Middle Fork Flathead River

The Middle Fork Flathead River is a 92-mile (148 km)[2] river in western Montana in the United States, forming the southwestern boundary of Glacier National Park. Its drainage basin lies to the east of the South Fork Flathead River and the Hungry Horse Reservoir. Towns along the river include West Glacier, Nyack, Pinnacle, Essex, and Nimrod.[1]

Middle Fork Flathead River
The river near Essex, Montana
Map of the Flathead River watershed showing the Middle Fork
Location
Country	United States
State	Montana
Cities	West Glacier, Montana, Essex, Montana
Physical characteristics
Source	Bob Marshall Wilderness
• location	Montana, United States
• coordinates	47°59′47″N 113°03′30″W[1]
Mouth	Flathead River
• location	Montana, United States
• coordinates	48°28′01″N 114°04′09″W[1]
• elevation	3,120 ft (950 m)
Length	92 mi (148 km)[2]
Basin size	1,160 sq mi (3,000 km2)
Discharge
• location	West Glacier, 3.8 miles (6.1 km) above the mouth
• average	2,854 cu ft/s (80.8 m3/s)
• minimum	189 cu ft/s (5.4 m3/s)
• maximum	140,000 cu ft/s (4,000 m3/s)
National Wild and Scenic River
Designated	October 12, 1976

The river's headwaters lie in the Bob Marshall Wilderness at the confluence of two small streams, Strawberry Creek and Bowl Creek.[3] From there, it runs north, receiving many tributaries from glacial valleys to the east and west, most of them inside Glacier National Park. The river begins to parallel U.S. Highway 2 as it winds north-northwest, and after a long and narrow course, the river enters a wider valley and begins to spread out and braid between meadows and forested slopes. It then enters another narrow gorge, turning generally westwards, then passing the southwestern entrance of the national park, receives a tributary from Lake McDonald, a large glacial lake to the north, from the right. The river then proceeds southwest to meet the North Fork Flathead River, southwest of West Glacier and northeast of Columbia Falls, forming the main stem of the Flathead River, which eventually flows into the Clark Fork River (the Pend Oreille River).[4]