Scouting Trip near Townsend staying at Rillway Cabin

Organizer Jessica used her own credit card and was able to reserve this very popular cabin for the nights of Friday June 27 and Saturday June 28

This will be partly a scouting trip, going into twisting shallow braided areas of the delta

On Friday we will leave Bozeman about 9am

At about 10 am we will look for a fishing access point roughly 6 (?) miles south of Townsend. It has two different names (Deep Dale / York's Islands) and is not well marked near the highway. This is just sightseeing so we get to know the area and the takeout point.

We will go through Townsend and meet up in the park / campground that is on the East side of the highway just before the bridge.

When we have all arrived, and depending on weather, we will use the time to go over the bridge and about on mile north of the bridge and turn into a small very basic camping area and continue past that on a somewhat rutted road driving a few miles in wooded areas and reeds along side of the delta of the river as it flows into Canyon Ferry Reservoir. We will come to a basic put in site with room for about four vehicles.

This is at the swamplike part of the area where the river flows into the Canyon Ferry Reservoir. The flowing water will likely be shallow; we might have to get out of our kayaks at a couple points. There will be some current, but I think minor. Then we will paddle out into the lake and along the delta.

The purpose of this exercise to discover what a kayaker could do if he / she misses the relatively fast flowing water at the takeout right after the bridge. Generally the water would be too fast for a person to turn around and paddle upriver.

Thus our scouting to understand what it would be like if a person did miss the Bridge takeout. Could they find this other put in / take out location.

Also verify adequate cell phone coverage in these areas.

On the second day we will probably do the stretch from Deep Dale / York's Islands fishing access point

Note: When taking out immediately after the Townsend bridge, arrange ahead of time who is the most agile person to be the first one to get out of the water and pull his/her boat up out of the way and be ready to help the next person. The remaining people should wait upstream from the bridge and leave about 5 minutes after the person in front.

Standard notes about the cabin.
It's a nice one room cabin with three bunk beds and a good wood stove, a table and chairs. On the front side is a highway but out the back door is grassy area with a stream and a large natural stone wall behind it. Nearby is a fire ring; bring your own folding camp chair. There is no electricity so bring your own lanterns and a propane grill and camp coffee pot.

General plan might be in the first day to scout a put in site about 4 to 5 hours upstream from Townsend and then also check the takeout. By then go to the cabin.

Next day paddle that trip and return to the cabin.

When leaving the cabin in the morning consider driving to White Sulphur Springs town and soak in a large hot pool and then drive back to Bozeman via the road that goes to the Bozeman downhill ski area. Both roads scenic.