Kayak Love

Montana · river

Blacktail Creek above Grove Gulch, at Butte

Live conditions for this USGS-monitored stretch of water, updated every 15 minutes.

72of 100

Good

Paddle Score, from live wind and water conditions

Photograph taken near Blacktail Creek above Grove Gulch, at Butte
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Eleocharis palustris - 28639516472.jpg by Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

15 mph

gusting to 22 mph

Air temp

88°F

22% chance of rain

River flow

12.2 cfs

very high for this date

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
4p1318
5p1522
6p1217
7p1215
8p511
9p910
10p1416
11p310
12a711
1a58
2a89
3a79

Is this flow normal for July 30?

Today's 12.2 cfs is 110% above the median for this date — which counts as very high water here.

The median flow on this date is 6 cfs, across 5 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind15 mph — hard work, whitecaps likely-28

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, so the flow and weather are real — but we haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

All paddling spots in Montana