Blackfoot River
Missoula, MT
Montana's "Real West"
Norman MaClean
Author Norman Maclean popularized the Blackfoot River, a
river of age and rawness, unparalleled in notoriety and beauty.
MaClean pined in his novella A River Runs Through It...
"On the Big Blackfoot River above the mouth of Belmont Creek
the banks are fringed by large Ponderosa pines. In the slanting
sun of late afternoon the shadows of great branches reached
from across the river, and the trees took the river in their
arms. The shadows continued up the bank, until they included
us.
"Like many fly fishermen in western Montana where the summer
days are almost Arctic in length, I often do not start fishing
until the cool of the evening. Then in the Arctic half-light of
the canyon, all existence fades to a being with my soul and
memories and the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River and a
four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise.
"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs
through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and
runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks
are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some
of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters."
"Haunting" Waters
Discover these beautifully "haunting" waters with Pangaea
River Rafting. We offer spring time whitewater and summertime
easy scenic floats. Bottomless emerald pools, diamond strewn
riffles and eye-popping scenery beside towering cliffs and
sweet smelling ponderosa pines combine to make the Blackfoot
Montana's most iconic river.
Hours of Operation
- Open 7 Days a Week! / 8 am to 8 pm
- Conveniently Located Near Coeur d' Alene, Idaho /
Missoula, Montana / Spokane, Washington
- Trips Available for all Ages!
- All you can eat lunches, wet suits, booties and shuttle
provided!
- Great Price, Exceptional Quality, First Class
Service!
- "Number 1 in Safety / Number 1 in Fun!"
Pick Your Adventure on the Blackfoot below:
Enjoy Montana ’s scenic landscapes, beautiful wildlife and
enchanting water on a rafting trip down the legendary Blackfoot
River. Made famous by Norman Maclean’s A River Runs Through It,
the Blackfoot River offers a wide variety of adventure, from
gentle scenic floats to wild whitewater fun. Enjoy this famous
river from a raft, catered lunch included on full day trips. No
experience necessary!
Where the Blackfoot Begins
The "Big" Blackfoot River
The Blackfoot River, sometimes called the Big Blackfoot
River to distinguish it from the Little Blackfoot River, begins
in western Montana 10 miles northeast of the town of Lincoln,
then flows westward until it enters the Clark Fork River 5
miles east of the city of Missoula at the town of Milltown. The
canyon the river lies in and the valleys below were formed by
what geologists refer to as Missoula Floods--the result of an
enormous break of an ice jam, draining a gigantic lake.
Headwaters
The Blackfoot River headwaters atop the Continental Divide
at Roger's Pass and flows 132 miles westerly to its confluence
with the Clark Fork River near Missoula. The Blackfoot River
Watershed totals about 1.5 million acres and is nestled between
the Continental Divide, Bob Marshall/Scapegoat Wilderness Area,
and Garnet Mountains.
Whitewater
The whitewater portion of the Blackfoot River starts at
Russell Gates and is more than 45 miles long with numerous
possibilities for different floats. During the high water
season the Blackfoot River is a good class II-III river with
exciting wave trains and a few exhilarating holes. The result
is a dashingly beautiful stream that provides outstanding
whitewater excitement and incredible scenery. It's Missoula's
favorite recreational river and there's no better place on a
hot summer day. In June water levels start to drop, making the
Blackfoot a perfect scenic float.
River Statistics
Length
132 miles long from Anaconda Creek near Rodgers Pass to its
junction with the Clark Fork near Milltown.
Whitewater
Class I and II except at peak
flows. The best whitewater lies between Russell Gates and
Johnsrud Park.
Flow
Annual mean flow: 1,573 cfs near Bonner. Floatable all year
below the North Fork of the Blackfoot.
Where the Crowd Goes
From Roundup to the weigh station. The closer to Missoula, the
higher the number of people.
Avoiding the Scene
Few float between Lincoln and River Junction. In summer, go
early in the morning before the river warms enough to attract
inner-tubers and swimmers.
Boaters
Where To Start
Blackfoot floats can start as high in the drainage as a few
miles east of Lincoln, where the Landers Fork meets the main
river. Between Lincoln and Russell Gates FAS, the main
Blackfoot offers outstanding scenery as it meanders through
undeveloped river bottoms, occasional farmland, and secluded
canyons. It's an excellent area to see bald eagles, as several
pairs nest along the river. Keep your distance. Look for
white-tailed deer, elk, sandhill cranes, and waterfowl as
well.
Between River Junction and Russell
Gates...
gushes a 5-mile section of river known as
Box Canyon. One of the most memorable scenes in Norman
Maclean's excellent book, A River Runs Through It, takes place
here (the movie was filmed on the Gallatin River). Steep cliffs
rise from both sides of the river and thick timber blankets
surrounding hillsides. Cliff swallows construct mud nests on
the cliff walls, as do hawks and eagles. While the river has
several rocky ledges and drop-downs, the canyon has only one
moderately difficult rapid. It's at the lower end of the
canyon, about a half-mile above Scotty Brown Bridge, and it
will swamp the inexperienced or the unprepared.
The Rapids
Some of the river's toughest rapids lie three miles downstream
of Russell Gates FAS near the Bear Creek bridge pilings.
Between here and the Clearwater Bridge watch for a couple of
drops with big rocks and high waves. Most drops are followed by
big pools, allowing time for recovery if problems occur. In
high water, only strong intermediate canoeists or better should
try this section. Spray skirts or air bags may be necessary to
avoid getting swamped by big waves.
Russell Gates and Roundup
Between Russell Gates and Roundup, it's all Class I and Class
II water at normal flows, but the drops bump up to Class III
during runoff. Immediately upstream from the Highway 200 bridge
at Roundup lies a big rock garden that lasts for several
hundred yards. Easy access makes it a popular kayak spot.
More Whitewater
Whitewater continues for
several miles below Roundup, with plenty of big rocks. At high
flows, the rapids can be fairly continuous, allowing little
time for recovery if there's an upset. But you can catch your
breath in the six-mile stretch of quiet water between Ninemile
Prairie and Whitaker Bridge. Right after Whitaker, look for the
Blackfoot's best-known piece of whitewater, Thibodeau Rapids.
Look for big rocks and a drop; the safest route is on the
right. Watch for several other frisky rapids in the next few
miles below Whitaker and Johnsrud Park. Most of the river
between Roundup and Johnsrud is Class I or II except during
high water when the larger drops become Class III. At high
flows, even the 10-mile section between Johnsrud Park and the
weigh station at Bonner can be exciting. It's mostly Class II
or less, but high waves can develop and the current is very
fast.
River Rafting... see also
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