White water Rafting Near Missoula

The Alberton Gorge: Our Favorite Montana Adventure

White water Rafting near Missoula is at its best on the Alberton Gorge. From May through September, there’s plenty of whitewater and our guides are running trips every day in the morning, afternoon and evenings. Tumbleweed, Triple Bridges, and Fang Rapids hold some of the biggest and best whitewater in Montana. Big waves and rollicking fun for everyone.

The Mighty Clark Fork River: As the headwaters trickle out of the Anaconda Pintler Mountain Ranges, they merge and meander towards Missoula where the Clark Fork River acquires power and volume from the legendary Blackfoot River and Bitterroot River. About thirty miles downstream from Missoula the Clark Fork picks up speed as it drops into a series of spectacular canyons carved out by ancient ice-age floods. This sixteen miles of Clark Fork is what’s known as the Alberton Gorge.

Alberto Gorge

Reasons why the Alberton Gorge is the best white water rafting near Missoula. First of all, fun big, rapids at high-water and more fun summer whitewater as flows drop. Second, one of the most beautiful river canyons in Montana. Third, not many people know about it yet. Plus, we live here! The river has given us a business, a life and a wonderful extended family of guides and friends who share our love of this place. We are off the beaten path. The Gorge is a hidden jewel of Montana beauty far away from National Parks and some of the more crowded whitewater destinations.

Check out our trips and come raft great Montana Whitewater!

Big Water Means Big Fun

As the late spring snows melt, the river rises and high water arrives in late May and June on the Gorge when flows can rise over twice the peak flow of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. With upwards of 40,000 CFS of water squeezing through the gorges narrow canyon, massive highwater features appear and the river displays power that those of us on the "Alberton Gorge Swim Team" appreciate. However the Clark Fork is a free-flowing river and as high water subsides into summer flows, the Gorge's whitewater gradually warms up, more rapids and features emerge, making for incredible Montana whitewater rafting. Because the river is free flowing, it changes almost continuously throughout the summer--dropping steadily from its high volume flows to its late summer lower volume flows. As other rivers in the region dry up and become too low to hold much whitewater, the Gorge is still a rollicking whitewater trip. We're able to paddle it almost year round and guide commercial trips through the Gorge well into October every year.

Experience Real Montana Adventure

The Gorge is just deep enough in the backyards of Missoula and Spokane that it's a pretty well-kept secret from the tourist masses that descend on Glacier and Yellowstone. The area hasn't changed a whole lot in the twenty plus years we've been guiding trips here--and that's a good thing. We share it with the elk, the moose, the wolves, the bears, the mountain lions, the kingfishers, the eagles, and the osprey. Along with local SUP paddlers and kayakers, even open canoeists can be spotted occasionally. The Gorge is more than special to us here at Montana River Guides; it's the river that holds the story of our lives. We've met our best friends here, raised our kids, explored every inch of every rapid, gotten married here, and shared our river with thousands of guests who have left with a smile on their face. It's an amazing river and we are fortunate to live here, work here, play here and guide here. There's still magic in this Gorge and it's yours to discover on a river adventure of your choice with Montana River Guides.