About Us

Our Mission

The UMRG owners and guides are dedicated to creating a memorable, safe and comfortable Upper Missouri River adventure.

Our passion is showing folks from around the country and world our beloved river! We relish the opportunity to share the history of the Upper Missouri River Breaks, point out interesting geologic characteristics of the river corridor and off-river locations, spot wildlife and birds and generally facilitate a good time. We are the leading Missouri River guide service.

On every canoe trip, we strive to provide you with unparalleled service so you can simply enjoy the experience and the company of each other. Furthermore, we find one of the best parts of our job is creating a cohesive, participatory group experience. We are competent and organized, but also light-hearted and subtle, and, mostly, look forward to getting to know everyone. From creating gourmet meals on the riverbank to learning the details of a solo 6 month journey retracing the Lewis and Clark expedition, we are a dynamic group and specialize in creating a congenial and friendly experience.

We hope to disperse after the trip as friends.

As the number of wild places in our world shrinks, we are thrilled and privileged to facilitate the experience of floating the Missouri River in Montana while you disconnect from the constant onslaught of technology, detach from the stressors of everyday life and submerge yourself in nature—completely. We want you to leave the river with a deep sense of peacefulness and rejuvenation.

As river guides and outdoor enthusiasts, we are constantly trying to explain to people that there is something magical about a multi-day trip outdoors. Any time spent outside is worthwhile, of course, but something extraordinary and almost miraculous happens after day two or three: the stresses of life and other pressures melts away, and you are left with the present moment experienced together. Life seems simplified yet more inspired. When you have nothing else vying for your attention, you are presented with the most pure and unobstructed opportunity to connect to fellow humans, appreciate our Earth and contemplate the experiences of our ancestors. Moreover, it's obvious to us, but I hope you also noticed that moment when the group settled into a groove, working together, enjoying the space together and finding each person's unique role in the experience. Again, we call this 'river magic.'

The Upper Missouri River Guides Difference

  • Our Experience and Highest Quality Service

    We have intentionally kept our business small and intimate. We provide unrivaled service to make your adventure enriching and memorable and create a luxury-style experience. BUT, we strive to create a participatory environment and hope you learn from us as we hope to learn from you.

  • Our Passion for the Outdoors

    We are an eclectic, dynamic group of outdoor enthusiasts with a wide arrays of talents, interests and off-season jobs. We all share a deep passion for nature and what it offers the soul. We cherish our great state and all its natural wonders. We fully realize our job is hard work but wildly rewarding, and we know we have the best job in the world!

  • Best Equipment & Safety

    We distinguish ourselves from our competitors by offering the best river canoes and equipment available, most notably our high-tech, kevlar Wenonah canoes, and ultra-light carbon-fiber paddles. They are the best in use on the Upper Missouri River. Click here to learn more about the canoe equipment we provide.

  • Supporting Local Communities and Small Businesses

    We support communities and responsible tourism throughout our great state. We share recommendations for other adventures and direct you to our favorite small businesses. We source locally and support local businesses whenever we can. From Fort Benton to Livingston, Kalispell to Helena, and all communities in between, we love our state and hope you have plenty of time to explore.

  • Guide Ratio and Small Trips

    We maintain a 4 person to 1 guide ratio, ensuring the guides have ample time to assist you, provide historical interpretation and have time to go on random adventures. We have determined a sweet spot with trip size. We try to keep our trips between 8-14 people (unless you arrange a private trip with a large group). We think one of the most enriching parts of a trip is getting to know strangers, but we also wish to keep the trip intimate and manageable.

  • Locally-owned and Operated

    The owners and guides are local Montanans with deep roots in communities across the state. Fort Benton is the center of our operations, and we support this special community as much as possible. We could not succeed without the dedicated help and friendship of local residents. We hope you visit and stay to explore more of our great state.

  • Original Owners & Still Guiding!

    We retain one of the ORIGINAL owners (and Brett is still guiding 20+ years later). Yes, we are the only guide service that can claim the owners still guide trips regularly. Brett, Haley and the entire guide team work closely together to constantly improve our services. We believe this consistency sets us apart from other companies, and we hope to keep it in the family for generations to come.

  • Our Menu and Love of Food

    You will hear this again and again: we love cooking for people. We are avid gardeners and source locally when available, We are dedicated to creating fresh and nourishing meals. Most of our menu is homemade and hand-crafted to create a menu of classic comforts with creative and thoughtful additions. We are experienced in accommodating any and all food restrictions and requests. Find out more and get hungry!

  • We Authored a Guidebook

    Our history digest and guidebook is the only available, comprehensive resource solely dedicated to this section of the Missouri River. It is the go-to reference and demonstrates our passion for the history of this area. It also includes a detailed geology section and more. The passages bring the river to life and allow you to experience the deep, profound connection to the past as you experience the adventure today.

  • Community Involvement

    We serve on multiple non-profit boards throughout the community and focusing on the Missouri River Monument. We also regularly donate trip participation for fundraising auctions and more. We donate Fort Benton organization and school clubs. We believe supporting community is a privilege and help where we can.

Our History

Missouri River Montana History Lewis and Clark

1994

Upper Missouri River Guides was founded in 1994 by Glenn and Nancy Monahan.

The inspiration for starting Upper Missouri River Guides occurred in 1992 when Glenn paddled the Upper Missouri in a solo canoe with a copy of Lewis and Clark’s journals on his lap. As an avid outdoor enthusiast and canoeist, the beauty and wildness of the river captivated him; the river’s rich history (Native Americans, Lewis and Clark, fur trade, steamboats, homesteaders) fed his long-term interest in western U.S. history; and as a geologist, he was awed by the diversity of the rock formations that form the cliffs and hills bordering the river, and the geologic story that they tell.

Throughout the years, the small guide service blossomed in the quaint town of Fort Benton, Montana.

1998

Glenn hired life-long family friend, Brett Burglund (and rebellious teenager at the time), as his first guide.

Brett, merely 14 years old, embraced his summer guiding position with unrivaled enthusiasm. He proved to be an impeccable helper, guide and chef. Brett was already an avid boatman, spending lots of time in kayaks and rafts on waters throughout the western U.S., including the forks of the Salmon River in Idaho and many Montana rivers. His vast whitewater and multi-day river trip experience made him ideal for this type of ‘job.’ Brett avidly explored the river corridor, trekking up coulees, along drainages and straight up the steep terrain to find hidden spots, artifacts and more. in addition to absorbing Glenn’s vast knowledge of geology, history and all things Upper Missouri River. For many years, the dedicated duo were a guiding force to be revered both for their love of the outdoors, history and wildlife, and a passion for exceptional service.

Just a few years after being hired as a guide, Brett was made a partner in the company.

2012

Brett brings partner, Haley Miller, on her first Upper Missouri River canoe trip.

Brett was just finishing a civil engineering degree at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana and suspected this was his last year guiding canoe trips to be replaced by a ‘real’ job as a civil engineer at a desk. Thirteen consecutive summers of guiding on this magnificent river.

She was hooked. How had this magnificent Montana treasure been here all along and she not experienced it yet?

Brett continued to bring Haley on various multi-day river trips and whitewater adventures, but it seemed as though his time on the Missouri River was at an end…. The pair moved to Helena, Montana, and Brett began his civil engineering career.

2016

Brett and partner, Haley Miller, enthusiastically purchased the company at the urging of Glenn and Nancy.

Glenn had a plan and a desire for his beloved company to be passed to someone as dedicated and entrenched as Brett. The pair feel beyond lucky to have inherited such a strong and respected business from a friend and forever advisor.

Together they have ushered in a new era of the company and weathered a few storms, aka Covid, with grace and passion for this company. They have chosen to maintain Glenn’s legacy - keeping the company small and dedicated to focusing only on guided trips.

Haley and Brett are still guiding regularly today. Glenn, Nancy, Brett and Haley continue to be life-long friends and are still sharing adventures together.

2023

Growing a guide family.

Brett and Haley welcomed the newest member of their guide family on July 25, 2023, Cam Benton Burglund. They look forward to showing their son this amazing river and unique lifestyle.

Brett owns and operates contracting company, Burglund Contracting, based in Helena, Montana, while Haley mainly operates Upper Missouri River Guides. The pair both guide when they can and look forward to the day they can bring along Cam.

Jackson Reece, Brett’s stepbrother and guide, graciously offered to step into a managerial role as Brett and Haley navigate family life and business ownership. He continues to be dedicated and wildly talented. When we say this is a family business, we mean it!

Most importantly, we consider all of our guides, shuttle drivers and supporters to be our Upper Missouri River Guides Family. And you can see the comradery and dedication to this family when you come on a trip with us.

River Community & Stewardship

We are dedicated to supporting and ensuring the preservation of wild places, public land, and, above all else, our beloved Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument and Wild and Scenic River. We can’t express enough how important this area is to our nation’s and state’s histories as well as providing the limitless benefits of immersion in nature. In the powerful words of the revered John Muir, “The rivers flow not past but through us.”