Satellite · Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics
The Flathead Rivers Alliance has published an access sheet for this launch, and it says the engineering statistics are not available yet. Read FRA's description and view the site photographs in the linked access sheet below.
South Fork River Access
Near Spotted Bear, a separate vehicle access road leads to a gravel loop and an undeveloped launch over a large cobble bar. FRA recommends four-wheel or all-wheel drive.
FRA access sheet
August 2026Flathead Rivers Alliance's sheet includes three site photographs and its full access description. Engineering statistics are not available yet.
View the access sheet and photographsAccess concerns
From Flathead Rivers Alliance- Stones embedded in the bank create uneven footing.
Getting there
From the Spotted Bear Ranger Station, drive northwest on East Side Reservoir Rd (#38) for 0.9 mi and turn left onto South Fork River Access Rd (#10192). Follow the road to the access ramp. Forest Road 38 closes between mileposts 37 and 53 from December 1 to May 14 for winter wildlife.
The map point marks the turnaround loop at the end of the parking area, where a lane lets you back a trailer down to river level. It is not on the cobble bar, which changes with water levels through the season.
Upstream and downstream access points
The river flows this way →The river system flows through the traditional homelands of the Ql'ispe (Kalispel or Pend d' Orielle) Ktunaxa/Ksanka (Kootenai), and Séliš (Salish or "Flathead") Nations, who have long cared for this landscape, and the Amskapii Pikuni (Blackfeet) Peoples who often traveled in the river corridor.
About the homelands