Executive summary by darmansjah
Today Lewis and Clark wouldn’t recognize most of their route from St. Louis
to the Pacific. But there’s one place they’d know in a heartbeat: a 149-mile
stretch of the Missouri River in north-central Montana.
It still contains the “scenes of visionary enchantment” the explorers found in
1805, where rugged sandstone canyons meet the river, then climb to a seemingly
limitless prairie full of life. Bighorn sheep and elk sip from the river while
antelope scamper. Eagles scream, coyotes sing, and prairie dogs do that funky
dance. Even bison are back, thanks to the American Prairie Reserve, a group
stitching together three million acres of public and private land for wildlife.
For locals, this place where erosion slashes the prairie is simply “the
Breaks.” Some people explore it by canoe, often starting at Fort Benton (make
time for the frontier history museums) and paddling for days and days. Others
keep their feet dry, but the one thing everybody can find is quiet, the kind of
hush that amplifies birdsong, a flutter of leaf, the melody of wind, your own
heartbeat.
It’s not easy country. You’ll find more cactus and prairie rattlesnakes than
people. You’ll expose yourself to weather that can peel your skin, freeze your
flesh, bake you to the bone. Bring sturdy shoes, lots of water—and an open
mind. In the Breaks, you can fill it with something good. —Scott McMillion
Travel Tips
When to Go: Summer (Memorial Day weekend through September
30)
Where to Stay: Camp at one of the Missouri River sites used
by Lewis and Clark. Get the campsites’ GPS coordinates at the Missouri
Breaks Interpretive Center in Fort Benton. Or, bunk in an authentic
homestead cabin or in a period room
above the historic mercantile in Virgelle, a restored homestead-era ghost town
located just upstream from the Upper Missouri’s White Cliffs.
How to Get Around: Much of Upper Missouri River Breaks
National Monument is inaccessible by road. Guided canoe/camping tours can be
booked through experienced, local outfitters like Upper Missouri
River Guides and Missouri
River Canoe Company.
Where to Eat or Drink: Reserve an outdoor table (seasonal)
for dinner (closed Tuesdays) at upscale Union Grille
Restaurant, located on the main floor of Fort Benton’s historic Grand Union
Hotel. Seasonally fresh, local ingredients are featured on the fine dining and,
more casual, Tavern menus.
What to Watch Before You Go: Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West (National
Geographic, DVD, 2002) is a visually stunning re-creation of Lewis and Clark’s
epic journey, narrated by actor Jeff Bridges and shot in original expedition
locations.
Fun Fact: At the turn of the 20th century, the remote,
rugged terrain made the Breaks a hideout for outlaws like Harvey Logan, also
known as “Kid Curry,” part of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’s infamous
Wild Bunch.
Helpful Links: Upper
Missouri River Breaks National Monument
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