Basics
- River:
- Blackfoot River
- Class:
- Class II+ - III-
- River Length
- 18 miles
- Time:
- 1/2 day - 1 day
- Season:
- May to August
Description
The lovely Blackfoot River was put on the historical map by the Corps of Discovery. The Blackfoot River was the key route explorer Meriwether Lewis chose to take back to Great Falls on his return journey home, cutting a good month off the time it took them to go west.
Draining snowmelt from the Bob Marshall and Scapegoat Wilderness areas, the Blackfoot features miles of river studded by bubbly beginner level whitewater as it winds through thick larch and fir forest. TA sparkling gem of a waterway, the Blackfoot was once one of the most threatened rivers in the west due to large-scale mining that was introducing heavy metals into the stream. Now in recovery and more heavily protected, the Blackfoot is becoming more and more popular with whitewater enthusiasts in the Missoula area.
A popular fishery as well, the Blackfoot was the inspiration behind Norman McLean’s fishing classic ‘A River Runs Through It’. Wildlife viewing along the Blackfoot is common, with raptors, deer, elk and grizzly bears all calling this area home. Commercially half and full day trips are offered daily on the Blackfoot from mid-spring to late summer.
