Whitewater weekends in ‘America’s best national park’ – Montana’s Glacier National Park

When Backpacker magazine’s readers voted Montana’s Glacier National Park http://www.nps.gov/glac/ the best in America a few years ago, they were only telling half the story. More than just a backpacker’s paradise, Glacier is also prime real estate for whitewater rafting enthusiasts, day hikers, even casual travelers with a few calories to burn. And even if you only have a weekend, Glacier’s mountain scenery and its many affordable activities add up to a pretty good value.

Share the trails: Mountain goats take in the view from the Hidden Lake trail in Glacier National Park.
Josh Roberts, http://www.SmarterTravel.com

"All ahead!" screams my Wild River Adventures http://www.riverwild.com/rafting guide, a big burly fellow who spends his summers rafting and his winters at nearby Big Mountain Ski Resort. "High side left! Left!" And then, mercifully, the words everyone in my raft longs to hear: "All right, rest. Good job, guys." We’ve just survived a river rapid called "Pinball"—or maybe it’s "Jaws" or "Screaming Right Turn." To be honest, it’s hard to keep track when you’re holding on for dear life on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. I’ve signed up for a "Wild Side" rafting trip, a Wild River exclusive that promises I’ll get "SOAKED!" It’s $65 for a half-day or $50 in your own inflatable kayak, and true to its word, nearly the entire river finds its way into my clothes after an afternoon on (and sometimes in) the Flathead.

Wild River is one of four whitewater outfitters within a mile or two of the park’s West Glacier entrance. The others are the Montana Raft Company http://www.glacierguides.com/ , Great Northern Whitewater Raft and Resort http://www.gnwhitewater.com/ , and Glacier Raft Company http://www.glacierraftco.com/ .

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Montana Rafting Company Listings: http://www.gonorthwest.com/Montana/Activities/rafting/rafting.htm

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It’s not that the Flathead is the greatest of whitewater challenges — really, it’s not — but it does have two things going for it: terrific views of the park on one side, and family-friendly class II and III rapids downriver. If you’re considering a half-day outing on the Flathead (which is probably all you really need), you could pick any of the four companies and get basically the same thing. They all have good safety records and identical prices at $42 per person for a three- to four-hour trip. Wild River Adventures offers a five-percent discount if you mention their "Web special," however.

Full Story: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/columnist/roberts/2005-09-07-roberts_x.htm