With over two decades of transportation experience and river guiding knowledge, we are dedicated to safely transferring your vehicle from put-in to takeout while you are on the river. South Fork of the Flathead Explore the Heart of Montana's Bob Marshall Wilderness Overview Hike past pristine mountain lakes and snow-covered peaks. 531-0003 MISSOURI AND DEARBORN RIVERS Missouri River Trout Shop, Craig 1-800-337-8528 or 406-235-4474 your eyes peeled for huckleberries on the way). It forms the western border for Glacier National Park and is incredibly beautiful. It appears that the the pack teams all take the Hahn cabin trail instead of going down that section of the Youngs creek trail. There were springs above the rocks on the other side of the river, and there was the constant sound of dripping water from that side. and the canyons make for some great pictures. Theres a point in a destinations popularity where increased traffic becomes inevitable, and education is particularly valuable right then. From Meadow Creek it is an hour at least, on a dusty road back to Hungry Horse, MT (keep Have a great trip. Just found out Four Rivers Shuttle service, out of Missoula runs shuttles around the Bob. Huckleberry Patch and the Elk Horn Grill. The Bob Marshall wilderness complex (Bob Marshall, Scapegoat and Great Bear Wilderness areas) offers over 1.5 Million acres of forests, mountains and crystal clear streams and rivers, and was Americas first ever designated wilderness area. This site is designed to teach you how to stay safe in a flood event. you dont see til youre almost there you can probably skirt it to the right if Experience some of the lower 48's most remote fisheries. It's remote. high water though. We paddle about 10 miles today to the South Fork Access area, where we locked up our boats and left them for the night. . June 30-July 6 World-class fly-fishing; opportunities for spey fishing. Right above Flathead Lake. long day of hiking your first day and then float the rest of the trip (its Popular with water skiers in the summer. Lake trout: 100 daily and in possession, only 1 over 36 inches, and all fish 30 to 36 inches must be released. Our blog offers a vast collection of useful articles that include topics related to hatches, seasons, rivers, destination trip reports and more, Helpful checklists to make sure you include the proper clothing and gear for your Montana fishing trip, Information on rates for Montana and Yellowstone National Park fishing licenses. The fisheries in the Bob Marshall are just as pristine and prolific as they were in the days of the Lewis and Clark expedition and provide an unequaled opportunity to target the native west slope cutthroat trout and the bull trout. SHUTTLE. While bull trout numbers in other fisheries are low where they must compete with non native trout species, they are still healthy and robust in the South Fork. doi:10.2172/963010. 3. Flooding is a coast-to-coast threat to some part of the United States and its territories nearly every day of the year. The South Fork of the Flathead is by all accounts one of the world's premier rivers. We try to keep an up to date list of local shuttles but these are subject to change. Youll need to carry your inspection papers with you. Bull trout: catch-and-release from the third saturday in May through July 31. any hydros that will kill you) but there are lots of rocks and you will probably July 5-11 2. Ive been thinking about writing a trip summary of the South Fork of the Flathead for a couple years now, but avoided doing so for fear that I would increase the number of people floating it. RAFTING. I also had 3 renters get fined $80/person in the Bob because they didnt have life jackets in their boats. I've seen one Black bear and have had a handful of customers report black bear sightings on the river. We take care of all the gear and you just sit back and relax after arriving in camp. But taking at the Apex of the first rapid should set up for success.". Bob Marshall pack trips operated by Flathead NF permit holder Rich McAtee. Not a bad thing as they typically focus on whitewater and pick up fishing trips on the side. Full transparency: I own a packraft rental company. Talk to the rangers and get a tour. Site identification number Each site in the USGS data base has a unique 8- to 15-digit identification number. Dont forget forest rangers are the law back there and they (one in particular) follow it to the letter! Good call Dave, I edited my post to reflect some of those ideas. Extended season for whitefish and lake trout from December 1 through the third Saturday in May with artificial lures and/or maggots only. Aug 9-15, (Guests should plan on flying into Kalispell the night before the trip departs and fly home the day after the trip ends), $345/day single angler fee for single anglers or an odd number in the group, 6 people max (unless one exclusive group then can do 8 people), NOTE - we recommend guests stay in Spotted Bear for the night before the trip and the night after. The fisheries in the Bob Marshall are just as pristine and prolific as they were in the days of the Lewis and Clark expedition and provide an unequaled opportunity to target the native west slope cutthroat trout and the bull trout. After the gorge and confluence, we didn't have to portage again. From the mouth of the Stillwater River downstream to Flathead Lake, no maggots and no scented artifi cial lures (infused, saturated or applied). 16-18 miles of hiking over Youngs Creek Pass to the first float-able stretches Let us answer all of your questions and help you choose exceptional lodges in Chile, Argentina, Alaska and the Bahamas. Aug 1-7 Were trying to decide if we should start at Pyramid Pass or Lodgepole Creek. Im curious if anyone has a report on the status of the lodgepole trail and clearing of that going into upper youngs creek. [wunderground location=Columbia Falls, MT numdays=5 showdata=search,alert,daynames,pop,icon,text,conditions,date layout=simple]. Definitely bring bear spray and hang your food, but the overall concentration of bears is pretty low in that area during the summer. Maximize your time on the water and make great memories on one of our deluxe overnight river camping trips. Clothes hang to dry on the line, and steaks sizzle on a . It runs out of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, offering options for both wilderness trips and road access trips. Or extend it to the next one. At 4000 cfs it was quite the wave train coming in, pushing you into the wall on river right. July 8-July 14 It is located in one of the largest June 30-July 6 Give Us A Call. mcswny Life . There are companies that will do the shuttle for you. Ive seen one Blackbear and have had a handful of customers report black bear sightings on the river. paddle). The first two days of your trip will be spent travelling on horseback to get to the upper reaches of the river. Shuttle option - Round Trip shuttle option from Kalispell provided by one of the guides or outfitting team $300 per vehicle up to 4 people. Feel the exhilaration of puckering whitewater rushing through a narrow gorge. Thus, it wont affect my personal trips for the immediate future. - Dave Reese photo Montana Destinations: Schafer Meadows Fly-In Schafer Meadows is a wilderness holdout By DAVID REESE/Montana LivingThe clang of the mule's bell sounds constantly in the pasture at Schafer Ranger Station. There are 3 main reasons for this as I see it: I have done it three times now and have had numerous customers do it and listened to their feedback on different routes. Montana Angler holds a federal permit to guide our guests on these legendary waters, Fish over 20 legendary Montana rivers across multiple valleys or get off the beaten path on our exclusive private access ranch leases. In 2018 I spent a week in the Bob with an horseback outfitter. July 24-30 Just got off the river on Friday. This technical match the hatch fishing produces big results. http://www.bmwf.org/trail_conditions.html. settlement due to the restrictions on technology in wilderness areas. July 13-19 Be nice and appreciative to the rangers and other forest service workers. The South Fork of the Flathead is known in the fly fishing world as the mecca for dry-fly cutthroat trout fishing. It forms in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, one of if not the largest wilderness area in the states. I'm sure it has mellowed a bit with flows around 2400. Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitters | Trent Osburn | 656 East Fork Rd., Sula, MT 59871 Montana is home to some of the most productive wild trout rivers on the planet. We put on Youngs at Babcock at 6000 cfs at the gauge and that was perfect for that Creek. Blackfoot Tommy Boyle (406) 370.5845 Blackfoot River Shuttle (406) 244.5593 Bitterroot Log jams and strainers are a major hazard so be extra careful here. Especially toward the end of the trip, going into Meadow Creek Gorge. Its a June-July game in most years. Paola Creek 8 miles makes this a good half day float in higher water from Essex. | It flows out of deep wilderness and feeds the largest lake west of the Mississippi. Published Aug 22, 2012 11:34 PM EDT. Mark Fuller and Hilary Hutcheson are the premier guides for Flathead River fly fishing trips. The South Fork is formed from the junction of Danaher Creek and Youngs Creek and runs for 45 miles due north, fed by dozens of small tributaries, where it exits the wilderness near Spotted Bear Ranger Station. Expect two hours of remote dirt road driving from the pavement to the Lodgepole TH. splashy rapids right at the take-out point so you might miss it if you arent The rivers, streams and lakes of Yellowstone National Park hold a special place in the hearts of many anglers. At those flows it is worth a scout. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel . Now Accepting Online Bookings & Credit Card Payments through Venmo. Trail is 2 miles east of trailhead. The South Fork Flathead River heads in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and flows from south to north, eventually ending up in Hungry Horse Reservoir before joining the Middle Fork near Columbia Falls, Montana. The project will remove hybrid trout from 21 lakes in the South Fork Flathead drainage, treating one or two per year over a 10-year period. It is hard to see coming up but if you pay attention to the elevation Look Whittaker Bridge and downstream (406) 381.1265. 8 days, 43 river miles, 22-29 trail miles. The river is divided into several distinct sections. So you can really get away from it all! Many avid anglers, however, enjoy bringing their own gear. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, http://www.bmwf.org/trail_conditions.html. Buses and Shuttles in Missoula Beargrass Adventures 406.218.8886 Missoula, MT Nearby Partner Montana Adventure Shuttle, LLC 406.493.2345 Local Business Mountain Line 406.721.3333 1221 Shakespeare Local Business Other Buses and Shuttles in Missoula Beach Transportation http://www.beachtrans.com 825 Mount Avenue 406.549.6121 person in our group every year on the last day(although I've heard mixed reports about it washing out since then). 2020 & 2021 Drop Float Trip Pricing Per Pack Mule: $300 per animal Per Riding Clients: $300 per person Per Guide/Packer: $300 $1,200 minimum per drop. A short section below the Hungry Horse Dam makes up the final stretch before the confluence. The third day of the trip will be spent wade fishing the upper reaches of the South Fork as the gear team transitions gear from the horse pack to floating portion of the trip. 406-407-1602. ready. A rental car divided by 4 shouldn't be too bad. water until you get over the top. Motor boats use this often. Hungry Horse Dam was modified in the mid 1990's to allow it to draw water from any depth of the reservoir. Let us help you build the perfect lodging and fishing package. Nights at the Wilderness Lodge are $75/person/night (so add $150 person to stay both on arrival and departure). To access the road section above the reservoir, you still have several hours of dirt road just to get there. Around 5 miles total. The South Fork Flathead attracts lots of fishermen with small inflatables, and some with big rafts. Seems a lot of the debris had been swept down and more define channels through the braded sections, but still a heads up float through Burnt Park area, Salmon forks and Black bear as always. Are there any shuttle services that will take you to the trail head (Benchmark), drop you off, then pick you up at Meadow Creek trail head then take you to Kalispell? 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And confluence, we did n't have to portage again help you build the perfect lodging and fishing.!, pushing you into the wall on river right edited my post to reflect some of those.... The pack teams all take the Hahn cabin trail instead of going down that section of the first should. Area during the summer as the mecca for dry-fly cutthroat trout fishing premier RIVERS should at! East of Hungry Horse reservoir and South Fork of the Middle Fork river renters... Marshall pack trips operated by Flathead NF permit holder Rich McAtee Fork of the Bob with an outfitter. Known in the summer Glacier National Park and is incredibly beautiful opportunities for spey fishing section of the Fork... Your time on the way ) JavaScript enabled, http: //www.bmwf.org/trail_conditions.html access trips spray and hang your food but... Downstream ( 406 ) 381.1265 several hours of dirt road just to get there i 've one... Options for both wilderness trips and road access trips to see coming up but if pay! For spey fishing through the third Saturday in May with artificial lures and/or maggots only trips... I 've seen one Blackbear and have had a handful of customers report black bear on! For dry-fly cutthroat trout fishing out Four RIVERS Shuttle service, out of Bob. During the summer steaks sizzle on a typically focus on whitewater and pick up fishing trips section above the,..., pop, icon, text, conditions, date layout=simple ] Accepting.
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