Clean. Clear. Safe.

Our mission is to protect and preserve the Flathead River watershed.

The Wild and Scenic River Act was enacted by Congress in 1968 “to recognize and protect rivers that possess outstanding, remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values that shall be preserved in free-flowing condition and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.”

The 3-Forks section of the Flathead River was designated a Wild and Scenic River in 1976. The designation encompasses 219 miles of the Flathead River—the North Fork of the Flathead from the Canadian border to its confluence with the Middle Fork, the entire Middle Fork, and the South Fork from its headwaters to Hungry Horse Reservoir. The North Fork and the lower Middle Fork form the boundaries between the Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park.

The North Fork of the river combines with the Middle Fork to form the main Flathead River just north of the Blankenship Bridge, where there is a major rafting access site to the northeast and a gravel bar to the southwest. A one-lane, unmaintained dirt road on Forest Service Land gives access to the southwest gravel bar—all of which is below the high-water line. The “road” has been used for recreation access to the river for decades.

Use of the gravel bar has exploded in recent years due to social media and pandemic camping restrictions elsewhere. Local residents have witnessed 50-70 tent and RV campers there daily during the summer tourist season, as well as RV sewage dumping, illegal campfires and bonfires, off-road vehicle use, firearm shooting, firewood cutting, and use of fireworks. Trash, broken glass, auto parts and human waste litter the ground above and below the high-water line. Clearly these conditions and activities are not in keeping with a Wild and Scenic River concept or designation and have justifiably raised safety and environmental concerns for local residents.

In April of 2021, local residents petitioned the Forest Service, the agency responsible for managing this site, to change the Blankenship Bridge gravel bar from unrestricted camping to day use only. The petition was initiated for two reasons:

1. The Blankenship Fire Department does not have reliable access to the gravel bar for its fire and EMS vehicles—especially in situations in which panicked campers would be fleeing the unmaintained access road during a wildfire event.

2. The Forest Service has demonstrated that it does not have the will or capability to monitor or enforce its own regulations and standards on the gravel bar.

The Forest Service response to the petition was to place two porta-potties on the gravel bar and state that its primary mission is to “provide unrestricted public access”. In January of 2022, local residents approached the Forest Service again to request that the gravel bar be closed to overnight camping. The district ranger responded via phone and in the press that no changes would be made until the in-process Comprehensive River Management Plan is finalized in the coming years.

Activities on the Blankenship gravel bar are in clear violation of the Wild and Scenic River designation, intent and regulations. The Forest Service is tasked with the responsibility of protecting the river and the surrounding Flathead National Forest. It is failing that responsibility. Its failure also constitutes a clear and present wildfire risk to the surrounding Flathead National Forest, nearby homes and properties, and to Glacier National Park.

Friends of the Flathead River, a non-profit Montana corporation, was formed in March of 2022 to protect and preserve the Flathead River watershed. To support this purpose, we we sought legal assistance to remedy the Forest Service’s continued failure to manage the Wild and Scenic Flathead River appropriately and close the gravel bar to overnight use until a suitable Wild and Scenic River management plan has been executed. The health and safety of Blankenship residents and visitors, the existence of the surrounding forests and watershed, and the future of the beautiful Flathead River depends on it.