south fork flathead river float

Lunches are a combination of tasty salads, sandwiches, fruits, and assorted snacks. Ask the office for additional details on chartering a trip with us. If you are planning to target bull trout, A Hungry Horse/South Fork Flathead Bull Trout Catch Card must be in possession. Weather can be variable in the Montana wilderness, so be sure to have warm layers for around camp. There are a total of 97.9 miles of designated Wild River . What fishing gear should I bring versus what WRO provides? Lastly, the trail through Pyramid Pass (TR 416) connects to a trail that follows Youngs Creek (TR 283, 141, and 125) to the junction of Danaher Creek. We offer brands like Mountain Hardware, North Face, and Sierra Designs. Our sleep kits consist of a "Therm-a-rest" pad, a 20 degree sleeping bag, a pack-able pillow, and a ground cloth. For well information this can be a district-assigned local number. Please contact our office ahead of time to arrange logistics if you need to be picked up. Most of our tents are high-quality three-person tents, but we only put two people in each tent. is home to extraordinary wildlife, including elk, moose, wolf, eagles, mountain goats, grizzly and black bear. If you need assistance, were happy to help and always show you how the gear works. Nighttime temperatures, even during the short summer months, frequently plummet below freezing. How long will we be floating on the river each day? Website: richranch.com. If staging in Kalispell after your trip, we recommend making your reservations at the Red Lion Hotel (1-800-547-8010) or Travelodge (1-406-755-6123) in Kalispell. The river is one of the prettiest and most productive trout streams in North America. We will need to have our gear ready either that evening or very early the next morning (especially if youve chosen to use horse support). If you want to fish, a Montana fishing license is mandatory, and can be purchased just before you arrive if it is an in-person purchase. Day 8:If we run the gorge, the final day we will have lunch on the river and take-out by mid-day at Spotted Bear Bridge. The guides equally split the total tip amount from each guest. Located in the 1.5 million-acre Bob Marshall Wilderness, America's first-ever designated wilderness area, the South Fork is formed from Danaher Creek and Young's Creek junction. Your lead guide will give you an overview of the day each morning. Some exceptions might be considered based on a child's experience with multi-day camping, hiking, horseback riding and rafting. This should lead to significantly better fishing in both the South Fork below the dam and for the Flathead River in the years ahead. Matches and lightersor any other fire-building toolsare potentially lifesaving. Comfort is essential to having fun! It is also nice to have camp shoes to change into. 12359800. n/a. You will head to the trail the next morning (the official starting date of your trip) and start the hike or pack in. Learn to tie the RS2 with master tier Charlie Craven. If we say we want to paddle on a paddle boat, are we committed to paddling the entire trip? Almost everyone walks out the 3 miles from mid creek to meadow creek trailhead. Other costs may include $300 per vehicle if they would like us to shuttle vehicles to the meadow creek trailhead for them. Face and body wipes also work well for helping stay clean. This is a 2 day ride to the South Fork. If they feel inclined to tip packers or wranglers it is a nice gesture but not expected. While you probably won't catch a 22-inch trophy, you will catch some of the most perfectly configured trout in the world. We like to maintain a flexible schedule. Five days and 35 miles means plenty of time to hike, fish the fat and feisty Cutthroat trout at . On the South Fork of the Flathead, I am pleased to report, enterprising anglers can find remote campsites, solitude, and scads of native westslope cutthroat. We will need to have our gear ready that evening or very early the next morning (especially if youve chosen to use horse support). From this point it's approximately three miles to the Meadow Creek Trailhead. Yes, we almost always have a campfire every evening and morning. However you get there, the South Fork of the Flathead River is a place where good fishing and a wonderful experience go hand in hand. This section of wilderness is absolutely remote, but with WRO I felt completely safe and in good hands. Seth has worked hard to make the trip work for ALL of us. The river is loaded with bulls in the early fall when they run upstream from Hungry Horse Reservoir, but anglers can't intentionally fish for them between August 15 and the end of the season. RM 83-82: White . About the closest you can get to the river by vehicle is by using the long and curvy West Reservoir Road that crosses the Hungry Horse Dam and meanders around Hungry Horse Reservoir. They say anglers used to catch nearly 30 cutthroats a day between 15 and 20 inches. And it runs through the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana, just south of Glacier National Park. Let our professional fishing guides show you one of the most remote, trout-filled rivers in Montana on a fishing specific South Fork Flathead trip in the heart of Montanas backcountry. WRO will happily do our best to accommodate any dietary restrictions at no additional cost! Being in shape for riding will make your ride more enjoyable, especially the first day. Anglers can access the lower South Fork by foot or horseback via the Meadow Creek Trailhead. The South Fork is one of the few river systems that allow for targeting bull trout. There is a take out just before the Meadow Creek Gorge with good access and plenty of room to load gear onto horses or mules. Back to daydreaming of beautiful Montana 2021 with WRO on the South Fork of the Flathead in MT was the best yet and given that we've rafted with them several times over the past decade or sothat's saying something. And how will any future camping cuisine compare to the food we experienced on this journey? Please try to pack coolers and containers that are the same size for balancing mule loads. Everyone is issued a waterproof day bag to carry items you will need access to during the day while on the river. What will I do with items I need accessible during the day or on the boat? We are consistently told by guests that we out-do their expectations when it comes to our foods quality that we can accomplish in the wilderness. After unloading the mules that pack the gear out, we will meet the vehicles and WRO will provide transportation back to Kalispell. They will not pamper you but will instead tease out your best self to feel as if you belong in the wilderness. Wilderness River Outfitters and Trail Expeditions Inc is an equal opportunity provider. The experience is authentic wilderness with delicious meals cooked over a fire (most outfitters use propane) - and the team knows the story of the geology, the flora and fauna and the people that lived along these great rivers. How long will we be floating on the river each day? There is the option to add a fishing boat for an additional fee, fishing boats are booked for two people. In order to keep these places beautiful for years to come, all rivers are pack it in, pack it out. We bring fabulous portable toilets and handwashing stations that we place in a private location away from camp with the best bathroom view you will ever have. Other trout species on the Flathead have possession limitations (Cutthroat: <3/ day <12 inches, other trout: 5/day total and only 1/day over 14 inches), but you will typically not keep fish on multi-day trips. The South Fork of the Flathead River is a different beast. You often will need to plan these types of trips well in advance, as you will be booking out the entire trip for your group and need the launch date to be empty. Yes, we do normally change campsites every day. In some cases, introductions were illegal, and these include such sites as Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho; Keyhole Reservoir, Wyoming; and Beaver Creek Reservoir, Bitterroot River, and Flathead River, Montana (McMahon and Bennett 1996), and lakes in Alaska (Bell, personal communication). In years of heavy precipitation it may not fall into shape until after the July 4 holiday. The river in this area is dangerous to fish and most anglers begin fishing outside the gorge. Below Meadow Creek Trailhead, the floater who wants to continue down the river to Hungry Horse Reservoir can put in their boat at an unofficial access point called Cedar Flats. Is there somewhere to purchase last-minute items before the trip? The drive back to Kalispell is about 3 hours. Subscriber Services. Your lead guide will give you an overview of the day each morning. If you park at the trailhead for an extended foray into the wilderness, pop your vehicle's hood and leave it up. *This story was originally titled "Glacier's Borderlands: Do-it-yourself adventures on the North and Middle forks of the Flathead.". Lakestream in Whitefish and Larrys Fly Shop in Columbia Falls are good local fly shops to go to beforehand, and a few more limited sport stores like Sportsman's Warehouse and Cabellas in Kalispell. Hike past pristine mountain lakes and snow-covered peaks. However, this route requires you to ascend the North Fork of the Blackfoot (TR 31 to TR 32), cross Dry Fork Divide, and then follow Danaher Creek (TR 126) to the junction with Youngs Creek. The South Fork of the Flathead River begins deep in the heart of Bob Marshall Wilderness complex, one of the nations largest designated wilderness areas. We stop for a short lunch break but do not provide food or drink. Due to the remote setting and the difficulty and expense of bringing in rafts, the river is relatively free of floaters, allowing for a peaceful, scenic float. This trip includes a two-day, 25-mile horseback ride (or hike) to access the remote South Fork Flathead. This is a tight meandering river about 20 feet wide. If you look at the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks website, it will direct you to options for online purchases or in-person vendors around Montana. The hotel will provide shuttle service from the airport. Generate High-Quality PDF. The distance from the Dam to the trailhead at Meadow Creek Pack Bridge is about 50 miles, which takes about two hours. Grizzly bears, moose, elk and wolves all call the Bob home. Day 3-4: The third morning we would head downstream on the river, stopping for some fishing along the way and camping at some beautiful riverside campsites. Synthetic materials are lightweight and dry much quicker than cotton. All of our trip leaders are certified Wilderness First Responders, along with the majority of our other highly capable guides, several of whom are Wilderness EMTs. This dry fly can be tied to match any mayfly. Everyone is also issued a large waterproof bag for your personal gear and clothing. We can provide all the rental equipment that you may need from rafts to breakdown frames to tents. However, a raft and gear must be packed in on horseback and only experienced oarsmen should float the South Forkthere is a lot of whitewater and yearly natural changes can make several rapids not navigable. The drop float trip prices are one-way. Face and body wipes also work well for helping stay clean. Means of Introduction: This species has been intentionally stocked as a sport fish in most areas. Sounds like an amazing river. South Fork Flathead River upstream from Hungry Horse Reservoir. Your river and/or hiking clothes can double as camp clothes, but you are welcome to bring something else if you would like, such as a cotton shirt, an athletic dress/skirt for women, dry pants, layers or some fiesta-wear. Bob Marshall Wilderness, MT 1.406.644.5363. Join Morgan Ray and John Fraley as they get into some of the wildlife details in My Wilderness Life. You can usually reduce pack animals by 1 or sometimes2 for the takeout due to eating all of the food and being able to fill the empty coolers with other gear. The Bob Marshall is one of the most beautiful and beloved wilderness areas in all the US. Meanwhile, clients will ride in from the Lodgepole trailhead, which is a 23 mile ride to the confluence. We've already booked 2022.ALASKA! Online purchases are immediately effective, but must be printed and kept on your person at all times when fishing. A general river orientation and safety talk will be given, and PFDs (lifejackets) will be custom-fitted before getting on the water and starting the adventure! A variety of car rentals are available should you decide to visit Glacier National Park before or after your trip. Learn to tie Barr's Damsel with master tier Charlie Craven. We discourage bringing any unnecessary valuables on your trip. These are very comfortable and fit very nicely in our gear bags. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. It is about a two hour drive to the Rich Ranch. Day 1: We will make packed lunches at the Rich Ranch. | You do not need previous trail riding experience. What kind of footwear should I bring? This remote valley deep in the Bob Marshall Wilderness is home to extraordinary wildlife, including elk, moose, wolf, eagles, mountain goats, grizzly and black bear. Fill your gas tank before leaving the town of Hungry Horse. The best way to access the confluence is from the Owl Creek trailhead in the Swan Valley or the Lodgepole trailhead out of Ovando, Mt. Please contact us if you have any questions. What a fabulously memorable trip!!! How will I keep my phone/camera/other valuable items safe from the elements? Fly Fisherman's digital editor Josh Bergan takes us along on a fly-fishing trip into the Montana mountains to show where, how, and why to catch trout in alpine lakes. We often have dinner together, and you will spend this first night at the Rich Ranch lodging. Something went wrong. The South Fork of the Flathead is by all accounts one of the world's premier rivers. If you're using a floating line, tie on a 12- to 14-foot leader and apply plenty of weight. Drop & Float Services In addition to guided fishing trips, we offer drop & float trips on the South Fork of the Flathead River. Others are disappointed by the size of the fish they're catching and blame increased pressure and catch-and-release mortality on the decline. EVE BYRON. We dedicate plenty of river time to fishing for one of the purest strains of Westslope Cutthroat trout in the world. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. Day 1: We will make packed lunches at the Rich Ranch. The trout in this river are eager to please, and on a good day, anglers with nothing more than a #12 Royal Wulff may raise 30 or more fish and bring at least half to the net. What size and type of sleeping pad does WRO provide? (What you will eventually pack into your river day bag. The Middle Fork of the Flathead River inspired the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and all three forks of the river now have designation under this act. Westslope cutthroats are blue-collar fish that work hard for their living. Summer also registers a fair amount of backpacking and horse packing visitors, although a person is unlikely to see more than a couple parties of people once away form the popular day hiking trails on the edge of the wilderness area. We will make lunch for the trail, and after a short drive to the trailhead in the morning we will be on our way. the average number of stock used for people using traditional rafts and frames along with regular food will average 2 pack animals per person on groups of less than 4. We will provide transportation from Kalispell to the Rich Ranch the day before your trip is scheduled to begin. You are welcome to bring your own sleeping gear if you wish, but if you do, please bring your own complete sleep kit and let us know ahead of time. If hiking in, you will want to have a backpack with your personal gear such as water, layers, snacks, packed lunch, basic first aid, sunscreen, medications, etc. This day bag is 9 inches in diameter and 20 inches tall. WRO guides bring a spare rod, a handful of popular flies, and leader and tippet, but we recommend guests bring their own 5 weight rod (cutthroat) and 6-8 weight rod (targeting bull trout), as well as their own fishing accessories and flies. The trip winds about 8 miles through the John F. Stevens Canyon. Drop float trips begin at the Monture trailhead, seven miles north of Ovando, Montana. Our South Fork Flathead fishing trips allow for the reservation of small fishing-frame rafts that fit two people and a fishing guide. People using pack rafts, dehydrated food and backpacking gear get by with dramatically less. Westslope cutts prefer a big meal so use large hooks when you can (size 8-14). These are very comfortable and fit very nicely in our gear bags. From this point, you can float another 18 scenic miles to Hungry Horse Reservoir. Wilderness River Outfitters and Trail Expeditions Inc is licensed and insured in the State of Idaho under license number 441. What shoes will I wear in the boat? If driving, you will be able to leave your car at the Red Lion Hotel in Kalispell.

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