South Fork Flathead River
Encyclopedia
The South Fork Flathead River is a major river in Northwestern Montana
in the northwest United States
. It is one of the three main forks of the Flathead River
, a tributary of the Clark Fork River (the Pend Oreille River
). The north-northwest trending river is about 98 miles (157.7 km) long, making it the second longest tributary of the Flathead River.
The river begins in the Bob Marshall Wilderness
south of Glacier National Park, as does the Middle Fork Flathead River
, at the confluence of two streams, Danaher Creek and Youngs Creek, between the Flathead Range
and the Swan Range
. For some 40 miles (64.4 km), the river flows freely north-northwest, meandering through a forested and undeveloped valley. The river enters a narrow gorge, running north, then begins to enter the backwater of Hungry Horse Reservoir after receiving Meadow Creek from the left. Hungry Horse Reservoir occupies much of the lower half of the river, covering 97 mi2. The reservoir trends north then northwest, and the river then passes through the arched Hungry Horse Dam
, just a few miles above the mouth. After it leaves the dam, the river enters a narrow gorge and, exiting the canyon for the final time, runs northwest past the town of Hungry Horse
, then joins the Flathead River, just a few miles below its headwaters at the North Fork
and Middle Forks' convergence.
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
in the northwest United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is one of the three main forks of the Flathead River
Flathead River
The Flathead River, in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Montana, originates in the Rocky Mountains near Glacier National Park and flows southwest into Flathead Lake, then after a journey of , empties into the Clark Fork. The river is part of the Columbia River drainage basin, as the Clark...
, a tributary of the Clark Fork River (the Pend Oreille River
Pend Oreille River
The Pend Oreille River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northern Idaho and northeastern Washington in the United States, as well as southeastern British Columbia in Canada. In its passage through British Columbia its name is spelled Pend-d'Oreille River...
). The north-northwest trending river is about 98 miles (157.7 km) long, making it the second longest tributary of the Flathead River.
The river begins in the Bob Marshall Wilderness
Bob Marshall Wilderness
The Bob Marshall Wilderness is a wilderness area in Flathead National Forest of western Montana in the United States. It is named after Bob Marshall , an early forester, conservationist, and co-founder of The Wilderness Society. The Bob Marshall Wilderness extends for 60 miles along the...
south of Glacier National Park, as does the Middle Fork Flathead River
Middle Fork Flathead River
The Middle Fork Flathead River is a river in western Montana in the United States, forming the southwestern boundary of Glacier National Park. Its drainage basin lies to the east of the South Fork Flathead River and the Hungry Horse Reservoir...
, at the confluence of two streams, Danaher Creek and Youngs Creek, between the Flathead Range
Flathead Range
The Flathead Range is a mountain range of the Border Ranges located south-east of Fernie on the British Columbia-Alberta border in Canada. It is east of the Swan Range and southeast of the Whitefish Range...
and the Swan Range
Swan Range
The Swan Range is a mountain range in western Montana in the United States . Its peaks typically rise to around . The range is bounded by the South Fork Flathead River to the east, the Flathead River to the north and northwest, the Swan River to the west, and lie to the southwest of Glacier...
. For some 40 miles (64.4 km), the river flows freely north-northwest, meandering through a forested and undeveloped valley. The river enters a narrow gorge, running north, then begins to enter the backwater of Hungry Horse Reservoir after receiving Meadow Creek from the left. Hungry Horse Reservoir occupies much of the lower half of the river, covering 97 mi2. The reservoir trends north then northwest, and the river then passes through the arched Hungry Horse Dam
Hungry Horse Dam
Hungry Horse Dam is an arch dam on the South Fork Flathead River in the Rocky Mountains of the U.S. state of Montana. It is located in Flathead National Forest, in Flathead County, about south of the west entrance to Glacier National Park, southeast of Columbia Falls, and northeast of Kalispell...
, just a few miles above the mouth. After it leaves the dam, the river enters a narrow gorge and, exiting the canyon for the final time, runs northwest past the town of Hungry Horse
Hungry Horse, Montana
Hungry Horse is a census-designated place in Flathead County, Montana, United States. The population was 934 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code for Hungry Horse is 59919.-Geography:Hungry Horse is located at ....
, then joins the Flathead River, just a few miles below its headwaters at the North Fork
North Fork Flathead River
The North Fork Flathead River is a river flowing through British Columbia , Canada south into the U.S. state of Montana. It is one of the three primary forks of the Flathead River, a tributary of the Pend Oreille River, via Clark Fork. The river is sometimes considered the upper headwaters of the...
and Middle Forks' convergence.