The Smith River Culture

Diane Tipton, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Statewide Information Officer

Print

Application Deadline is Thursday, Feb. 15

In winter most outdoor enthusiasts ski, ice fish, snowshoe, snowmobile ride, or sled. But for some 5,000 river-runners it is time to apply for a permit to float the Smith River, located in the Smith River valley near White Sulphur Springs.

"Floating the Smith is one of Montana’s finest experiences," said Tina Huffsmith of Helena. Huffsmith has made the trip eight times and knows what it’s like to wake up on the river in May with snow sliding off of her tent.

Last year 4,578 hopefuls applied for one of the approximately 900 permits—up by about 18 percent over the previous year.

Something about the Smith River experience brings people back year after year.

"The Smith has it all, a blue ribbon fishery, great beauty, isolation, and the social aspects of a multi-day float and campout," said Colin Maas, FWP Smith River state park manager. "It is one of only a few such floats in the state, and it has been discovered."

Many Smith River enthusiasts boast of a long history with the river. The secret to making repeat trips is in the networking. If a family fails to draw a permit, they may still be able to go if friends draw a permit. The maximum group size allowed by a Smith River float permit is 15, but smaller groups are generally preferred for a quality experience.

"We’ve been known to invite our float friends for pizza in January so we can compare calendars and fill out our applications," Huffsmith said. After her first trip in 1993, she has gone on to float with friends she made on the river from Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Washington and Oregon.

Floating the Smith can also be about family bonding. Liz Lodman, FWP’s Becoming an Outdoors Woman coordinator, took a multi-generational trip down the Smith with her daughter Carrie and Carrie’s grandmother. It was the first trip for granddaughter and grandmother.

The Smith flows through the Little Belt Mountains where dramatic, swift changes in weather are common. The float requires intermediate navigation skills. About 70 percent of floaters take rafts, the rest canoes, drift boats, kayaks and other craft.

First-timers can learn more on how to prepare and what to expect on the FWP web site at fwp.mt.gov. Everything must be packed in and packed out. Even drinking water. Respect for wildlife and other floaters is a given. Floaters’ notes in the annual log speak of a strong desire to protect the experience of floating the Smith and approval of the "Leave No Trace" outdoor ethics in effect on the river.

"You just can’t find a 60-mile float through semi-wilderness with this kind of isolation, spectacular scenery and wildlife anywhere else," said Fred Nelson, a retired FWP fisheries biologist who has 20 such trips to his credit.

Applications for a Smith River permit are available at all Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offices and on the FWP web site at fwp.mt.gov.   Applicants have until Feb. 15 to apply. Drawing results will be available in early March.