Upper Missouri River Guides

Canoeing the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument
Information for Paddlers

Montana's Upper Missouri River is unquestionably one of the premier canoe trips in North America. It's a Class I river with no rapids and passes through 149 miles of spectacular scenery, interesting geology, and unique flora and fauna. The Upper Missouri has a rich and interesting history, including Lewis and Clark campsites, still-standing old homestead buildings, fur trade sites, and steamboat landings.

Listed on this web page are resources that will be of use to persons who are considering a trip on Montana's Upper Missouri:

Maps: The U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the managing agency for the Upper Missouri River, has produced an excellent set of maps. They can be purchased from BLM by calling (406) 538-1900, or you can order them online from Rocky Mountain Maps.

Guidebook: "Montana's Wild and Scenic Upper Missouri River" is the only guidebook available for the Upper Missouri. Its main feature is description of the numerous historic sites along the river, and it is keyed to the BLM maps. Published by Northern Rocky Mountains Books, (406) 563-2770.

The following web pages contain information on the trip options on the Upper Missouri, the paddling season and weather, geology, wildlife, local attractions, and lodging.

Trip Options: The Upper Missouri is divided into three segments, permitting canoers to structure trips of varying lengths. The segments are known locally as 1-The Upper River, 2-The White Cliffs of the Upper Missouri, and 3-The Missouri Breaks or the 'Badlands'.

River Information: Learn about the Upper Missouri River's weather and climate, geology, wildlife, history, and recommended paddling season.

Bureau of Land Management: This is the website for the managing agency, and it offers some helpful tips for paddlers.

Lodging & Local Attractions: A list of hotels, museums, etc., in the Fort Benton and Great Falls area.

We hope that this information helps you in exploring the possibility of an Upper Missouri River canoe trip. We'd appreciate you considering us for guided trips, canoe rentals, and shuttle service.