This guide was built adaptive-recreation first. DREAM Adaptive Recreation is the client. The Flathead Rivers Alliance measured the ramps, the slopes and the surfaces. Terrain360 photographed every launch from the water. Put those together and the question stops being "is it accessible" and starts being the one that actually decides a trip: how wide is the gap, how steep is the pitch, and what is underfoot the whole way down.
5 in
6 in deep, between the cement bars of the vehicle ramp
Gaps up to 5 in wide and 6 in deep between cement bars of vehicle ramp.
This is the only ramp gap carried as a number on any of the 18 sheets, and it is wide enough to catch a front caster. The 360 capture at Cascadilla puts you on that ramp before you commit to the drive.
Stand on the ramp at Cascadilla17 of 18
surveyed sites record no designated accessible parking
West Glacier: ADA Parking project to break ground Summer 2026
Every other sheet records the same value in that field: none. That is not a rating of the launches, it is what the survey found in the parking area, and it is the single biggest thing standing between a chair user and this river.
See West Glacier3
sheets put a dimension on the launch structure itself, not just a description of it
Printed as recorded on the sheet, including the rail heights. Everywhere else the launch is described in words alone, which is worth knowing before you plan around it.
Every value below is a field from the Flathead Rivers Alliance access survey, printed as recorded. Sites run upstream to downstream on each fork, the way you float them. Where a sheet has no number, the cell says so rather than showing a blank.
| Site | Access type as recorded | Designated accessible parking | Surface to the water | Elevation loss (ft) | Max grade (%) | Max cross slope (%) | Min tread width (ft) | Ramp gap (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Border North Fork · RM 58 | Slide/rails, boulder “stepping stones,” cobble bar ~16° angle, 18-40” tall | None | 11.4 | 36 | 6.8 | 5.9 | Not recorded | |
| Ford North Fork · RM 44 | Slide/rails, packed gravel bank and beach ~17° angle, 18-36” tall | None | 12.4 | 38.2 | 4.9 | 6 | Not recorded | |
| Schnaus Cabin North Fork · RM 39.3 | Undeveloped | None | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Polebridge River Access (Upstream) North Fork · RM 33.9 | Crushed stone path, rip-rap steps, pebble bar | None | 6.7 | 24.6 | 5.4 | 4.5 | Not recorded | |
| Polebridge River Access (Downstream) North Fork · RM 33.8 | Vehicle accessible ramp Packed dirt ramp | None | 8.4 | 19.8 | 6.6 | 14.2 | Not recorded | |
| Coal Creek North Fork · RM 24.5 | Vehicle-accessible bar Packed dirt ramp, pebble bar | None | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Big Creek North Fork · RM 15.3 | Vehicle accessible ramp Packed dirt ramp, cobble bar | None | 13.9 | 15.3 | 2.7 | 6 | Not recorded | |
| Great Northern Flats North Fork · RM 11 | Unimproved ramp Dirt slope, cobble shore | None | Sheet lists these categories only | 11.5 | 25.9 | 7.6 | 3 | Not recorded |
| Glacier Rim North Fork · RM 3.8 | Vehicle accessible bar Concrete ramp, cobble bar | None | 20.1 | 16.1 | 4.7 | 3 | Not recorded | |
| Bear Creek Middle Fork · RM 53.4 | Slide/rails ~18° angle, 24-36” tall | None | 27 | 37 | 10.5 | 4.2 | Not recorded | |
| Essex Middle Fork · RM 48.7 | Vehicle-accessible bank Soft soil and sand | None | 11.4 | 10.8 | 5.9 | 25 | Not recorded | |
| Paola Middle Fork · RM 41.6 | Vehicle accessible bar Cement ramp, cobbled/bouldered bar | None | 10.6 | 16 | 7 | 3.8 | Not recorded | |
| Cascadilla Middle Fork · RM 30.6 | Vehicle accessible ramp Segmented cement block ramp, cobble bar, embedded boulders | None | 12.2 | 12.6 | 8.5 | 12 | 5 wide · 6 deep | |
| Moccasin Creek Middle Fork · RM 23 | Vehicle accessible and user accessible ramps Cement block ramp, creek beds, undeveloped bank trail | None | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| West Glacier Middle Fork · RM 14.9 | Vehicle accessible bar Cement block ramp, cobble bar | ADA Parking project to break ground Summer 2026 | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Blankenship River Access (West) Middle Fork · RM 9.5 | Vehicle accessible bar Packed dirt, cobble bar | None | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Blankenship River Access (East) Middle Fork · RM 9.4 | Vehicle accessible bar Packed dirt, cobble bar | None | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| House of Mystery Middle Fork | Vehicle accessible bar Packed dirt, pebble bar | None | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
Source: Flathead Rivers Alliance per-site access survey sheets, read at full resolution. Elevation loss, grade, cross slope and tread width appear only on the 11 sheets that carry engineering statistics. Two surface breakdowns do not total 100 percent on the sheet; those rows are marked, and the missing share is unrecorded rather than assumed.
FRA crews survey the route a person actually travels, from the parking area to the water, and record what that route does along the way. The averages are useful. The maximums and the minimums are what stop a trip.
How the launch is built, in the crew's own words. A slide and rail launch, a segmented cement block ramp and a packed dirt bar are three different problems.
Whether the survey found marked accessible parking in the lot. This field is not a judgement about the ramp, and a "none" here does not mean the launch cannot be used.
The composition of the route as a percentage split. Hard, firm and paved roll. Soft does not. The bar shows the split; the figures beside it are the recorded percentages.
Total vertical drop between the parking area and the river, in feet. It answers how far down the water sits, and how far back up the return leg climbs.
The steepest pitch along the direction of travel, as a percentage. A gentle average routinely hides a short pitch that stops a chair, so the maximum is the number that matters.
The worst side to side tilt on the route. Cross slope is what tips a chair sideways, and a low average with a high maximum means there is a specific spot to watch.
The narrowest point of the usable path, in feet. The minimum sets what can pass, whatever the average says.
The width and depth of the gaps between ramp segments, where the crew recorded them. Carried as a number on one sheet so far.
Alongside the survey, each access sheet and its photographs were reviewed against the River Access Planning Guide framework, and the 360 capture at each launch was classified panorama by panorama. That review reaches things a tape measure does not record: whether a continuous accessible route appears at all, what obstacles sit on it, and how far a boat has to be carried.
These are interpreted from imagery, not measured in the field. They sit beside FRA's survey, never on top of it. Where the two disagree, the measured value is the one to trust. Planning and maintenance recommendations from the same review are held back for FRA to check before they go anywhere public.
| Site | Accessible route in the sheet | Obstacles on that route | Barriers observed | Carry distance | Carry terrain | Kayak or canoe launch | Panoramas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Border North Fork · RM 58 | Not observed | Steep grades, rough surface | Steep grades, rough surfaces, no curb cuts | 150 to 300 ft | Flat unpaved | Marginal | Not captured |
| Ford North Fork · RM 44 | Not observed | Rough surface, steep grades | Steep grades, rough surfaces, no curb cuts | Under 50 ft | Flat unpaved | Good | 13 |
| Schnaus Cabin North Fork · RM 39.3 | Not observed | Steep grades, rough surface, steps | Steps, steep grades, rough surfaces, no curb cuts | 50 to 150 ft | Steep slope | Difficult | Not captured |
| Polebridge River Access (Upstream) North Fork · RM 33.9 | Observed | Steps, steep grades, rough surface | Steps, steep grades, rough surfaces, narrow paths | 50 to 150 ft | Steep slope | Marginal | 18 |
| Polebridge River Access (Downstream) North Fork · RM 33.8 | Not observed | Steep grades, rough surface | Steep grades, rough surfaces | Under 50 ft | Flat unpaved | Good | Not captured |
| Coal Creek North Fork · RM 24.5 | Not observed | Rough surface, steep grades | Rough surfaces, no curb cuts, steep grades | Under 50 ft | Flat unpaved | Good | 11 |
| Big Creek North Fork · RM 15.3 | Observed | Rough surface | Rough surfaces | 50 to 150 ft | Flat unpaved | Good | 10 |
| Great Northern Flats North Fork · RM 11 | Not observed | Steep grades, rough surface | Steep grades, rough surfaces, no curb cuts | 50 to 150 ft | Steep slope | Difficult | 12 |
| Glacier Rim North Fork · RM 3.8 | Not observed | Rough surface | Rough surfaces, steep grades | 50 to 150 ft | Flat unpaved | Good | 19 |
| Bear Creek Middle Fork · RM 53.4 | Not observed | Steep grades, rough surface | Steep grades, rough surfaces, no curb cuts | Not assessable from the source imagery | Steep slope | Marginal | 47 |
| Essex Middle Fork · RM 48.7 | Not observed | Rough surface, steep grades | Rough surfaces, steep grades, no curb cuts | Not assessable from the source imagery | Flat unpaved | Good | 27 |
| Paola Middle Fork · RM 41.6 | Observed | Rough surface, steep grades | Rough surfaces, steep grades | Not assessable from the source imagery | Not assessable from the source imagery | Good | 20 |
| Cascadilla Middle Fork · RM 30.6 | Not observed | Steps, rough surface | Steep grades, rough surfaces, no curb cuts | Under 50 ft | Flat unpaved | Good | 21 |
| Moccasin Creek Middle Fork · RM 23 | Not observed | Steep grades, rough surface | Steep grades, rough surfaces, no curb cuts | 50 to 150 ft | Gentle slope | Good | 30 |
| West Glacier Middle Fork · RM 14.9 | Not observed | Rough surface | Rough surfaces, steep grades | 50 to 150 ft | Flat unpaved | Good | 43 |
| Blankenship River Access (West) Middle Fork · RM 9.5 | Not observed | Rough surface, steep grades | Rough surfaces, steep grades | 150 to 300 ft | Flat unpaved | Marginal | 60 |
| Blankenship River Access (East) Middle Fork · RM 9.4 | Not observed | Rough surface, steep grades | Rough surfaces, steep grades | 50 to 150 ft | Flat unpaved | Good | 37 |
| House of Mystery Middle Fork | Not observed | Steep grades, rough surface | Steep grades, rough surfaces | Not assessable from the source imagery | Flat unpaved | Good | Not captured |
400 panoramas across 17 access sites back the classifications in the last column. A classification describes the views that were photographed, so an absence in that column is an absence in the imagery, not proof that a feature is missing from the site. 3 captured sites carry panorama coverage but no reviewed FRA sheet in this release: Wurtz (3), Hungry Horse HWY 2 Bridge (11), Reservoir Road River Boat Launch Below Dam (18).
Not every site has been engineering-surveyed, and FRA says so on their own sheets. This page says the same thing rather than leaving a blank cell to be read as a zero.
7 of the 18 sheets exist but report no engineering statistics. The access type, parking surface, facilities and directions on those sheets are still FRA's, and they still appear on the site pages.
7 of the 25 access sites in this guide have no FRA access sheet. Some are captured in 360 and some are not, and the difference is worth knowing before you rely on either.
| Site | Fork | 360 capture | Survey sheet | Full statistics | Audio description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Border | North Fork | Not yet | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ford | North Fork | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Schnaus Cabin | North Fork | Not yet | Yes | Not yet | Yes |
| Polebridge River Access (Upstream) | North Fork | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Polebridge River Access (Downstream) | North Fork | Not yet | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Coal Creek | North Fork | Yes | Yes | Not yet | Yes |
| Big Creek | North Fork | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Great Northern Flats | North Fork | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Glacier Rim | North Fork | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wurtz | North Fork | Yes | Not yet | Not yet | Yes |
| Bear Creek | Middle Fork | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Essex | Middle Fork | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paola | Middle Fork | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cascadilla | Middle Fork | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Moccasin Creek | Middle Fork | Yes | Yes | Not yet | Yes |
| West Glacier | Middle Fork | Yes | Yes | Not yet | Yes |
| Blankenship River Access (West) | Middle Fork | Yes | Yes | Not yet | Yes |
| Blankenship River Access (East) | Middle Fork | Yes | Yes | Not yet | Yes |
| House of Mystery | Middle Fork | Not yet | Yes | Not yet | Yes |
| Cedar Flats | South Fork | Not yet | Not yet | Not yet | Yes |
| South Fork | South Fork | Not yet | Not yet | Not yet | Yes |
| Billy Garrett Memorial Bridge | South Fork | Not yet | Not yet | Not yet | Yes |
| Upper Twin Creek | South Fork | Not yet | Not yet | Not yet | Yes |
| Hungry Horse HWY 2 Bridge | South Fork | Yes | Not yet | Not yet | Yes |
| Reservoir Road River Boat Launch Below Dam | South Fork | Yes | Not yet | Not yet | Yes |
Every site carries a narrated description of what the access is actually like: the approach, the ramp, the surface underfoot, and the hazards. Each one is scripted from that site's survey sheet and its imagery, and each has a written transcript beside it on the site page.
10 page types are tested against WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA with axe-core 4.12.1, at both 1440px and a real 390px phone viewport, run against the live site rather than a staging copy. Colour contrast is checked as part of that run. Last run 30 July 2026: no violations.
Ran into a barrier at one of these access sites? Tell the Flathead Rivers Alliance, who measure and maintain them. Something on this website not working for you? Tell us at ryan@terrain360.com and it gets fixed.
The Three Forks flow through the homelands of the Séliš, Ql̓ispé, and Ktunaxa peoples, frequented by the Amskapi Piikani. About the homelands