Become a newspaper carrier for the Idaho State Journal and earn extra cash! Absarokee is a nice little town and, despite its small size, has plenty of things to do. The Lower Stillwater River valley parallels Highway 78, running through private … The river contains heavy rapids below Swinging Bridge FAS, the most famous of which is the Beartooth Drop. A private bridge at the Beartooth Drop allows access to the elevated grass country that runs two miles north to Huntley Creek. In the river's lower sections, Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout are the most common, but towards the headwaters Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout and Brook Trout show up with increased frequency. At the bottom of Swinging Bridge Rapid lies a near river wide ledge called Beartooth Drop. Close to the junction of the Beartooth All-American Road and Wyoming 296, the Clark’s Fork River leaves the Beartooth Highway and continues its journey northeast as it parallels the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway traveling toward the famous Clark’s Fork Canyon. Radonski likes that from a base camp, backpackers with a few days to spend could fish a different lake or two every day. ... Stillwater River, followed by the West Fork of the Stillwater. Several sections of white water on the Stillwater entice boaters from across the country. Not sure high water will move it. From the old Box Canyon Ranger Station on the Boulder River, it’s an 11-mile route to get to 9,850-foot Columbine Pass. Beartooth Mountains wring out every drop of precipitation as storms pass over this immense chunk of up thrust granite. Beartooth Flyfishing 2925 Highway 287 North PO Box 309 Cameron, MT 59720 . McJunkin fell out of the raft when it hit a wave about 3 miles south of Columbus, Mont., in an area known at Beartooth Drop — a location with a history of drownings, Sheriff Clifford Brophy said. Belgrade, MT: Wilderness Adventures Press. A 31-year-old Billings man, Jack Bennett, died late Sunday afternoon, Stillwater County Sheriff Cliff Brophy said. The 4,700± acre River Unit encompasses nearly four miles of the Stillwater River. [4] Trout are the primary game fish, but Mountain Whitefish are also common. Stillwater County has a population estimated to be near 10,000. I just got off the phone with one of my friends who guides the Stillwater River, and there was a confirmed drowning this morning. You have permission to edit this article. Phone: (406)682-7525 Fax: (406)682-7796 . Join Free or Sign In Charles Preston McJunkin was in a raft with at least two others Thursday afternoon when he fell into the Stillwater River, according to the Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office. “The Lake Plateau is drop-dead gorgeous,” said Allie Wood, Beartooth Ranger District wilderness and trails manager. If you don't have an email associated with your account email. “There’s a lot of people because of the church groups,” said Earl Radonski, who for five years led Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ high mountain lakes summer fisheries survey crew into the Beartooth and Crazy mountains. Actually, the plateau was created about 50 million years ago when 3 billion-year-old rock was lifted to the surface. p. 265-270. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/uv/?site_no=06205000&PARAmeter_cd=00060,00065,00010, https://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/annual/?format=sites_selection_links&search_site_no=06205000&agency_cd=USGS&referred_module=sw, http://www.bigskyfishing.com/River-Fishing/South-MT-Rivers/stillwater-river/stillwater_overview.htm, http://www.bigskyfishing.com/River-Fishing/South-MT-Rivers/stillwater-river/stillwater_floating.php, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stillwater_River_(Stillwater_County,_Montana)&oldid=1002756764, Bodies of water of Stillwater County, Montana, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This stretch is defined by rugged back country, stretches of heavy rapids, and occasional slow moving sloughs, the largest of which is. 06/24/2020 . Upside Down Creek Trail starts at 6,300 feet and hits Horseshoe Lake 7.5 miles and 3,200 feet in elevation gain later. From here, the river steadily drops on its journey to meet the Yellowstone River near Columbus. The current conditions at the Beartooth Drop as of June 25, 2020. The Stillwater River, a tributary of the Yellowstone River, emerges from the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Latest News 9/13/18 - Beartooth Front Coalition seeks summary judgment in case against the County by Mikaela Koski 8/23/18 - Stillwater County News, Stillwater… A 31-year-old Billings man died Sunday afternoon in a boating accident on the Stillwater River after he stopped ... south of Columbus in a stretch of the river known as the Beartooth Drop. Fifteen is the maximum the camp can take into the backcountry based on Forest Service permit regulations. In other words, we seem to always have adequate water conditions for fishing and floating. The Stillwater River originates in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness near the Wyoming state line and Yellowstone National Park boundary. On the Boulder side is the switchback-laden Upside Down Creek Trail, where Donald counted 30 turns as the trail climbs about 3,000 feet from Christikon’s back door. Brook, Cutthroat, Rainbow and Brown Trout. The Stillwater River rises in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness south of the Beartooth Mountains in southern Park County, near the state line with Wyoming and the boundary of Yellowstone National Park.It flows northeast, between the Absaroka Range to the west and the Beartooth Mountains to the east, through Custer National Forest, past Nye and Absarokee. It flows for a total of about 70 miles, first through Custer National Forest between the Absaroka Mountain Range and the Beartooth Mountains. Robbins, Chuck (2008). Water and power are in the road ready for you to come in and start building your dream cabin. Stillwater River just below the Beartooth Bridge. A full day on the Stillwater River gives you time to relax and enjoy the subtle moods of the river and its surroundings, with a backdrop of the beautiful Absaroka-Beartooth mountain range. Flyfisher's Guide to Montana. Those in search of ice cream or simple a good lunch should stop at the Dew Drop Inn, which has good food and, by far, the best bubble gum ice cream in the State of Montana. Beartooth Mountains as your back drop and overlooks one of three lakes in the subdivision and the Stillwater River. Huge glass overhead doors offer majestically gorgeous views of the dramatic Beartooth … USGS 06205000 Stillwater River near Absarokee MT. Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River. The region is more pockmarked than plateaulike, as if it were once bombarded by massive meteors that gouged out deep depressions in the rock-ridden land. “It’s challenging to get up there,” said Alex Sienkiewicz, Yellowstone District ranger, based in Livingston. p. 269. Even camping this high above the lake did nothing to limit the number of mosquitoes, which were plentiful. 17 were here. You will float two of the sections Stillwater (Upper-Middle, or Middle-Lower) and we will serve up a hearty lunch, riverside. Note: We've recently updated our online systems. View a map of this area and more on Natural Atlas. PROVISIONAL DATA SUBJECT TO REVISION. Despite its misleading name, the Stillwater's most popular stretches contain class II and III whitewater. Make a mental note floaters and fishermen as this will be completely submerged in the next week or so, but could cause problems this Summer. Her description helps explain why the high, lake-dotted country between the Stillwater and Boulder river drainages in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness is so popular. Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reporting—but good journalism isn’t free. This page was last edited on 25 January 2021, at 22:38. While float fishing from a raft is a common way to fish the river, it is recommended that only experienced rowers attempt to navigate it. The West Fork Stillwater Trail tops out at 9,600 feet near Lake Diaphanous after starting out at 6,400 feet 12 miles to the north. The county has grown consistently over the last ten years due to influences from the ex-urban development Columbine Pass is at an elevation of about 9,800 feet. This Stillwater is a blue ribbon fishery. The pass connects the Boulder and Stillwater river drainages in the Beartooth Mountains south of Big Timber. The Stillwater River in southern Montana does not live up to its name. General. The Rosebud adds a good deal of water to the river, but also a non trivial amount of silt, mostly from its tributary stream Butcher Creek. Columbine Pass is at an elevation of about 9,800 feet. The Stillwater River rises in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness south of the Beartooth Mountains in southern Park County, near the state line with Wyoming and the boundary of Yellowstone National Park.It flows northeast, between the Absaroka Range to the west and the Beartooth Mountains to the east, through Custer National Forest, past Nye and Absarokee. Please support us by making a contribution. This view looks northeast toward the Stillwater River drainage. Stillwater County extends north from the Beartooth/ Absarokee Wilderness Area towards the Yellowstone River Corridor which runs through Columbus in an east/west direction. On approach or atop the plateau there are more than 30 lakes, many of them stocked with trout. “And there are some lakes that don’t have (maintained) trails.”. 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