Flathead, South Fork
3. Cedar Flats to Upper Twin Creek
| Difficulty | II |
| Length | 14.9 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 14 fpm |
| Gauge | S F Flathead R Ab Twin C Nr Hungry Horse Mt |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 5920 cfsrunnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | September 14, 2021 |
River Description
This lower segment of the Wild and Scenic South Fork Flathead River is below Meadow Creek Gorge and can be accessed from the forest road that parallels the river. The river has a handful of standing waves and sections of deep slow water. It is know for its fishing which is catch and release. The river is classified as Wild upstream of the Spotted Bear River confluence and classified as Recreational downstream to the reservoir.
The Spotted Bear Campground is along this section and just downstream of the Spotted Bear River confluence but not accessible from the river. It has 13 sites and is available from mid-May until the end of September.
The section ends at Hungry Horse Reservoir created in 1953 with the construction of the 564' Hungry Horse Dam.
River Features
Put-in at Cedar Flats Access (Harrison Creek)
Put-in on river left across from Harrison Creek at Cedar Flats. Access to the river is down a steep 1/4 mile foot trail from the marked pull out at milepost 11 on Forest Road 2826.
Spotted Bear River Access
Spotted Bear River Access (aka South Fork Access) is on river right less than a mile downstream of the Spotted Bear River confluence and the ranger station and campground that are located there.
Billy Garrett Memorial Bridge Access
Popular take-out option but also a put-in for a short float of a couple miles on the last segment of the river.
Take Out
Upper Twin Creek enters on river left and marks the last take-out before the reservoir.
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