GLACIER RAFT COMPANY
Whitewater Rafting Trip Itinerary

5 Day Great Bear Wilderness Ride and Raft

Ride And Raft The Rockies For The Vacation Adventure Of A Lifetime! Begin by spending 2½ days riding horseback followed by a 2½ whitewater rafting trip on the upper middle fork of the flathead river, all within the Great Bear Wilderness, part of the largest wilderness area in the Continental U.S.

Day 1: Your trip will begin Monday morning at 8:30 at Glacier Outdoor Center . Once everyone is packed and signed-in, you will drive about 45 miles along the southern edge of Glacier National Park to the corrals of Snowy Springs Outfitters and the access trailhead for the Great Bear Wilderness. Due to the constraints involved with wilderness horse packing, we ask that you limit your baggage to 40 lbs per person. This trip is limited to adults over 16 years of age only prior to July 1 and 12 years of age after July 1; you must be in good physical condition.

After everyone is introduced and fitted to your faithful horse, an orientation will be given on handling it. This trip is into a roadless wilderness area accessible only by horseback or on foot. No motorized vehicles are allowed. We do take inexperienced riders but you must consider that this is backcountry horse travel into a wilderness area and certain inherent risks are involved. We recommend that if you have never ridden you should consider a couple of riding lessons prior to the trip. The horses are gentle and familiar with the trails, but being somewhat familiar with a horse will greatly increase your enjoyment of the trip. Riding time will be 4 to 6 hours per day.

Day 2: Typically a layover day, without moving camp. You may chose to do an all-day ride or perhaps a couple of shorter rides from camp. There are plenty of trails to explore and again there may be opportunities to fish.

Day 3: Camp will be dismantled and all your gear packed onto the backs of your mules for a short ride to the river where you will have lunch and meet your river guides. Depart on the river by late afternoon and float a few miles, giving you a chance to wash off some trail dust before camp.

Days 4-5: The next two days will be spent paddle rafting and camping along the Upper Middle Fork before reaching the take-out at Bear Creek. You'll experience exciting whitewater and great fishing. The rapids of Three Forks, 25-Mile Creek, Lunch Creek and Spruce Park Gorge make this a real adventure. The lower water trips (after July 10) are especially good for the avid fisherman. The whitewater is still exciting though more moderate and technical, and we use smaller rafts with everyone paddling.

You will be eating hardy western-style meals by a campfire and sleeping in sleeping bags in a tent. You will be accompanied by a guide and cook who will be responsible for your livestock and camp arrangements. The country is truly spectacular with rivers, lakes and typical high-country topography.

There may be opportunities for a little fishing if the camping is near the river, but this is primarily a backcountry horse trip. If you are interested in fishing, bring your own gear and be sure it is compact and in an UNBREAKABLE case. A Montana fishing license is required prior to trip departure and may be purchased at Glacier Outdoor Center .

The Upper Middle Fork has a bounty of native Westslope cutthroat trout, as do the high mountain lakes in this area. We may incorporate a short hike into one of these mountain-cradled, crystal blue lakes. The emphasis on this trip is the overall experience--camping, rafting, hiking, fishing and enjoying the great outdoors. The agenda is subject to change due to trail conditions, weather, water levels and group interests.

You'll love the adventure and excitement of the rapids, you'll appreciate the quiet of the calm stretches and you'll feel better having spent four days with Mother Nature in all her natural splendor. It should not be forgotten that this is a "wild" river, and, as the classification of this river implies, it should not be taken lightly. We recommend you be in good physical condition for this trip and be prepared for excitement in this natural setting.

General trip information links:
map & directions
general information
packing list