Big sky, bigger adventures in Montana

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