Directions: From Seeley Lake, drive four miles north on Highway 83. Turn left (west) at the Clearwater Canoe Trail sign and drive about 1/2 mile on a gravel road to the put-in.
Latitude-Longitude: 47.13.692 / - 113.32.160
Elevation: 4,000 ft.
Land ownership: Forest service
Facilities: There are restrooms at both the put-in and take out.
Boating regs: No wake speed.
How to launch: Launch into the flat backwater, and paddle out to the main river. The river will be flowing from your right (north) as you enter the current.
Description of paddle: The "trail" is a four-mile stretch of the Clearwater River that winds back and forth through willow marsh. Wildlife is abundant, particularly in the early morning and evening. There are variety of birds along with deer, muskrats, beaver and painted turtles.
The
first quarter mile is fairly narrow, with tight turns and the swiftest moving water of the trip. After that, the river widens out and the paddle becomes a slow, relaxing journey to the northern edge of Seeley Lake. Once out of the river course, turn left and paddle about 1/2 mile to the takeout along the lakeshore. (It will be easier to locate the right spot if you walk down to the takeout before taking your boat up to the launch site.) To retrieve your vehicle, hike the well-worn 1 1/2 mile trail from the takeout back along the river to the put-in.
Potential issues: Until high water subsides (generally later in June), this paddle can be very dangerous. The water is snow melt and extremely cold, and the river can have very fast-moving current with numerous strainers and lots of debris in the water. During summer, moderate to strong winds generally come up in the afternoon, and that can make the trip across the lake challenging and potentially dangerous.
Also, summer thunderstorms can bring not only lightening but strong winds on the leading edge of the front.
