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RiverBrain

Madison River

Beartrap Canyon - Madison Dam to Route 84

Montana – US

Class
III to IV
Length
8.5 Mile(s)
Gradient
28 FPM
Put-in elevation
4,760 Feet
Take-out elevation
4,520 Feet
Typical season
March to December

Current Flow

1,210 CFS

Gauge height: 3.69 FT

Reading from Jul 10, 2026 9:00 PM

-45.83/hr (12h) -22.92/hr (24h)

Running

Hit some laps

Primary gauge
Madison River bl Ennis Lake nr McAllister MT Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗ NOAA river forecast ↗

Recommended levels

Minimum1,200
Average2,400
Maximum3,000

Recommended use

  • Kayaking
  • Rafting
  • Canoeing
  • SUP
  • Packrafting
  • Fishing

Struck-through craft are not recommended for this run.

Flow history — last 6 days

Photos

No photos added for this run yet.

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Description

Bear trap is a beautiful wilderness canyon with lots of a scenic miles and a few rapids. Most put in for the mostly dewatered double drop rapid. After a 1/4 mile water enters the river from a power station on river right and things get a little more padded. There are some II's, one with a nasty seive on river left. Whitehorse is the first named rapid and is the longest and most sustained of the rapids. Two holes wait at the top. The scouting trail is on the left but most will opt to read and run. When cliffs meet river level on the left scout/portage Kitchen sink on the right. Kitchen sink is a IV at typical flows and V at high flows (3000ish +). Finally green wave ends the major rapids with sneak down the right or a massive pourover boof off the green wave. Watch out for snakes. The bird watching in this canyon can be pretty good. Bald and Golden Eagles, osprey, mallards, wood ducks, pelicans etc.

Rapids

No rapids added yet.

Access

Type Name Elevation Camping Water Boat ramp Vehicle access Description
Put-In Above Double Drop 4,760 Feet No No Yes All Vehicles

Put in here for double drop. Most rafts will want to put in at the boat ramp a little downstream.

Take-Out Take out 4,520 Feet No No Yes All Vehicles

Typical Bear trap takeout

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.

Community Run Notes

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