Wild & Scenic since 1976 · Wild and Recreational classifications

Middle Fork

The whitewater artery of the system. Born in the Great Bear Wilderness, it meets Highway 2 at Bear Creek and runs the canyon along the southern boundary of Glacier National Park to its confluence with the South Fork. Class IV water runs Moccasin Creek to West Glacier.

Live flow · USGS 12358500 · NR WEST GLACIER 1,150 cfs ↓ dropping

P10 MEDIAN

162% of the 85-year median for September 20 · running high

2.40 ft · Drift 2.5-4.5 mph · Provisional USGS station details · Reading Sep 20, 5:45 AM MDT

Weather · Essex 50° Clear
Wind 2 mph S

MO 76° 53° Mon: high 76 degrees, low 53 degrees, Clear.
TU 74° 50° Tue: high 74 degrees, low 50 degrees, Overcast.
WE 66° 46° Wed: high 66 degrees, low 46 degrees, Overcast.
TH 77° 46° Thu: high 77 degrees, low 46 degrees, Overcast.
FR 71° 48° 33% Fri: high 71 degrees, low 48 degrees, Drizzle, 33 percent chance of precipitation.

Alerts · Essex No active NWS alerts 4 fire incidents within 75 mi NWS api.weather.gov · NIFC WFIGS · August smoke is a real trip factor here

MIDDLE FORK · 100.6 designated miles

100.6 miles, site by site

2,295 ft of drop · 23.5 ft per mile

5,324 ft RM 97.4 · headwaters 2,295 ft of drop · 23.5 ft per mile average · whitewater reach · hatched: no access site 3,029 ft confluence

Elevation sampled from USGS 10m along the Wild & Scenic centerline. Hover or focus a site to see the panorama closest to the water.

The Wild and Scenic Middle Fork of the Flathead is designated for 100.6 river miles, from its origin at the confluence of Strawberry and Bowl Creeks in the Great Bear Wilderness to its confluence with the South Fork Flathead, where the two combine to form the main stem Flathead River. The Middle Fork Wild designated segment originates in the Great Bear and flows until it reaches MT Highway 2 at Bear Creek, after which the river is Recreational designated. The Middle Fork contains whitewater up to class IV in the Wild section above Bear Creek and in the "whitewater section" from Moccasin Creek to West Glacier.

Designation language from the Flathead Rivers Alliance

The access picture

8 FRA sheets · 8 reviewed assessments

Choose by surface, slope and room to assist. Access needs vary with your mobility, equipment, companions and the water level. Use the descriptions, measurements and photographs to plan the route that works for you.

Essex: A wide, low-angle ramp and open staging area offer room to prepare boats and assist someone. Soft soil and sand can reduce traction or allow wheels, walking aids or vehicles to sink. Consider the support you may need between firm ground and the water.

Cascadilla: The long, relatively steep ramp has breaks, gaps and erosion, with narrow or absent tread beside it. Assistance can be difficult when a vehicle and trailer occupy the ramp. Check the measured gaps, cross slope and launch surface when planning how to reach the water.

Field context from Geoffrey Gill, Flathead Rivers Alliance, and FRA access-site descriptions.

Source coverage

Access sites: 8
Captured in 360: 8
FRA access sheets: 8
Reviewed assessments: 8
Panoramas assigned: 285

Plan your support

Consider the whole route from parking to water. Check footing, grade, cross slope, gaps and the space beside the ramp for anyone assisting. Conditions can change with river levels and use by vehicles and trailers.

Missing measurements mean information is unavailable; they do not establish a barrier or an accessible route.

Measured extremes

Gentlest route to the water: 10.8% max grade · Essex
Steepest: 37.0% max grade · Bear Creek
Widest minimum tread: 25 ft · Essex

FRA field measurements, from the access survey sheets.

Coverage counts and interpretations summarize FRA's access sheets and the reviewed Terrain360 imagery assessment. Measured figures are FRA's field measurements; where the two disagree, the measurements are correct.

Access sites, upstream to down

All 8 captured in 360

53.4

Bear Creek First road access on the Middle Fork The first road-accessed boat launch on the Middle Fork of the Flathead. Narrow, uneven troughs run alongside the boat rails with numerous erosive vertical steps. 4.2 ft min tread 37.0% max grade · 95.9% hard

48.7

Essex It features a large vehicle parking area on the upper bench above the river, a sandy boat ramp at river level, and several undeveloped camp sites in the surrounding woods. 25.0 ft min tread 10.8% max grade · 95.9% hard

41.6

Paola The parking area is scattered into several smaller zones. 3.8 ft min tread 16.0% max grade · 47.3% firm

30.6

Cascadilla A single trailer turnaround loop allows access to several parking sites and a single-wide ramp of segmented cement blocks. Narrow tread width to either side of single-wide ramp. 12.0 ft min tread 12.6% max grade · 67.3% hard

23.0

Moccasin Creek Put-in only · whitewater reach Launch-only access at the confluence of Moccasin and Deer Lick Creeks, approx. 0.2 mi upstream of their confluence with the Middle Fork Flathead. Sheet, no statistics Cement block ramp, creek beds, undeveloped bank trail

14.9

West Glacier High traffic West Glacier access sees some of the most significant user traffic of any site along the Three Forks of the Flathead. Sheet, no statistics Cement block ramp, cobble bar

9.5

Blankenship River Access (West) Shore use favoured Primarily used by shore recreators, but can be used by float users, particularly during busy peak seasons. Sheet, no statistics Packed dirt, cobble bar

9.4

Blankenship River Access (East) Heavy use The river left (east) access at Blankenship Bridge, maintained by the county, sees extremely heavy use by floaters and shore recreators. Sheet, no statistics Packed dirt, cobble bar

Beyond the designation

Outside Wild and Scenic designation

FRA's river management partnership focuses on the designated Wild and Scenic segments. These additional access details support trip planning; their inclusion does not mean FRA manages the reservoir or waters beyond the designated corridor.

Main stem below the South Fork confluence

Hungry Horse HWY 2 Bridge and House of Mystery sit on the main stem below the South Fork confluence, beyond the Middle Fork's Wild and Scenic terminus. House of Mystery is included because it serves as a takeout for trips through roughly the final ten miles of the designated Middle Fork. It is a main-stem access, separate from the South Fork tailwater.

Check the official designation boundaries and FRA's current trip-planning resources.

Capture coming House of Mystery This undeveloped access approximately 1 R.M. Sheet, no statistics Packed dirt, pebble bar

Float the Middle Fork

6 floatable reaches

Pick a put-in and a take-out. Conditions change rapidly on this water; check the gauge the morning you float, not the night before.

1,150 cfs · running high 162% of the 85-year median for September 20 (711 cfs, 1940-2024)

Reaches on the Middle Fork, with distance, estimated float time, elevation drop, gradient and character
Reach	Miles	Time	Drop	Ft/mi	Class
Bear Creek to Essex	4.7	1-2 hr	118 ft	25.1	Class II-IV
Essex to Paola	7.1	1½-2¾ hr	133 ft	18.7	Class II-IV
Paola to Cascadilla	11.0	2½-4½ hr	190 ft	17.3	Class II-IV
Cascadilla to Moccasin Creek	7.6	1¾-3 hr	100 ft	13.1	Class II-IV
Moccasin Creek to West Glacier	8.1	1¾-3¼ hr	132 ft	16.2	Class III-IV · the whitewater section
West Glacier to Blankenship, west	5.4	1¼-2¼ hr	49 ft	9.0	Class II-IV

Distances are from FRA's recorded river miles; times are an estimate at today's flow, and drop and ft/mi are derived from the elevation profile, not a field survey. The Moccasin to West Glacier reach is committing canyon water; scout, wear a PFD, and know your group's limits.

Plan a float

Homelands

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 FRA's own acknowledgment language appears here verbatim.