BLACKFOOT RIVER - Local Missoula’s Intermediate Summer Float

Just east of Hellgate Canyon near East Missoula, the Blackfoot pours into the Clarkfork River. With its headwaters to the north in the Bob Marshall and Scapegoat Wilderness areas, the Blackfoot tumbles out of the mountains, meanders through willow-choked meadows, and picks up momentum as it rushes toward Missoula. During early season high water, the Blackfoot has long stretches of continuous Class II and III whitewater. With its fast moving currents, clear pools, friendly whitewater and mountain scenery, the Blackfoot is truly a classic Montana river. Known for legendary dry fly fishing, the Blackfoot was the inspiration for Norman Maclean's book, A River Runs Through It. To quote Maclean, the Blackfoot "runs over rocks from the basement of time". With over 45 miles of river available to choose from, the Blackfoot offers a variety of different trips sure to give you a Montana rafting experience to remember.  The Blackfoot float combines beautiful scenery with a variety of river conditions.  Local Missoula recommends several sections for day trips.  First there is the closest section, just out of Bonner.  There are numerous put-ins and take-outs.   This section is classified by sporadic rapids and excellent fishing.  The second section is located in the Blackfoot Recreation Corridor in Johnsrud State Park.  The most common Johnsrud float is from Whitaker Bridge back to the landing where Johnsrud diverges from Highway 200.  This 5 to 6 mile float can easily consume a sunny afternoon.  During hot, summer weekends, there are hundreds of eager floaters on the river.  The upper portion of the river offers a change of scenery and several new rapids for floaters who are looking for a different challenge.  If you are interested in making it a camping trip, you can start all the way back at Lincoln, more than 110 miles upstream from the Clark Fork confluence.  This section is faily narrow and the water is much slower.  There are usually several logjams to navigate, but the scenery and wildlife are unsurpassed.  The first rapids start above the Scotty Brown Bridge, where the river enters the Blackfoot River Recreation Corridor. For the first five miles, the river is marked by a quick flow, twisty turns, but no whitewater. Beginning at Sperry Grade access site, which is five miles downstream from Scotty Brown Bridge, the whitewater section of the Blackfoot River begins. For the next seven miles, the Blackfoot River has numerous rapids, several of which are Class III. Due to large waves and several small drops, this section of river should not be run in a canoe or by beginners in rafts.