The standard Hyalite Creek run is found alongside the winding road up to Hyalite Reservoir just South of Bozeman. The numerous turnouts provide plenty of options for put-ins and take-outs as well as allowing for a very thorough scout of the entire section. Just make sure you take out well above the very low bridge near the bottom. Proper flows are dependent on the upstream dam release and if it looks boney and scrapey, it is. You could leave half your boat behind on a low-water run on this stretch. When flows are up, however, the action is fast paced and exciting.
The nonstop class-IV boulder rapids are spiced up with a few bigger drops laced throughout while the constricted riverbed forces paddlers to make quick decisions and strong moves to avoid pitons and broaches. At just over 200 fpm, with no slides or substantial falls, the continuous, congested boulder gardens are an excellent preparation for the technical mountain rivers found in both the Beartooths and central Idaho.
Fun roadside creeks like Hyalite are ideal for stringing together multiple runs, and once you are familiar with the lines, you can bomb this stretch in under 20 minutes. If you come off this creek feeling hungry for something a little more stout,
head up above the reservoir for a taste of some fine Montana micro-creeking.
_Lat/longitude coords are a rough approximation, to put you in the ballpark._