Rattlesnake Trailhead to Clark Fork

Rattlesnake Creek at medium and high flows offers Missoulians a zoomy and splashy paddling trip through the neighborhoods and parks of the Rattlesnake valley. There are no rapids to speak of, just non-stop Class II wavetrains. The ever-present possibility (and likelihood) of strainers in combination with a lack of eddies however makes this run a poor choice for less skilled whitewater paddlers. In 2017, there are no less than four river-wide strainers between the Rattlesnake Trailhead put-in and the Clark Fork confluence. Two between Rattlesnake Trailhead Bridge and Duncan, then more in Greenough Park. Strainers are highly dynamic, and can be anywhere or nowhere. Stay heads up. Most strainers have some visibility. The city of Missoula has no interest in removing the wood, so please be advised and proceed with caution. There are also a number of braided channels and tight corners that pose a challenge to paddlers. While not without its challenges, Rattlesnake Creek offers a rare opportunity to paddle an often beautiful creek through a town, with an easy bike shuttle. Track flows here: In the old dam site, dangerous strainers exist on river left but river right is currently generally safe. Kudos to all the folks who worked hard to remove this dam and opened up this fun backyard recreation opportunity for Missoulians!