CANOE CENTRAL MONTANA

Hi! My name is Ted Hawn and I’m happy to provide some general information on canoeing and kayaking in Central Montana. 

We’re short on white water but boast some of the most scenic and pristine back country in the United States. The most popular floating stream in the area is the Upper Missouri Wild and Scenic River. This 149 mile area of the Missouri river from Fort Benton to James Kipp campground 70 miles NE of Lewistown is quite primitive and has many areas that have changed very little since the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management –Lewistown Field Office. There are numerous campsites along this reach of the river. Plan to spend 4 to 5 days if you are floating the entire 149 miles. Shorter trips are possible by going from Ft. Benton or Virgelle to the PN Bridge or starting at the PN Bridge or Stafford Ferry to the James Kipp campground. Shuttles and River guides provide services to make the logistics of the trip easier. Contact the BLM office in Lewistown, Ph-406-538-1900, or the Fort Benton River Management Station, Ph-877-256-3252 for information and maps.

Other streams that offer floating opportunities are the Judith River, Warm Spring Creek, and Big Spring Creek. The Judith River is floatable with canoes or kayaks in late spring/early summer when there is enough runoff. The lower
50 mile reach of the Judith River from the Denton highway bridge to the Anderson bridge or the mouth of the Missouri River is the most popular float. This remote area is mostly private land although there are scattered tracts of state and public lands along the river corridor. To make this an enjoyable trip, the flows in the Judith should be 500 CFS or a little more. There is a new river staging station at the Anderson bridge west of Winifred that is maintained by USGS. Check the website at: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis for current flow data.

Big Spring Creek and Warm Spring Creek offer limited floating for small kayaks and canoes. These are smaller meandering streams (110-150cfs) that support good riparian vegetation on the streambanks, so you have to be alert and ready to maneuver. Montana FWP has a number of Fishing Access Sites on Big Spring Creek and also there are a number of bridges that provide access sites. Warm Spring Creek is located about 15 miles NW of Lewistown and has a few bridge sites where public access is possible.  
   
Listed below are some contacts for information on these streams:

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks-Lewistown Area Office 406-538-4658
Great Falls Region 4 Office 406-454-5840

Hole-in-the-Wall Adventures offers fully guided river trips from 1-6 days.  They also offer shuttle service and power boat trips, including a one-day “White Cliffs Adventure”.  More information at www.hole-in-the-wall.org or e-mail Terry Selph at terry@hole-in-the-wall.org or conact at 406-538-2418.

You can also view a map of the area.

I hope this helps. If you’d like more information feel free to contact me at 406-538-2236 home, 406-538-7401 #116 office, or email: theodore.hawn@mt.usda.gov.