Big Blackfoot River -Where Trout Are Plentiful 



The Big Blackfoot River has its source in the main range of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains in Lewis and Clark County, flowing with many meandering turns for a dis- 

 tance of about seventy-two miles to a confluence with the Missoula River at a 

 point seven miles east of the City of Missoula. Its many tributary streams, its 

 canyons, gorges, bordering meadows, as well as the pine forests that in many 

 places line its banks give to the river a charm not often found even in the most 

 noted of rivers. The flow of the river is as varied as is the character of the 

 country through which it flows. Commencing as a mountain stream flowing a 

 devious course through a rather narrow valley it soon reaches a wider valley, and 

 at a point near the town of Lincoln receives its first large tributary known as 

 Landers' Fork. Both are fine, clear mountain streams well supplied with native 

 trout and from about the point of confluence westward the river flows through a 

 rather narrow canyon, with many twists, turns, pools and rapids to the east side 

 of Kleinsmiths' Flat, at which point the surrounding country opens into a wide 

 valley and the current of the river slackens until for a distance of seven miles the 



Pondera Lake 



flow is quote moderate. Just to the west of the Kleinsmiths' Flat the North Fork 

 of the Blackfoot joins the parent stream and from this point the rate of flow is 

 quickened so that from this point onward the flow may properly be described as 

 rapid. It is not to be said that there are no quiet places, for there are many 

 pools, rapids as well as deep eddies. 



At a point still more to the west, and about six miles west of Ovando, Montour 

 Creek, a most beautiful trout stream flows into the Big Blackfoot and three miles 

 more to the west Cottonwood Creek, an equally beautiful stream makes a con- 

 fluence. 



At a point forty-one miles east of Missoula the Clearwater River flows into 

 the Blackfoot adding about one-quarter to the total flow of the big river. 

 (61) 



