Youngs Creek to Mid Creek — South Fork wilderness
OK Flowing at 1,850 CFS — no best-at range on record yet. · Conditions as of Jul 16, 2026, 1:45 PM. Printed snapshot generated Jul 16, 2026, 2:13 PM— conditions change, wood moves, levels swing. Verify the gauge and scout anything you can't read from upstream.
Mile by mile
- 1mi 34.51Lower wilderness rapid (unnamed)II AW publishes one named (well — unnamed but documented) Class II rapid at mile 34.51, near the end of the wilderness reach. Most of the 37-mile run is read-and-run Class II+ with no individually named features.
Getting there & back
Put-in
Youngs/Danaher Confluence — Wilderness put-in deep in the Bob Marshall Wilderness — the South Fork begins here, at the confluence of Youngs Creek and Danaher Creek. NO ROAD ACCESS. Reach it on foot or by stock pack via one of two trailheads off Hwy 83: Owl Creek Trailhead (~29 mi hike, 15 mi south of Condon) or Lodgepole Trailhead (~22 mi hike, 12 mi north of Ovando — the shorter approach). Big Prairie Pack Bridge at river mile 6.62 is an alternative put-in for those hiking in from Holland Lake Trailhead. ⚠️ Channel-spanning log jams at the start may require a portage. Wilderness regulations apply throughout: 16-day stay limit, group size limits, no motorized travel, LNT critical. Coordinates here are the river-side confluence (Wikipedia); driving directions will not work — you have to hike in.
Take-out
Mid Creek — Wilderness take-out marked by a small sign on river-right, just above the Meadow Creek Gorge canyon entrance. From the take-out, hike ~3.5 miles down the trail to the Meadow Creek Trailhead (USFS Spotted Bear RD, lat 47.83236, lng -113.42009) for vehicle access — 67 miles south of Hungry Horse via East Side Reservoir Road #38 → West Side Reservoir Road #895 → Meadow Creek Road #2826. The trailhead has 28 parking spots (stock + foot use), is open May 15 – Nov 30, no cell service; closest public phone is 15 mi north at Spotted Bear Ranger Station. ⚠️ Meadow Creek Gorge immediately below the take-out is Class IV/V — do NOT miss the take-out. Coordinates here are approximate (river-side); use the trailhead lat/lng above for driving.
Shuttle (take-out → put-in): 270.5 mi · ≈ 428 min
Trip log
Spot wood or a changed rapid? Add it to the run page when you're back in coverage — riverbeta.app/south-fork-flathead/youngs-creek-to-mid-creek — the next crew is counting on you.