Montana whitewater - Swan River, Lake County

Lake county, Bigfork Dam to Flathead River section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 

CLASS III-IV     1.25 miles
  This section of Swan River in Montana is 1.25 miles long and it is classified as a class III-IV section by American Whitewater. The average Montana whitewater rafting or kayaking river tends to be easier to run than those in other states, so don't forget that quite a few of the sections here are pretty easy. The wonderful Lake County scenery and the water flowing gracefully down Swan River are reasons enough to come here and paddle. The put-in location is a short drive from Kalispell, please print out a copy of the road map further down the page so you
    won’t get lost. There are no other stretches to paddle along Swan River than the Bigfork Dam to Flathead River stretch. You can pitch a tent or park your RV at a nearby campground. This is a very short section so you'd better be prepared to walk your kayak back to put-in a few
times. Not too many hotels nearby, you'll have to drive a bit to get to one, but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination. Getting some good exercise and just being out on the river for a while have people coming from far and near. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way there are not so many other good spots for that around here.

Briefly about the general area:
The warmest time of the year brings highs in the 70's to Swan River. Through the dark hours of summer temperatures plunge down
 
into the 40's. The winter brings highs down to the 20's, and through the dark hours in the wintertime at Swan River temperatures fall to the 10's. Long Beach is close to Swan River if you're in a beach type of mood.
Swan River is a location that is quite dried out regularly; through June this area sees the most rain; February is when it's the driest.

Swan River, Bigfork Dam to Flathead River road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: III-IV
Length: 1.25 miles
Average Gradient: 100 fpm
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 48.01979
Longitude: -113.97811

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 48.06079
Longitude: -114.07891

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Current weather conditions at Swan River, Montana
WXPort

Local climate location: CRESTON 4 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Best Western White Oak Grand, Kalispell
15 miles away
This Kalispell, Montana hotel is located in the Flathead Valley of Northwest Montana and offers luxury and comfort 30 miles from Glacier National Park. The Best Western White Oak Grand is one mile fr...

Bridge Street Cottages, Bigfork
15 miles away
Bridge Street Cottages, completed in 2004, are located, on the Swan River where it flows into Bigfork Bay. It's an idyllic setting for our luxury cottages that are full of amenities, Just a short stro...

Glacier Mountain Lodge, Columbia Falls
16 miles away
Surround yourself in the beauty of Big Sky Country, located in the heart of the Flathead Valley and minutes from Glacier National Park. Glacier Mountain Lodge offer a luxurious warmth, with elegance a...



OTHER_INFO
  All Montana Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Montana.
Books about whitewater paddling on Swan River, Montana
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Swan River, Montana.
Find a whitewater outfitter in Montana

Whitewater Basics
If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info.
Outdoors Recreation Near Kalispell, Montana
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Kalispell, Montana, the metro area neareast to Swan River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Swan River.
 Whitewater Near Swan River:
Flathead River - Middle Fork, -blank- County , 20 miles away, Class II - 6 miles long (West Glacier to Blankenship Bridge)
Flathead River - Middle Fork, -blank- County , 22 miles away, Class III - 9 miles long (Moccasin Creek to West Glacier)
Flathead River, Lake County , 26 miles away, Class II-III - 10 miles long (Kerr Dam to County Road Bridge)
Flathead River - Middle Fork, -blank- County , 27 miles away, Class II+ - 31 miles long (Bear Creek to Moccasin Creek)
 Ski Areas Near Swan River:
Blacktail Mountain, Montana , 24 miles away, 1440 vertical feet
Whitefish, Montana , 30 miles away, 2353 vertical feet
Montana Snowbowl, Montana , 47 miles away, 2600 vertical feet
Marshall Mountain, Montana , 52 miles away, 1500 vertical feet
Castle Mountain, Alberta , 65 miles away, 2850 vertical feet
Teton Pass, Montana , 85 miles away, 1010 vertical feet
Fernie, British Columbia , 98 miles away, 2816 vertical feet
Discovery Ski, Montana , 99 miles away, 1670 vertical feet
 Beaches Near Swan River:
Long Beach, Flathead County , 4 miles away
 Hotels Near Swan River:
Best Western White Oak Grand, Kalispell , 15 miles away
Bridge Street Cottages, Bigfork , 15 miles away
Glacier Mountain Lodge, Columbia Falls , 16 miles away
Bad Rock B&B, Columbia Falls , 17 miles away
Super 8 Motel - Glacier Park/Columbia Falls, Columbia Falls , 17 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Swan River:
Ronde'vue Park, Bigfork, 2 miles away
Woods Bay Marina and RV Park, Bigfork, 2 miles away
Outback Montana RV/Tent Campground, Bigfork, 2 miles away
 Trails Near Swan River:
Wolf Creek Trail, Flathead County , 7 miles away
Noisy Creek Notch Trail, Flathead County , 8 miles away
Alpine Trail, Flathead County , 9 miles away
Jimmie Ridge Trail, Flathead County , 10 miles away
Peterson Creek Trail, Lake County , 10 miles away
 National Parks Near Swan River:
Glacier National Park, West Glacier - MT , 21 miles away
 Golf Courses Near Swan River:
Eagle Bend Golf Club, Bigfork , 5 miles away

Outdoors related information copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. - Detailed hotel information copyright © Interactive Hotel Solutions
Some content, including Reach Name, Class, and Length, comes from American Whitewater