Montana · Norris, MT

Madison River float season

Gauge 06041000 on the Bear Trap Canyon and Warm Springs to Black's Ford. Bozeman's beloved lower Madison float — miles of slow tailwater below Bear Trap Canyon that fill with tubes every hot weekend.

tubingraftkayaksup Fullest: May–Jul Leanest: Jan–Mar
Madison River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 300 1.5k 3k 5k
median flow for the date middle half of years (25th–75th percentile) most years (10th–90th)

Right now at this gauge

loading CFS

Checking the live gauge…

Live reading from the USGS gauge page for Madison River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Norris gauge, the Madison River runs fullest May–Jul and leanest Jan–Mar. Where today's reading falls inside that rhythm matters more than the raw number — the same flow that feels thin in spring can be the summer norm. Half of all past June days at this gauge ran above 2,655 CFS; the January median is 1,360 CFS.

Median of daily flows in each month across this gauge's full record — half of past days ran above these figures, half below.
Month Typical flow (CFS)
January 1,360
February 1,370
March 1,410
April 1,380
May 1,740
June 2,655
July 1,620
August 1,490
September 1,535
October 1,580
November 1,700
December 1,420

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1939 — 87 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 9,210 CFS, in June 1970. Rivers do that sometimes; it's why the safety panel above isn't decoration.

Planning dates? The trip-window checker shows what flows have historically looked like on any week you pick for this river, or see what a CFS actually looks like.

More Montana float rivers

Common questions

When is the Madison River usually at its fullest?

At the Norris gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is May–Jul, with the single highest monthly median in June (about 2,655 CFS). The leanest months are usually Jan–Mar.

What is a typical summer flow on the Madison River?

The July median at this gauge is about 1,620 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Check the ribbon chart above to see how summer compares with the rest of the year here.

Is the Madison River safe to float right now?

No flow number can answer that, and this site never labels a river safe. What the data can tell you is how today's reading compares with 82 years of this date's history — well above typical means pushier, colder, faster water. Pair that context with a PFD, a look at the river from the bank, and a call to a local outfitter before you commit.

Which USGS gauge does this page use?

USGS gauge 06041000 (Madison River bl Ennis Lake nr McAllister MT), chosen because it best represents the Bear Trap Canyon and Warm Springs to Black's Ford. Daily records here reach back to 1939.

Data: USGS gauge 06041000, approved daily records 1939–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.