Smith River State Park

Smith River State Park

The Smith River flows 59 river miles from Camp Baker (put-in) to Eden Bridge (take-out). On average, floaters take 4 days to float. A minimum of two nights and three full days should be planned for normal water levels, which is 300+ cfs. From June 10 through July 10 floaters are restricted to 4 nights maximum stay on the river once they launch.

Of the 118 miles of shoreline along the river, only 26 miles are on public land. There are 27 boat camps with 52 campsites along the river. Some of the boat camps are on State Land and National Forest while others are on leased private land. The boat camps are signed and marked on the Montana AFLOAT maps, which are given out at Camp Baker upon registration. Please camp only at the boatcamps.

The Smith flows through a remote canyon. There are no public services from Camp Baker to Eden Bridge. You must carry all your own food and water, safety and camping equipment and fishing license. It is advisable to bring all the drinking water you will need for the duration of your trip, as there is no drinking water available at Camp Baker. There are no trash dumpsters at Camp Baker, but one is available at the Eden Bridge takeout along with an aluminum-recycling center.

You can get supplies, overnight accommodations, gasoline, water and information at White Sulphur Springs on your way to the put-in. You should fill your vehicles up with gas while in White Sulphur Springs. There is a museum and other recreational resources in the White Sulphur Springs area as well as the Hot Springs, which gave the town its name. Cascade, Great Falls and Ulm are the closest services to the Eden Bridge takeout, with gas stations at each town.