Schafer Meadows to Bear Creek (Upper)
Montana – US
- Class
- III+ to IV+
- Length
- 26 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 36.97 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 4,824 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 3,862 Feet
- Typical season
- May to September
Current Flow
4,220 CFS
Gauge height: 3.84 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 9:45 PM
▼ -10.83/hr (12h) ▼ -5.42/hr (24h)
Hit some laps
- Primary gauge
- M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗ NOAA river forecast ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 900 |
| Average | 10,000 |
| Maximum | 19,000 |
Recommended use
- Kayaking
- Rafting
- Canoeing
- SUP
- Packrafting
- Fishing
Struck-through craft are not recommended for this run.
Flow history — last 6 days
No gauge history recorded in the last 6 days.
Photos
No photos added for this run yet.
Description
The Upper Middle Fork of the Flathead is a very challenging and remote run recommended for advanced paddlers only. The only way you can access the putin for this float is by plane or horse. At high water this run is very dangerous due to logjams and other obstructions.
This trip usually takes 3-4 days to run. Raft or Cataraft support must be on their A-game to make this run safe and successful.
Just to add a little the description already here: This run has scenery of the highest quality, ranging from awesome mountains to beautiful forests to hauntingly dark gorges and more. The gauge listed is quite a ways downstream of the take-out and is an indicator of flow not a true reading of what you will be on. Our group hiked in granite creek and a full day was needed with kayaks loaded for over night camping. While the hike was worth it once, I would be quite hesitant to do it again. On the other hand I'd happly shell out for the flight which would mean heavier boats but more comfortable camping. The canyon river is just too awesome to spend one night. The whitewater isn't constant and really was condensed down to 2 miles of goods with a lot of II-III filling out the rest of the float. Three forks rapids above our put-in at granite would help round out the whitewater of the trip, but I would consider this a wilderness/camping trip with a splash of good CL IV whitewater.
If you live in driving distance this should be on your to-do list.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Three Forks Rapids | III+ to IV+ | 1,000–20,000 | Where Three Forks enters from the North begins a series of waves, holes and drops. At high water this section is very technical and pushy. Beware of sweepers and treefall. |
|
| 2 | Lunch Creek Rapids | III+ to IV+ | 1,000–20,000 | Below the Lunch Creek outlet is another series of holes and drops that get big at high water and bony at lower water |
|
| 3 | Spruce Park Rapids | III+ to IV+ | 1,000–20,000 | Below Spruce park there are several pool drop sections. |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | Schafer Put In | 4,824 Feet | Yes | No | No | 4WD Only | Easiest way to get here is by plane and land at the Schafer Landing strip just north of the river. Otherwise you need to pack in here by horse or foot. |
| Take-Out | Bear Creak | 3,862 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Where the Middle Fork of the Flathead first meets up with Highway 2, the Bear Creek confluence is right here as well. There is a pull out and parking lot south of the Highway. You can put in or take out here for different middle fork options |
Camps
No river camps added yet.
Permit
No permit is required, or permit info hasn't been added yet.
Fishing
No fish species have been associated with this run yet.
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Community Run Notes
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