Alberton Gorge (St. John to Forrest Grove)
Montana – US
- Class
- III to IV
- Length
- 18 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 15 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 2,930 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 2,931 Feet
- Typical season
- January to December
Current Flow
7,390 CFS
Gauge height: 7.66 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 9:45 PM
▼ -8.33/hr (12h) ▼ -4.17/hr (24h)
Hit some laps
- Primary gauge
- Clark Fork at St. Regis MT Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗ NOAA river forecast ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 1,000 |
| Average | 10,000 |
| Maximum | 20,000 |
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
Below Missoula the Clark Fork drops into a canyon gorge known as Alberton Gorge named for the town at the head of the run. I-90 parallels this run but from the river you won't notice it much. This is where you will see lots of Missoula boaters since the whitewater action is close by and this run is doable year round.
Higher flows brings very powerful water and class IV conditions and at normal to lower flows the run loses some of its bite and calms down to class III. If you find yourself on I-90 passing through Missoula this run is worth the stop. If you are a local you can find fun rafting hits and kayak surfing throughout the gorge.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rest Stop Rapid | III- to III+ | 1,000–20,000 | At high flows this rapid forms huge waves. Lower flows is just a tongue drop. |
Read and run |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | St. John's Access | 2,930 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Going eastbound on I-90 get off at the Rest Area exit around mile 71 and go past the rest stop to the St. John's Fishing access area. This is only accessible from the eastbound lanes. |
| Put-In | Cyr Access | 2,906 Feet | No | No | Yes | All Vehicles | Take exit 70 on I-90 and cross the river and then a left to access the ramp. If you've gone under the I-90 bridges you've gone too far. This is a good putin spot if you want to bypass the rest stop rapids or you're looking to shorten the run by a couple miles. |
| Put-In | Triple Bridges Access | 2,931 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | This is a walk-in access only mainly used by kayakers |
| Take-Out | Fish Creek Access | 2,931 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | This is a walk out spot near the mouth of Fish Creek. Use for emergencies or kayak access only. |
| Take-Out | Tarkio Access | 2,803 Feet | No | No | Yes | All Vehicles | Take exit 51 on I-90 and follow the road south of the freeway to the ramp. Raft and Kayak access available here. |
| Take-Out | Forrest Grove Access | 2,752 Feet | No | No | Yes | All Vehicles | Take the Tarkio exit (51) and follow the frontage road downriver to the access point. |
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.
External Links & Resources
No external links or resources added yet.
Sign in to add a link.
Community Run Notes
No community notes added yet.
Sign in to add a community note.