Canoe Trip FAQ’s

Once you book a trip with us, we send a very detailed packing list and preparation information with additional details in areas we feel warrant a more in-depth discussion. We are also always available for specific questions.

Also, we posted our packing list on this page: Packing for a Canoe Trip on Montana’s Upper Missouri River. Click the link to read through the preparation information.

There are additional resources and articles available on our Resources Blog.

Here is a breakdown of logistics on launch and take out day:

Launch and Take Out Logistics
We recommend you stay in Fort Benton the night before the trip. Great Falls is also an option.

Night before Launch - 5:00pm - We meet at the Grand Union Hotel (or another convenient location depending on where you are staying). During this meeting, we will do introductions, give you dry bags and instruction on packing them efficiently, answer any last minute questions you might have, establish a time to meet at our headquarters the next morning and offer a brief safety talk (which helps to reduce the amount of time spent on the dock the next morning).

Launch Day - 7:30-8:00am - We meet at our headquarters at 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. After we finish packing up, we hit the road. For the White Cliffs, the launch point is Coal Banks Landing (45 minute drive). For the Badlands only, the launch point is Judith Landing (1.5 hour drive).

Take-out - It never fails to be a reluctant endeavor, but all good things must come to an end. We meet our shuttle vans at the take out around noon and typically arrive back at our headquarters between 3-4 o’clock. Thus, we recommend you stay in Fort Benton or Great Falls this night. For the White Cliffs, the take out location is Judith Landing. For White Cliffs & Badlands or Badlands only, the take out location is James Kipp Recreation Area.

True, the journals from the Lewis and Clark expedition include descriptive and alarming tales of encounters with lots of mosquitos and other biting insects. Rest assured (and sadly, so to speak), the subsequent alteration of the landscape also included a reduction of bugs.

In other words, do not worry too much about mosquitos, biting flies and no see ums. In the spring (May and June), we do encounter mosquitos in the early morning and evening, but the annoyance is nothing a little bit of bug spray can’t handle.

Towards late July and August, we find ourselves dealing with an increased fly population, but again, they are more of an annoyance rather than a barrier to adventure. No see ums are usually never an issue or non-existent.

We recommend you bring along a small bottle of bug repellent. If you are traveling with another person or a group, one bottle for a couple is very sufficient.

A terrific and highly appropriate question, indeed!

Rest assured, during the day, we stop regularly to stretch our legs and offer potty breaks. The guides carry supplies and take care to make everyone comfortable. Ladies, we recommend you bring your own small roll of toilet paper and a few grocery-style plastic bags for trash. There is no sense in forgetting all conveniences when camping :-) The guides will ‘instruct’ folks on appropriate potty areas or simply make sure folks are taking turns to ensure privacy.

Through the 46 miles of the White Cliffs, there are several normal pit toilets operated and maintained by the Bureau of Land Management. There are the types of outhouses you would see at campgrounds and national parks. They are convenient and familiar. We generally camp at 1-3 of these sites depending on the itinerary. The itinerary depends on the length of the trip, other groups on the river (camp sites are acquired on a first come, first served basis), and weather (of course). Rest assured, you will be able to visit several of these toilets through the White Cliffs.

Dispersed camping: if we decide to camp at a site that does not have an established pit toilet, or if you are on a trip that includes the second half, or the Badlands or ‘Breaks',’ you will have the pleasure of enjoying a ‘toilet’ system erected by the guides. We find a private, gorgeous location away from camp, erect a privacy tent and set up a toilet (a five gallon bucket with a regular toilet seat fitted to the top) - otherwise known in river language as ‘the groover.’ (Ask your guides about this terminology :-)

It might sounds intimidating or weird, but trust us when we say, you will thoroughly enjoy the view (which is much better than the inside of a sweltering concrete box). We take all measures to make you comfortable. If you have a specific concern, please just email Haley (info@uppermissouri.com), and you can discuss it with her discretely.

Unfortunately no. We choose to focus solely on making our river canoe trip guide service the best it can be. The advantage of opting for a fully-guided trip is that you can enjoy the company of your friends and family without worry, hassle and the burden of organization and constant decision making. Moreover, our canoe equipment is top-of-the-line and thus not appropriate for rental.

Are you flying into Great Falls? Don’t know how to get to Fort Benton? We can help.

For our guided trip folks, we can offer shuttle service for $125 each way (for the van, not per person). Thus, if there is multiple people, you can split the cost. Sometimes, renting a car and storing it at our headquarters is less expensive. Send us an email or call if you are interested in arranging a shuttle through us.

Are you doing the Badlands? And are you driving and hitting the road, going either South, North or East?

From James Kipp Recreation Area (our take out on the longer trips or Badlands-only trips), it may be more efficient for you to have us shuttle your car to the the take out, depending on our shuttle driver availability. The drive back to Fort Benton from James Kipp is 3 hours. Thus, you might be able to cut off 3 hours from your drive! Please give us a ring and we can discuss details.

Otherwise, we do not offer shuttle or private auto shuttle service. We focus solely on guided trips, and thus only have capacity for our own shuttles.

Click here for a comprehensive list of the equipment we provide and to learn more about our high-end canoes and paddles.

Depending on the motor restrictions and a few other factors, we often utilize a small square-back canoe with a motor attached. This serves as our small but mighty gear boat. A guide will go ahead of the group with this boat and secure a campsite. When we do not use the motor, we usually send a guide ahead with an old fashioned paddle. BUT, nonetheless, count on having your bags and some communal gear in your boat. Since we use ultralight kevlar canoes, weight is your friend.

Yes, but with several restrictions. The following rules are issued by the Bureau of Land Management:

Open Recreational Segments (all year) - motorized watercraft allowed upstream and downstream:

• From Fort Benton to Pilot Rock (RM 0-52)

• From Deadman Rapids to Holmes Council Island (RM 84.5-92.5)

Seasonally Restricted Wild and Scenic Segments (June 15-September 15)

• Pilot Rock to Deadman Rapids (RM 52-84.5) - motorized travel is only allowed downstream seven days a week at a no-wake speed

• Holmes Council Island to Fred Robinson Bridge (RM 92.5-149) - motorized travel is allowed only downstream on Thursdays through Saturdays at a no-wake speed. Motorized travel is not allowed Sundays through Wednesdays

Often we will encounter the BLM or fish biologists in motorboats as they are performing necessary management or research along the river. They are always extremely considerate and slow all the way down to let the canoes pass without wakes.

Yes, 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.

Get your personalized Travelex quote  today.

Travelex Insurance Services, Inc CA Agency License #0D10209. Travel Insurance is underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company, NAIC #22276. V94

NEVER, NO WAY! We have guided folks from age 2–90 years old. As a Class One river, there are no rapids on the Upper Missouri, and thus this canoe trip is accessible to all ages and ability levels. Beginner paddler? No problem. We will offer expert paddling guidance on and off the water.

Seriously, good for you! We have the upmost respect for folks who decide to embark on an adventure by themselves. Don’t worry, you won’t have to share a tent. We have solo tents. Also, you will most likely be in a canoe with a guide (not a stranger).

We have certainly taken dogs before. Here are a few things to consider:

1. It can get very hot and thus very uncomfortable for your pooch.

2. Does your dog like water? Does your dog have experience riding in a boat/canoe?

3. There are rattlesnakes. Curious pooches can get into trouble with rattlesnakes. Please consider the worst case scenario and how that would impact the group.

We like to advise people the following: you might just consider boarding your pooch so you don’t have to worry about anything and can truly enjoy the trip without responsibilities!

You are welcome to bring any of your own equipment. We provide everything you need except your sleeping bag and pillow. We also provide a comprehensive packing list for your convenience.

Please check with us if you would like to bring your own water craft. We use canoes because they are the most efficient while still holding a large amount of gear needed for multi-day trips. If your craft if not able to carry as much gear as a canoe, please consider that the gear now has to be added to the load of other boats.

We are a household of one fish-eating, dairy-avoiding (unless it’s in baked goods) vegetarian and one avid hunter who eats everything, so not only are we happy to accommodate all your dietary preferences/aversions/allergies, but we are also very experienced in providing worthy and tasty alternatives for every dietary need. Most of our menu is homemade which allows a high level of control over ingredients. Learn more about our canoe trip menus and our love of food.

Learn more about weather considerations on the Upper Missouri River here.

Worried you will have to share a tent with a stranger? Well, have no fear, you are more than welcome to have your own tent. Please just let us know.

For couples, families and groups, we have a wide range of tent sizes. Just let us know.

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.

Here is a breakdown of logistics on launch and take out day:

Launch and Take Out Logistics
We recommend you stay in Fort Benton the night before the trip. Great Falls is also an option.

Night before Launch - 5:00pm - We meet at the Grand Union Hotel (or another convenient location depending on where you are staying). During this meeting, we will do introductions, give you dry bags and instruction on packing them efficiently, answer any last minute questions you might have, establish a time to meet at our headquarters the next morning and offer a brief safety talk (which helps to reduce the amount of time spent on the dock the next morning).

Launch Day - 7:30-8:00am - We meet at our headquarters at 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. After we finish packing up, we hit the road. For the White Cliffs, the launch point is Coal Banks Landing (45 minute drive). For the Badlands only, the launch point is Judith Landing (1.5 hour drive).

Take-out - It never fails to be a reluctant endeavor, but all good things must come to an end. We meet our shuttle vans at the take out around noon and typically arrive back at our headquarters between 3-4 o’clock. Thus, we recommend you stay in Fort Benton or Great Falls this night. For the White Cliffs, the take out location is Judith Landing. For White Cliffs & Badlands or Badlands only, the take out location is James Kipp Recreation Area.

There are three options in Fort Benton for parking your camper the night before and after the trip: Canoe Launch Campground, Benton RV Park & Campground, and D & S RV Park. You can easily find their contact information from a quick Google search. We definitely recommend you call ahead of time. The canoe camp launch at the fairgrounds is a favorite. During the trip, you will park your camper at our headquarters. We have a very large parking area. You can also run an extension cord to our facility to keep your fridge running.

We will provide all the drinking water that we need for the trip, as well as ice to make chilled beverages. In camp, we will serve ice cold non-alcoholic beverages to quench your thirst, including 100% fruit juice, iced tea, lemonade and pitchers of water. In the mornings, we will serve fresh brewed coffee, tea and hot chocolate. 

We do not supply alcoholic beverages, but you are welcome to bring your own (and the guides usually like to share). If you are not a drinker, no problem at all. Also, if you enjoy libations, but aren’t sure if it is a necessary and integral part of your experience - I have to say, an ice cold cocktail along the river bank after a long day of sun and fun is pretty hard to beat… just food for thought.

We do recommend spirits - easy to carry, don’t have to keep cold and lots of bang for your buck. Boxed wine is also a fabulous option. We will provide plenty of ice to make mixed drinks for cocktail hour for the entire trip. 

If you wish to bring beer, we can provide a small cooler with ice. Please let us know ahead of time. (Note, if you are on a 6 or 7 day trip, we can also resupply your beer halfway through. Also, large quantities of beer is heavy and hard to keep cold on hot days… so plan to consume or share if the ice melts :-)

In short, no. This canoe trip takes us deep into the remote prairie of North central Montana. This section is also designated a Wild and Scenic River for that reason - there is very limited access to this river corridor by land. Thus, consider this a wilderness adventure. There is no place to plug in a device to charge it. The guides generally bring a small solar charger which you can utilize. We recommend you consider purchasing a small solar charge and battery bank. There are many options online and probably in your local recreational outfitting store.

If you primarily use your smart phone for pictures (as we all do these days :-), put your phone on airplane mode right away (you should anyway because there is no cell phone reception), and your battery should last 3-4 days or more. If you purchase and charge a small battery bank, one full charge for your phone should last the rest of the trip if doing the 6 or 7 day trip.

We recommend you embrace the lack of connection :-)

No :-) Thankfully, there are still places in this world where one can disconnect from civilization and technology and immerse in the healing qualities of nature.

As a premier guide service, we are charged with your safety. Thus, we do not rely on cell phones for emergencies. Rather, we carry GPS devices that allow us to directly contact emergency personal in the event of an emergency.

Our guides work hard to ensure your trip is safe, memorable and fun. They, of course, appreciate your generosity with regards to gratuity. Unless otherwise specified, all tips are split evenly. We recommend the following tipping guideline: $15 - $25 per person per guide per day. The number of guides will depend on the size of your group. But, any amount is appreciated and welcomed. 

Still have questions? No problem! Call or email us.