Kayak Love

Montana · river

Madison River at Ennis

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

83of 100

Good

Paddle Score, from live wind and water conditions

Photograph taken near Madison River at Ennis
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Leymus cinereus (3848754355).jpg by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

8 mph

gusting to 21 mph

Air temp

55°F

32% chance of rain

River flow

878 cfs

very high for this date

Best day to paddle this week

Tuesday · 77

  • Today

    27

  • Tue

    77

    Best

  • Wed

    64

  • Thu

    35

  • Fri

    53

  • Sat

    54

  • Sun

    32

Scored from each day's peak forecast wind, heat, and rain chance — river flow isn't forecastable, so check back before you load the boat.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
4a1115
5a78
6a714
7a1018
8a1429
9a1222
10a1827
11a1926
12p2332
1p2637
2p1928
3p1624

Is this flow normal for September 7?

Today's 878 cfs is 14% below the median for this date — which counts as very high water here.

The median flow on this date is 1,020 cfs. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind8 mph — noticeable but manageable-2
  • GustsGusting to 21 mph — 13 mph over sustained-6
  • Cold55°F — dress for the water, not the air-8
  • Rain32% chance in the next 6 hours-1

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