Great Northern's half day sport raft whitewater rafting trips near Glacier National Park in Montana

Montana's Best White Water Rafting Trips

If you don’t want to think about lunch plans, we’ve got you covered! Great Northern’s full day white water rafting trips, on the boundary of Glacier National Park, are an exhilarating activity for the whole family.

Flathead River Rafting, NW Montana

Along the southern boundary to Glacier National Park, the Middle Fork of the Flathead River offers the best whitewater rafting in Montana. Rafting will be the perfect addition to your Montana vacation! The Flathead River is protected as a “Wild and Scenic” river ensuring that it will remain free-flowing and untamed. The Wild and Scenic Middle Fork of the Flathead River offers thrilling whitewater rafting through the John F. Stevens Canyon. These rafting adventures feature Class II-III rapids while enjoying the majestic mountain views of Glacier National Park.

Full Day White Whitewater Rafting

Start your trip by enjoying a relaxing morning float on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. On this section you’ll enjoy the beautiful views and mountains as you raft along the southern boundary of Glacier National Park.

After you’ve worked up an appetite, enjoy the silence of the canyon while your guide grills you lunch. Grilled lunch options include your choice of steak, chicken, hamburger, or veggie burger. Top that off with a variety of fresh sides, salads and a dessert. After lunch, you'll raft through the John Stevens Canyon braving some of the best Montana white water class II-III rapids. If you’re a little more adventurous, consider our inflatable kayak trips or a smaller sport boat for an exciting ride through the white water.

Early in the season, we raft through a scenic stretch of river before pulling over for a riverside lunch. After lunch, we’ll raft through the whitewater section in the afternoon sun. As the Montana summer weather warms up late summer, we often run the whitewater section in the morning. After a riverside lunch, we’ll spend the afternoon floating and swimming through the crystal-clear waters.

Great Northern’s Montana full day white water rafting trips and full day Montana guided fly fishing trips run May through September on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.

Lasting Whitewater Rafting Memories

Cherish your Glacier Park rafting trip with Great Northern forever with a photo package. Our photographer, Mountain Photography, is on the river from mid-June through Labor Day and takes photos of all our whitewater trips. Pre-buy your photos separately at a discount at the time of booking or purchase them separately in our office on the day of your trip. Don’t miss this Glacier National Park souvenir! You can buy them online here.

Great Northern's Intro to River Rafting Skills Training at our Glacier National Park Resort in Montana

FULL DAY WHITEWATER RAFTING WITH LUNCH

Rafting Times:

10:15 (Resort Check-In Time 15mins Prior to Trip Time)

Available Dates:

Early June to Late August

Rates:

Adult - $98.00 / Child (12 and Under) - $78.00

Private Boat - $828.00

Private Trip - $1,012.00 per Boat , (Limit 8 People Per Boat on Private Boat and Private Trip Boat)

Boat Prices do not include 7% service fee or gratuity

Our Full-day trip is a great way to see more of Glacier National Park. This rafting adventure starts with a stunning scenic float. After a riverside barbecue lunch comes the true whitewater experience as you enter the John Stevens Canyon and paddle through exciting Class II-III whitewater.

This trip starts with a more scenic float through Nyack Flats. Here you'll enjoy majestic views into the backcountry of Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness which are phenomenal! This is also a great area to see all sorts of wildlife so keep an eye out.

After a relaxing morning float you'll stop along the river banks for a barbecue lunch. Lunchtime consists of your fearless whitewater guide/river chef preparing the perfec riverside barbecue lunch spread. For our main course we offer steak, chicken, beef burgers, or veggie burgers. Let our reservation staff which you prefer. Accompanying your lunch choice is an appetizer, assortment of delicious salads and a dessert to top it off.

After delicous riverside lunch comes the Whitewater stretch through the John F. Stevens Canyon. Your whitewater adventure will take you through exciting class II-III rapds. With rapids like Tunnel, Bonecrusher, and Jaws (to name a few) your crew is sure to have an exciting time.

Our trip is near the end when you pass under the Old Bridge. This was original route in to Glacier National Park and nearly washed away in the flood of 1964. When you return to Great Northern make sure to check out the photos of your run through Bonecrusher!

*Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions: gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan, nut allergies, etc.

Trip Duration:

5-7 hours depending on the flow of the river.

River Rating & Rapids:

This trip offers a scenic and whitewater adventure (Class III-IV in Late May - Early July; to moderate Class II-III later in the summer) Rapids Include: Tunnel, Bonecrusher, Toilet Boil, The Big Squeeze, Screaming Right-Hand Turn, Jaws, The Narrows, CBT and Pumphouse.

River Miles:

15 river miles

Age Limits:

Ages 5 & up - age is dependent upon weather & river conditions.

Lunch Choices:

Steak, chicken, beef burger or vegetarian.

*min 4 people

FULL DAY SPORT RAFT WITH LUNCH

Meeting Times:

10:15 (Resort Check-In Time 15mins Prior to Trip Time)

Available Dates:

May to late September

Rates:

Full Day - $128.00/person

Private Boat - $768
Private Trip - $938/Boat
*Max 6 Guests per Boat

Price does not include 7% service fee or gratuity.

This trip is for the adventurous paddler that wants a smaller raft looking for a wilder whitewater experience! Our 13’ sport rafts are the perfect option for the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. You're sure to enjoy a little extra excitement through the rapids. Our sport rafts are smaller boats that are built to navigate sportier lines through the rapids making more technical paddling maneuvers.

This trip is wonderful because you get to float through Nyack Flats, a large area where the majority of the river flows through large gravel basins providing an incredibly diverse ecosystem. As you travel through the flats, the views into the backcountry of Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness are phenomenal! This is also a great area to see all sorts of wildlife.

Lunchtime consists of your fearless whitewater guide/river chef preparing a top-notch river barbecue lunch. We offer steak, chicken, beef burgers, or veggie burgers for your main course. Make sure to tell the reservation staff which you prefer. Accompanying your lunch choice is an appetizer, assortment of salads and a dessert.

After lunch comes the Whitewater in the John F. Stevens Canyon! When you get to John Stevens Canyon the river picks up speed and your adventure really begins. Here you'll adventure will take you through 9 class II-III rapids. With rapids like Bonecrusher, Jaws and the Notch (to name a few) your crew is sure to have an exciting time.

Once you see the Old Bridge, (The original route in to Glacier National Park) you are nearly there. There's about a mile left to the take out, followed by a short ride back to the Great Northern Resort. Make sure to check out the photos of your run through Bonecrusher in the office when you get back!

*Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions: gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan, nut allergies, etc.

Trip Duration:

5-7 hours depending on the flow of the river.

River Rating & Rapids:

This trip offers a scenic and whitewater adventure (Class III-IV in Late May - Early July; to moderate Class II-III later in the summer) Rapids Include: Tunnel, Bonecrusher, Toilet Boil, The Big Squeeze, Screaming Right-Hand Turn, Jaws, The Narrows, CBT and Pumphouse.

River Miles:

15 river miles

Age Limits:

Ages 5 & up - age is dependent upon weather & river conditions.

Lunch Choices:

Steak, chicken, beef burger or vegetarian.

Great Northern's Full Day Inflatable Kayak whitewater rafting trips Middle Fork of the Flathead River near Glacier National Park in Montana

FULL DAY 1 & 2 PERSON FUNYAKS W/ LUNCH

Rafting Times:

10:15 (Resort Check-In Time 15mins Prior to Trip Time)

Available Dates:

Mid June to late September

Rates:

Full Day - $101/Person

Private Boat - $828 (Max 8 Guests per Boat)
Private Trip - $1012/Boat (Max 8 Guests per Boat)

Price does not include 7% service fee or gratuity.

This is one of the most exciting trips on the river, and designed for the more adventurous paddler! Enjoy a day rafting on the river as a solo adventurer or with the expedition partner of your choice. With the option for individual or tandem inflatable kayaks you're to get up close and personal with some of the best kayaking in Montana. You'll enjoy captaining your own craft on our whitewater trips following behind one of our experienced raft guides. Helmets, wetsuits, and neoprene booties are included on inflatable kayak whitewater trips.

No experience needed, just a craving to have fun on the river!

We’ll explore the Middle Fork of the Flathead River in the morning floating through the Nayak Flats. The river flows through large gravel basins providing an incredibly diverse ecosystem. The morning is spent learning the strokes and getting a feel for the kayak during a particularly scenic and tranquil section of the river. As you travel through the flats, the views into the back country of Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness are phenomenal!

For lunch, we’ll find a great beach alongside the river to enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch along with spectacular views of Glacier National Park. Rest assured your fearless whitewater guide and river chef preparing a top-notch river barbecue lunch spread. We offer steak, chicken, beef burgers, or veggie burgers for your main course. Accompanying your lunch choice is an appetizer, assortment of salads and a dessert.

After lunch comes the Whitewater!

When you get to John Stevens Canyon your adventure really begins. You'll need all of that practice from upstream to navigate your inflatable kayak through the whitewater behind our experienced guides. This adventure takes you through rapids like Bonecrusher, Jaws and the Notch just to name a few.

Our whitewater rafting adventure will end at the West Glacier River access followed by a short ride back to the Great Northern Resort. When you get back to the office make sure to check out the photos of your run through Bonecrusher! A perfect souvenir to remember you Glacier National Park vacation.

*Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions: gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan, nut allergies, etc.

Trip Duration:

5-7 hours depending on the flow of the river.

River Rating & Rapids:

This trip offers a scenic and whitewater adventure (Class III-IV in Late May - Early July; to moderate Class II-III later in the summer) Rapids Include: Tunnel, Bonecrusher, Toilet Boil, The Big Squeeze, Screaming Right-Hand Turn, Jaws, The Narrows, CBT and Pumphouse.

River Miles:

15 river miles

Age Limits:

Ages 12 & up - age is dependent upon weather & river conditions.

Lunch Choices:

Steak, chicken, beef burger or vegetarian.

Premier Fly Fishing trips on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River at our Glacier National Park Resort in Montana

FULL DAY FLY FISHING

Rafting Times:

8:30
(Resort Check-In Time 15mins Prior to Trip Time)

Available Dates:

Late June through October

Rates:

1 or 2 people $497.00

Price does not include fishing license, 7% service fee or gratuity.

Our Full Day Montana Fly Fishing Trips depart from the Great Northern Resort in West Glacier Montana. We start our fishing trips first thing in the morning and this allows us to be on the water at first light, spending the entire day fly-fishing. All our fly fishing trips are on the Middle for of the Flathead River.

Your professional Montana fly fishing guide will ensure you are fishing the best stretch of river. Enjoy a fresh lunch from our Railway Cafe and then relax in the afternoon and anticipate the evening hatch as twilight settles over a great day in Glacier Country. Our most popular guided fly fishing trip!

Our professional fishing guides will provide rods, reels, and flies at no extra cost. If you would like to bring and use your own fishing gear our guides will help get you outfitter for some amazing dry fly fishing. We use driftboats, dories, and rafts for our fishing trips, as appropriate depending on the section of river you'll be fishing.

Trip Duration:

7 hours

River Miles:

6-10 miles

Age Limits:

Age 6+ depending upon weather & river conditions.

Lunch will be provided

Fishing License:

All fishing trips require a Montana fishing license. A Montana fishing license can be purchased online at the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks website or Smith's and Super 1 in Columbia Falls.