Check the Flows

Real-time USGS stream gauges for the rivers we paddle in the Flathead Valley. Always check the level before you go and know what your section looks like at that flow.

Beyond the Flathead: Montana & Idaho Rivers

Before You Go: Conservation License

River Safety Tips

• Wear your PFD and helmet. A properly fitted, Coast Guard-approved life jacket every time, and a helmet in whitewater.
• Check flows and know your section. Spring runoff brings cold, fast, high water, and rivers change from week to week.
• Dress for the water, not the air. Flathead rivers run cold all summer. Wear a drysuit or wetsuit, especially early season.
• Never paddle alone. Boat with a group, keep each other in sight, and agree on signals before you launch.
• Scout or portage when in doubt. Watch for strainers, logjams and new wood, especially after high water.
• Carry safety gear. Throw bag, knife, whistle and a first aid kit, and know how to use them.
• Leave a float plan. Tell someone your put-in, take-out and when you expect to be back.
• Know your limits and get training. Take a class, practice your roll, and learn swiftwater rescue.

Swiftwater Rescue Training

MKA partners with Sierra Rescue International to teach swiftwater rescue, including free kid-specific courses each summer. Sierra Rescue also offers Swiftwater Rescue Technician, wilderness medicine and technical rescue courses for adults and professionals.

Visit Sierra Rescue International  |  See MKA's kid swiftwater courses

River Etiquette

• Share the eddies and waves. Take turns, don't camp out in a busy eddy, and let others have a go.
• Look upstream before you peel out. Boaters coming downstream have the right of way.
• Keep boat ramps moving. Rig and unload away from the ramp, launch, then clear the way for the next group.
• Respect anglers. Give them room, pass on the far side and keep the noise down.
• Leave no trace. Pack out all trash, use restrooms at access sites, and leave places better than you found them.
• Respect private property. Use public access sites and stay below the high-water mark.
• Clean, Drain, Dry. Stop at every Montana watercraft inspection station and clean, drain and dry your boat and gear to keep aquatic invasive species out of the Flathead.
• Look out for each other. If someone is in trouble, help when it's safe to do so.

Protect Our Rivers

The Flathead Rivers Alliance works to safeguard the future of the Flathead River system through stewardship, education and its River Ambassador program. Get involved and help keep our rivers wild.

Visit the Flathead Rivers Alliance

Flow data from the U.S. Geological Survey. River conditions change quickly; always use your own judgment on the water.