in): 17.5 mi · ≈ 33 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/polebridge-to-big-creek — the next crew is counting on you.