Floaters Alert: Section of Blackfoot River Near Milltown Closing Soon

One of western Montana's favorite summer pastimes is finally about to hit a bump in the water.

After seeing hundreds of tubes, kayaks, rafts, paddle boards, drift boats and assorted impromptu flotation devices on the Blackfoot River over the 4th of July weekend, we thought it might be a good time to remind everyone of something that has been posted and publicized for months. Because the day of closure is drawing near.

OVER HALF OF SUMMER AND WELL INTO FALL

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is re-reminding people that the Blackfoot River, from Weigh Station Fishing Access Site downstream to the point where the river crosses under Interstate 90 in the Milltown area, will be closed to floating beginning Wednesday, July 15 due to construction on a railway bridge.

WHAT'S CAUSING THE CLOSURE?

The BNSF Railway Company project includes building a temporary work bridge, and the construction equipment and work will impact enough of the river to make passage through the area unsafe. The closure will last until October 31 or until BNSF construction work has been completed and no longer presents a risk.

Floating and fishing the Blackfoot River near Missoula

BLACKFOOT/MILLTOWN STATE PARK OPTIONS

Small boats and tubes can still be carried in at the Milltown State Park Confluence Area as usual, just downstream of the closure. The first public access site with a full boat launch downstream of the closure on the Clark Fork River is Sha-Ron Fishing Access Site (FAS). Upstream on the Blackfoot River, Weigh Station FAS is the last takeout above the closed area.

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PORTION OF POPULAR TRAIL ALSO CLOSED

The project has also closed a portion of the Gateway Trail that connects the state park’s Gateway and Confluence areas. The trail is closed from the Gateway area but is open from the Confluence area upstream until it reaches the construction area. The trail closure is signed on-site. Visitors to the Gateway area can still park and use the pedestrian bridge that crosses over the Blackfoot River.

Signs will be posted at access sites along the river immediately upstream of the section of river closed to floating. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks notes that there may also be a temporary floating closure on this same stretch of river for a portion of the year in 2027 for projected Interstate 90 bridge work over the same stretch of river.