The Missouri River : Overview

Photo Use Guidelines

The Missouri River begins to receive federal protection fifty miles downstream from Great Falls near Fort Benton, where it is designated a Wild and Scenic River, a designation that fluctuate between "wild" and "scenic" on the river for the next one hundred and fifty miles. The scenery is perhaps the most unique among all rivers in Montana in this section. A combination of canyons, buttes, arid mountains and wind swept prairie all mixes into one of the most unusual landscapes that can be floated through. This section of the river also runs through one of the most remote sections of the state.

This section of the Missouri River also has a significant history. Numerous historical sites of the Lewis and Clarks expedition are found all along this stretch of river.

The Missouri River loses its Wild and Scenic Designation as it enters the Charles Russell Wildlife Refuge and Fort Peck Lake, created by Fort Peck Dam more than one hundred fifty miles away. This is the largest reservoir in Montana, and is so big that even on the state map of Montana it encompasses a lot of real estate.

A traveler in and around the Charles Russell Wildlife Refuge will be greeted by solitude. Few people ever visit this part of the state as it just sits very far out of the way from anywhere. The plains are treeless. The wind almost constantly blows, with its only obstructions the occasional barbwire fence and the small hills and mesas. Despite the lack of trees or other distinguishing features, this part of Montana is scenic in its own unique way. It is this part of the state that "Big Sky Country" comes from, and the massive sky is unlike anything seen anywhere in other states, including other flat-prairie states.

This section of Montana (the NE section) is sparsely populated at best, with large tracts of land being uninhabited. To fully appreciate the wilds of this part of the state, getting off the one major highway (Highway 2, known as the Montana Hi-Line) and the Interstate is a requirement. Travel on the dirt roads and a visitor will be rewarded with unending, constantly changing vistas. Just make sure the vehicle is reliable and has a full tank of gas. Getting stranded out in this part of the state is not recommended.

Photo Use Guidelines

Fort Peck Lake was formed by Fort Peck Dam and is located near the town of Glasgow, perhaps the largest town in this part of the state. Numerous camping areas exist all around Fort Peck Lake, although the long and bumpy drives to them keep virtually everyone away.

Below Fort Peck Dam, the Missouri River continues on towards North Dakota. The fishing right below Fort Peck Dam for large trout can be excellent. The cold water emerging from the dam creates a mini-trout waterway out in the middle of the vast Montana prairie. A fisherman need not worry about crowds here. Go a half-mile downstream from the dam and solitude will be easily found.

The Missouri River continues on towards North Dakota, picking up the flows from the Milk River ten miles downstream from Fort Peck Dam. Below the Milk River confluence, the Missouri River continues onward, flowing through isolated and lonely prairie. For much of this length, the southern boundary of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation borders the Missouri River. Access is limited along this stretch to a handful of dirt roads, frequently un-named and un-marked.

The river enters North Dakota one hundred eighty miles below Fort Peck Dam. Soon after entering North Dakota, it picks up the flows from the Yellowstone River, where it continues onward towards the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico.

Next Page : Fly Fishing the Missouri River

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