The North Fork of the Flathead River starts its journey in Canada. From the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, which contain almost a third of its drainage, the Flathead River flows south across the border 57 miles to its confluence with the Middle Fork of the Flathead near West Glacier. The upper 42-mile U.S. portion of the North Fork of the Flathead is classified Wild and Scenic under the National Wildlife and Scenic Rivers Act. To the east of the river is GlacierNational Park and on the west stands the wild country within the WhitefishRange. A road parallels the river for much of its length, providing for easy access and short day floats, but reducing the solitude of the adventure. The lower 15 miles of river above BlankenshipBridge is classified as Recreational and confined within a steep sidewall valley. Popular among rafting and canoeing recreationists and anglers looking for native trout, the upper North Fork also contains critical habitat for the federally listed threatened grizzly bear and endangered gray wolf.
Tina Lawrence
Whitefish Lake and Land
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