| Difficulty | II(V) |
| Length | 18 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 18, 2026 |
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
The Spotted Bear has two distinct sections with drastically different characters. From Dean Creek downstream the river is engaging class II with one odd bedrock gorge that is easy to scout and portage. Above Dean Creek the Bear is tight, fast, and stout. The lower stretch can generally be run well into July. Recommend to boat in a small boat, such as a pack raft.
Note: the upper stretch above the road could be full of wood and may be unrunnable, more investigation is needed.
9 mile stretch starting at Big Bill Creek:
Turn off on a road three quarters of a mile before Beaver Creek Camp. The road leads to a trailhead which leads down to the falls. The falls are solid class V and at low water they look super tight and dangerous. At high water they may be easier. Put in below the falls. The first 3 miles is a beautiful section moving between small walled canyons and fishing holes. It has some fun class II water and no wood as of July 2026. After a small waterfall on the left the canyon opens into a small valley, where the river channelizes and shallows. There is some wood and necessary portages for them, and the river gets hard to not get stuck. Neat the end the river goes back into a small canyon before making to the confluence. Take out nearby.