Day Trips on the River
Starting and ending in Fort Benton, Montana. Dates available upon request & based on guide availability.
General Details
This is the perfect quick trip if you are limited on time but still to experience the solace and beauty of the Upper Missouri River. A day trip is also ideal for families with small children who might not be ready for several days of camping. Are you coordinating a group event or family gathering? This activity is a perfect addition - let us help you plan!
This section of the National Monument is highly underrated, underappreciated and rarely visited.
Difficulty level:
Appropriate for all ages 4+
The Upper Missouri is a flat water river with no rapids. Plus, we take care of the heavy lifting!
What We Provide
We provide all necessary equipment, including canoes or kayaks (based on availability), paddles, life jackets, seat backrests, camp tables and chairs and dry bags for personal items. We offer expert guides and as must historical, geological and wildlife interpretation you can handle. We will provide a packing list for your convenience.
The good stuff: we will provide a gourmet lunch (locally sourced or food from our own garden or that we foraged, hunted or fished), snacks and beverages including, cold water, iced tea/lemonade & seltzer water. We can loan you a cooler and provide ice if you wish to bring additional beverages. Browse our sample menu page and get hungry for our amazing food.
Price & Logistics Information
Price: $225 per adult / $200 per child (10 and under)
Deposit requirement:
We require a $75 deposit per person to secure your spot. We require final payment one week prior to the trip departure. Cancellation policy detailed below.
Departure location:
All trips start and end at our headquarters in Fort Benton, MT.
Address: 2210 Main St.
You can park your car safely and securely outside our shop and leave any valuables or heat sensitive electronics in our locked shop as well.
Departure time:
8:30am-10am - this will be coordinated closer to the launch date. We can leave earlier or later to accommodate for other plans. Just let us know.
Scroll down for additional logistics information and trip options
Please click the buttons below to contact us and request a launch date.
Current Trips on our Schedule (call for additional dates and availability):
#1: Fort Benton to Wood Bottom (the most popular option):
#2: Carter Bridge to Fort Benton:
Trip Options
#1: Fort Benton to Wood Bottom - roughly 20 miles
The river takes you through expansive range and farming land, along the magnificent Black Bluffs and past the famous Decision Point, where the Marias River enters the mighty Missouri. Here, the Lewis and Clark Expedition spent 10 days deciding which channel would take them to the Northwest Passage. This section is very under utilized and underrated. We love leaving right from the boat launch in Fort Benton, it’s seamless. Our shuttle van will meet us at the Wood Bottom take out, and drive us the 20 minutes back to Fort Benton. This trip lasts roughly 5-6 hours with time added if we encounter interesting weather. We stop regularly for breaks, snacks, lunch and stretch our legs by walking to viewpoints or exploring the many islands throughout the braided channels. The day are filled with peaceful paddling, relaxing in the boat and taking in the magnificent scenery.
#2: Carter Bridge to Fort Benton - just over 20 miles
The river takes you through expansive range and farming land, through braided channels and builds steadily to the magnificent bluffs surrounding Fort Benton. This section is also highly under utilized and generally very quiet. It’s a great chance to lay your paddle down and drift while absorbing the splendor of the river. The trip culminates by passing under the famous Old Fort Benton Bridge, past the historic Grand Union Hotel. Our shuttle vans will drive us and the gear to the Carter Bridge for the launch. We love arriving in Fort Benton by boat! This trip lasts roughly 5-6 hours with time added if we encounter interesting weather. We stop regularly for breaks, snacks, lunch and stretch our legs by walking to viewpoints or exploring the many islands throughout the braided channels. The day are filled with peaceful paddling, relaxing in the boat and taking in the magnificent scenery.
Additional Information
Deposit, Final Payment & Cancellation Policy,
We require a $75 deposit per person to secure your spot. We require final payment one week prior to the trip departure. Reservations made within one week of trip departure must be paid in full at the time of booking.
Deposits are non-refundable. If you cancel a week prior to the launch date, you will not be charged the final payment amount. If you cancel within the week, and we have collected the final payment, this full amount is also non-refundable.
If you need to change the dates, we may be able to transfer your funds to that dates, but we can’t guarantee this. Each cancelation or rescheduling request will be handled on a case by case basis. We understand cancelations happen, but we also need to provide regular and guaranteed work for our amazingly hard working guides. Thank you for your understanding.
Travel Insurance
Why is travel insurance so important?
In today’s changing travel environment, it’s important to protect your travel investment so you can relax and enjoy your trip. Unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss or even a sudden sickness or injury could impact your travel plans. For your convenience, we offer a Travelex Insurance Services protection plan to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected.
For more information on the available plans click here or contact Travelex Insurance 800-228-9792 and reference location number 26-0056.
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The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries and may be changed without notice. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. Travelex Insurance Services, Inc CA Agency License #0D10209. Travel Insurance is underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company, NAIC #22276. V94
Have questions?
Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page, or contact us below.