Upper Missouri River

The wild open plains of central Montana break and fall away to the lonely Upper Missouri River, the 1805 route of Lewis and Clark--and not much has changed on this section of the river since then. From Fort Benton to the Fred Robinson Bridge on US 191, just inside the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, you'll find 150 miles that are ideal for canoe camping, even with kids. The current, running between three and four mph, could carry you the distance in five easy days, though the real meat of the river is 30 miles downriver of Fort Benton along the White Cliffs Wild & Scenic portion. You'll pass bottoms thick with cottonwoods, sandstone cliffs rising vertically from the water, and natural rock sculptures before you enter the Montana "badlands," where erosion has carved a three-dimensional tapestry. Keep your eyes peeled for elk, mule and white-tailed deer, coyotes, and pronghorn antelopes. Campsites abound along the shores. Early September provides the crispness of fall and fewer crowds, while snow often arrives by early October.