Clearwater River is a narrow, jungly watercourse that is not easily accessible. Its main attributes are the sequence of lakes right from Summit Lake downwards up to Harper’s Lake.
If you are willing to make the journey, Clearwater Rivers is an incredible place for family vacations and fishing enthusiasts.
History of the Clearwater River
Lewis and Clark discovered the river in the 1800s. Before the European settlement, the Kootenai tribes and Salish people lived along the river, and they named it “Clearwater” as it had crystal clear waters.
Over two million years ago, the Clearwater Valley was formed due to glacial forces, resulting in many lakes, namely Lake Alva, Seeley Lake, Rainy Lake, Lake Inez, and Salmon Lake, which offer excellent recreational opportunities.
There are also dams like the Elbow Lake Dam that residents use for fishing along the river.
Geography & Stats of Clearwater River
Clearwater River runs from the Swan Range southwards. It then flows through the Clearwater River Valley via an array of lakes to the intersection of the Blackfoot River.
It acts as Blackfoot River’s tributary right from Summit Lake towards the Seeley town and then moves downwards to the Clearwater Junction. From there, the watershed becomes the Clark Fork River’s tributary.
Main Attractions
Clearwater River offers beautiful attractions near or along the river. Some of the popular attractions include:
Swan Range
This mountain range sits in western Montana and has tall peaks, with some rising to 2700 m. Glacier National Park surrounds it on its southwest, the Flathead River is on its north, and the Swan River is on its west.
The Mission Range borders the Swan Range towards the west and Flathead Range towards the east.
The Swan River has numerous streams that flow into South Fork Flathead River. These streams offer a prime fishing spot for bull and cutthroat trout.
The Swan Range is home to black bears, wolves, deer, elk, grizzly bears, moose, and mountain lions, making it an incredible place for wildlife viewing.
As you move towards the summits, the areas offer beautiful views of the Flathead Valley, Seeley Lake, Swan Lake, and Condon.
Seeley Lake
Seeley Lake is located on one of the scenic drives in Montana. Lots of miles to explore, ranging from larch forests, mountains, rivers, and pine forests.
The lake has crystal clear waters where you can swim, hire a canoe, enjoy a boat ride, or take a water ski. You can also fish or sit along the lake shores to relax.
Bob Marshall Wilderness
The Bob Marshall Wilderness covers more than 1.5 million acres of mountains, forests, lakes, rivers, and streams. It’s home to elk, mule deer, mountain goat, lynx, wolverine, moose, cougar, wolf, and bighorn sheep.
Its forests are dense, with spruce, larch, and Douglas fir dominating them. Fishing, camping, and hiking are allowed.
The South Fork is popularly known for fly fishing, and it has bull trout in large numbers. Youngs Creek provides anglers with plenty of cutthroats.
Flathead National Forest
Flathead National Forest borders Lolo National Forest southwards, Glacier National Park northward, Kootenai National Forest towards the west, and to the east, there is Lewis and Clark National Forest.
Flathead National Forest offers an excellent hiking area with more than 2600 miles of hiking routes, including Danny on Memorial Trail. Explore the various lakes and rivers like Middle Fork and North Fork, where you can fish.