Rock Creek (Montana)

For other uses, see Rock Creek.

Rock Creek
Physical characteristics
Source
• coordinates	46°13′26″N 113°31′21″W
Mouth
• coordinates	46°43′31″N 113°41′02″W[1]
• elevation	3,520 feet (1,070 m)
Length	52 miles (84 km)[2]
Basin features
River system	Columbia River

Rock Creek is a 52-mile (84 km) river in Missoula and Granite County, Montana. Rock Creek is a tributary of the Clark Fork river. The river's headwaters are in Lolo National Forest near Phillipsburg, Montana. The river roughly parallels the Sapphire Mountains and enters the Clark Fork of the Columbia River near Clinton, Montana. Sapphires are found along the river.[3][4]

Rock Creek is also a stream in south central Montana in Carbon County. It flows from Glacier Lake, travels south into Wyoming before turning north back into Montana. It flows through the town of Red Lodge before entering the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River, which is not to be confused with the Clark Fork of the Columbia River which is what the other Rock Creek flows into.

The 2022 Montana floods at Rock Creek caused catastrophic damage to parts of Red Lodge.[5][6]

Angling

Rock Creek is a popular fly fishing river for locals and destination anglers. It contains rainbow, brown, westslope cutthroat and the threatened bull trout.[7]

Notes

1. "Rock Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
2. "Detailed Water Body Report-Rock Creek". Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
3. "Montana Sapphires - Gemology". Gem Gallery. Retrieved October 29, 2011. Note: Includes map of major Montana sapphire mines
4. Voynick, Stephen M. (1985). Yogo The Great American Sapphire (March 1995 printing, 1987 ed.). Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publishing. p. 193. ISBN 0-87842-217-X.
5. "Yellowstone National Park closes entrances, residents evacuate Red Lodge as floods sweep across Montana". Montana Public Radio. 2022-06-13. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
6. "In pictures: Historic flooding in Montana". CNN. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
7. "Montana's Rock Creek". AnglerGuide.com. Retrieved 2011-11-07.