Kootenai River in Montana

The Kootenai River begins its journey in British Columbia and flows into Montana where visitors find marvelous opportunities at all kinds of outdoor recreation, from fishing to wildlife watching.

Overview

The Kootenai River in Montana is a popular river for vacationers in and around Glacier National Park. With so many activities to choose from on this river, it’s a vacation destination that can’t be beat, with gorgeous scenery and incredible fishing and much more.

Location/Directions

From Libby, Montana (on US Highway 2 west of Kalispell), you can reach the Libby Dam and the Kootenai River by taking Highway 37. This road follows the river for much of its length and you can just park along the road to access the water. You can contact the Kootenai National Forest office for more information at 506 US Highway 2 West Libby, MT 59923 or call them at 406-293-6211.

Seasons

The Kootenai River, Montana is accessible the year round, but the best fishing is from mid-June into November. Winter activities are available near the river and Libby Dam.

Activities

Some of the outdoor fun here you might like to try are the following:

• Fishing
  Whether you are fishing from the banks of the river or using drift boats or float tubes, you will certainly catch some trout. There will be willing cutthroat, bull, rainbow trout, and Kokanee salmon. This is the only river where you can catch a native rainbow called the Columbia River Redbands.
• Whitewater Rafting
  As the Kootenai dips in elevation sharply between its headwaters and the Columbia River, you’ll find some rapids that offer exciting whitewater rafting, particularly between Libby Dam and Bonners Ferry in Idaho. Jennings Canyon is the place to go. Here you can experience some great Class I to IV waters.
• Canoeing
  Kootenai River MT boasts some quiet side-channels for terrific canoeing and kayaking. Try the Slocan River, the lowermost tributary of the Kootenai.
• Hiking
  For a nice hike that isn’t too difficult, you can hike on a forest trail from the parking lot near Kootenai Falls to a swinging bridge. The trails in Kootenay National Park where the river flows offer miles of the sights and sounds of nature.
• Wildlife Watching
  Around this river you can enjoy the wildlife, such as mountain sheep, deer, osprey and eagles. A few miles down from the town of Libby, you can see the islands where ducks and geese migrate.
• Winter Sports
  The winter months offer great landscapes for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Additional Info

David Thompson, a Canadian explorer, was the first white man to come to the Kootenai River in the early1800s. He was searching for the source of the Columbia River.

In 1863, when a gold strike occurred, three to ten thousand men came to the area and built the town of Fisherville. Later, the town had to be moved because it was found to be sitting on top of one of the richest deposits of gold.