Swan River
Crystal Lake to Lindburgh Lake
| Difficulty | III-V |
| Length | 6.9 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Mission Creek Ab Reservoir Nr St. Ignatius Mt |
| Flow Rate as of 55 minutes | 120 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | December 9, 2024 |
Projects
Wild rivers and their enthusiasts got some good news with the release of the new 15-20 year Forest plan for the Flathead National Forest late in 2018. The decision newly protected 22 streams as eligible for Wild and Scenic designation (284 river miles), based in large part on the [...]Read More
River Description
Hike 3 miles or so downhill into Crystal Lake and enjoy the awesome scenery before heading downstream. Be prepared for a big portage right off the bat, followed by some scenic, quality, and remote adventure boating all the way to Lindburgh Lake. Rapids are generally drop-pool and fairly easily boat or bank scouted. Finish with a paddle across Lindburgh. High quality backcountry boating.
River Features
Put In
Hike in to Crystal Lake and take in the view before dropping into the whitewater run!
Take Out
Paddle across Lindburgh Lake to the takeout in the campground.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportWe explored this section with high hopes of finding some quality whitewater and were not disappointed! The downhill hike to Crystal Lake was easy and the put in dramatic. We portaged the first giant slide and I think ran everything else. The standout was a rapid filled with large fluffy holes. A beautiful run!