A birder's paradise. No fishing from boats from Yellowstone National Park to the confluence with East Gallatin. The Gallatin comes close to being an alpine stream as it spills through the scenic Gallatin Canyon, where frequent rapids alternate with deep, green pools alive with trout. The upper 40 miles of the Gallatin River contain some of Montana's very finest whitewater with an abundance of technical rapids, tight turns, big rocks, and large waves. While much of Montana's whitewater consists of large drops separated by long stretches of flat water, the Gallatin distinguishes itself with its quantity of whitewater as well as its quality.
Some stretches have nearly continuous action.
Almost all the Gallatin's whitewater is easily accessible as the river flows mostly through public land and generally runs close to U.S. Highway 191. Even though the Gallatin is a small river, it can sustain good boating well into the summer. Despite ever-increasing development, it remains one of Montana's loveliest valleys. Lewis and Clark named the river after President Thomas Jefferson's secretary of the treasury, Albert Gallatin. Captain William Clark explored the Gallatin Valley in July of 1806, on his return trip from the Pacific.