Bear Creek To Essex
This is a scenic run that follows Highway 2. This is a good stretch of river to extend the upper stretch or the stretch to Mocasin Creek. At higher flows this run can get pushy with lot's of continous waves throughout.
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the Flathead, Middle Fork are between a bare minimum of 1,000cfs and a high of 10,000cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 12359800, the S F Flathead R Ab Twin C Nr Hungry Horse Mt
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Bear Creek to Essex.
Run Stats
| Status | Too Low |
| Class Level | II to III+ |
| Elevation | 3,586 ft |
| Run Length | 4.7 Mi |
| Gradient | 25 FPM |
| Streamflow Discharge | 785 cfs |
| Gage Height | 5.5 ft |
| Air Temperature | 52° |
| River | Flathead, Middle Fork |
| Reporting Streamgage |
S F Flathead R Ab Twin C Nr Hungry Horse Mt
USGS 12359800 |
|
Bear Creek Rapid
Class II to III |
|
Staircase Rapid
Class III- to III+ |
|
Goatlick Rapid
Class III- to III |
| Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
Swan River Near Bigfork Mt
USGS 12370000 |
464 cfs | 2.4 ft |
|
N F Flathead River Nr Columbia Falls Mt
USGS 12355500 |
887 cfs | 2.1 ft |
|
Flathead River Near Bigfork Mt
USGS 12369000 |
4,310 cfs | ft |
|
S F Flathead R Ab Twin C Nr Hungry Horse Mt
USGS 12359800 |
785 cfs | 5.5 ft |
|
Flathead River At Columbia Falls Mt
USGS 12363000 |
4,910 cfs | 4.3 ft |
|
Cut Bank Creek Near Browning Mt
USGS 06098500 |
60 cfs | ft |
|
Two Medicine River Bl South Fork Nr Browning Mt
USGS 06091700 |
1,250 cfs | 2.6 ft |
|
Middle Fork Flathead River Nr West Glacier Mt
USGS 12358500 |
680 cfs | 2.0 ft |
|
Swiftcurrent Cr Ab Swiftcurrent Lk At Many Glacier
USGS 05014300 |
113 cfs | 1.8 ft |
|
N F Milk River Ab St Mary Ca Nr Browning Mt
USGS 06133500 |
7 cfs | 1.6 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
N Fk Elk Creek
SNOTEL 657 |
25" | 0" |
|
Moss Peak
SNOTEL 646 |
73" | 0" |
|
Noisy Basin
SNOTEL 664 |
70" | 0" |
|
Emery Creek
SNOTEL 469 |
32" | 0" |
|
Bisson Creek
SNOTEL 346 |
18" | 1" |
|
Flattop Mtn.
SNOTEL 482 |
78" | -1" |
|
Stuart Mountain
SNOTEL 901 |
60" | -1" |
|
Badger Pass
SNOTEL 307 |
48" | -2" |
|
North Fork Jocko
SNOTEL 667 |
74" | 0" |
|
Lubrecht Flume
SNOTEL 604 |
16" | -1" |
|
Many Glacier
SNOTEL 613 |
29" | 0" |
|
Pike Creek
SNOTEL 693 |
4" | 0" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotted Bear | 13 | 3,734 ft | |||
| Devil Creek | 14 | 4,392 ft | |||
| Peters Creek | 6 | 3,595 ft | |||
| Devils Corkscrew | 11 | 3,604 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex to Moccasin Creek | 785.0cfs | 26.0 Mi | II+ |
| Bear Creek to Essex | 785.0cfs | 4.71 Mi | II to III+ |
| Schafer Meadows to Bear Creek (Upper) | 4310.0cfs | 26.0 Mi | III+ to IV+ |
| Moccasin Creek to West Glacier (John Stevens Canyon) | 4310.0cfs | 9.0 Mi | II+ to III+ |