Blackfoot River floating closure below Weigh Station Fishing Access begins July 15

If you’re planning to float the lower Blackfoot this summer, pull out your maps and pay attention — a stretch near Milltown is going dark starting July 15.

MILLTOWN – The Blackfoot River from Weigh Station Fishing Access Site downstream to the I-90 crossing in the Milltown area will be closed to floating beginning Wednesday, July 15. The reason is construction on a railway bridge by BNSF Railway Company. They’re putting in a temporary work bridge, and the equipment and activity will choke enough of the river that passage through the area simply isn’t safe.

The closure runs through October 31 — or until BNSF wraps up their work and the hazard is gone, whichever comes first. Honestly, with construction timelines being what they are, I wouldn’t count on it opening early, so plan accordingly.

You’ve still got options. Small boats and tubes can be carried in at the Milltown State Park Confluence Area, just downstream of the closure, same as always. If you need a full boat launch, the first one downstream on the Clark Fork is Sha-Ron Fishing Access Site. Heading the other direction, Weigh Station FAS is your last takeout before you hit the closed section on the Blackfoot — don’t miss it.

The construction has also taken a bite out of the Gateway Trail that links the state park’s Gateway and Confluence areas. The trail is closed coming from the Gateway side, but you can still access it from the Confluence area and head upstream until you hit the construction zone. Signage is posted on-site. The Gateway area parking and the pedestrian bridge over the Blackfoot are still open, so it’s not a total loss for folks just looking to get out and stretch their legs.

FWP will post signs at access sites upstream of the closed section. One more thing worth keeping in your back pocket: FWP says there may be another temporary floating closure on this same stretch in 2027, this time for projected I-90 bridge work over the same piece of river. In my experience, these construction windows have a way of overlapping with the best fishing weeks of the season, so keep an eye on the closures page as next year gets closer.

Check the latest restrictions and closures here: fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions.

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