Border to Polebridge
Montana – US
- Class
- II to II+
- Length
- 24.2 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 15 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 3,983 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 3,542 Feet
- Typical season
- April to October
Current Flow
3,810 CFS
Gauge height: 4.13 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 9:45 PM
▼ -1.67/hr (12h) ▼ -0.83/hr (24h)
Hit some laps
- Primary gauge
- N F Flathead River nr Columbia Falls MT Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗ NOAA river forecast ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 1,000 |
| Average | 5,000 |
| Maximum | 10,000 |
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
This is a wild and scenic river in the heart of the Northern Rockies. You have Glacier National Park on river left for your viewing pleasure. You will have bears and other wildlife for your photo ops. Plenty of fishing here too. Take your whole family and enjoy some nights on the river.
Watch for logjams, sweepers and other hazards. Don't worry about lots of rapids in this area though.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upper Kintla Rapids | II | 1,000–10,000 | Read and run |
|
| 2 | Lower Kintla Rapids | II to II+ | 1,000–10,000 | More rapids and riffles |
Read and run |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | Canadian Border | 3,983 Feet | Yes | No | No | All Vehicles | Take the North Fork road (Highway 486) all the way to the Canadian Border. Right before the border hang a right on a small access road that will allow you to launch. No ramp, but there is a nice wooden rail slide to help get your raft down to the river. At lower water you will be launching in a very shallow side channel and may need to carry or drag over rocks to reach the main current. |
| Put-In | Ford | 3,709 Feet | No | No | Yes | All Vehicles | This access to the North Fork is popular. It has a wooden ramp to launch rafts and other boats. |
| Take-Out | Polebridge | 3,542 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Located just outside of Polebridge, you can putin or takeout on the west side of river. Most of the North Fork road out of Columbia Falls to Polebridge is dirt. In the summer the dust that can come off this road is extremely thick and can impede vision. |
Camps
| Camp | Fee | Beach | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round Prairie Campground | Yes | No | You need a permit to camp here since this is in Glacier National Park. There are 3 medium sized camps here with some features such as a compost toilet. Contact the park service about camping here and fees. |
Permit
No permit is required, or permit info hasn't been added yet.
Fishing
No fish species have been associated with this run yet.
Points of Interest
External Links & Resources
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Community Run Notes
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