Montana Traveler™
A Friendly Travel Guide

Northeast and north-central Montana is Discoveryland. Most of the region is vast open plains, with few trees. The Missouri River flows through the heart of Discoveryland. See maps.

In the spring of 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled west across the northern plains in search of a water route connecting the Mississippi River with the Pacific Ocean. For much of the journey, members of the expedition, called the Corps of Discovery, followed the upper Missouri River through this area of Montana. Many cities in Discoveryland celebrate the deeds of these bold and and courageous explorers.

During the 1800s, northern Montana was home to vast herds of buffalo. The buffalo flourished because of the abundant grasses so common on the plains at that time. Buffalo skeletons, from early times, can be found in areas called buffalo jumps. At a site called the Ulm Pishkun buffalo jump, southwest of Great Falls, thousands of buffalo died when they were stampeded over a high cliff by Indians. The site is now a Montana State Park, complete with a visitor center for interpreting the archaeology and history of the area.

For a wonderful guide to cultural tours of north-central Montana, order a copy of the Hands of Harvest guidebook from the Cascade County Extension Service, 1807 3rd St. NW, Great Falls, MT 59404 or call (406) 454-6980. The 80-page guidebook is only $12.

Great Falls

Great Falls (pop. 56,340) is the largest city in north-central Montana. Most people who live in the region go to Great Falls for shopping. Holiday Village, the main mall in Great Falls, with over 80 stores, is located south of the downtown area on 10th Avenue South.

In Great Falls, Hoglund's Work and Western Wear is the place to go to buy cowboy boots and hats. Hoglund's has the best selection of brand-name western wear in the Rocky Mountain West, outside Denver. Hoglund's store is in the downtown area. For quick information about Great Falls, try the Great Falls General Store.

The C. M. Russell Museum is a well-known attraction in Great Falls. A famous western artist, Charlie Russell produced many paintings depicting Indian and cowboy life on the northern plains in the early 1800s. Many of Russell's paintings and drawings are owned by the museum. Charlie Russell's original studio, on site near the museum, is, by itself, worth a visit.

The newly constructed Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center is a don't miss attraction in Great Falls. The center sits on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River. It is near the great falls of the Missouri where Lewis and Clark took eleven days to make the 16-mile portage around five separate falls on the river in 1805. The center has numerous exhibits which describe the expedition's journey up the Missouri River and on to the Pacific Ocean.

For Great Falls, Montana lodging, the Great Falls Inn is tops. It's an almost new property. Children and adults enjoy the free popcorn. The inn also provides a complimentary breakfast. Also popular is the OHaire Motor Inn. The lodging link below lists many Montana motels and hotels.

Great Falls has many good dining spots. JB's Restaurant offers family dining and is near major shopping areas and the city's main mall. JB's fresh strawberry pie served with whipped cream is great! Steak and seafood lovers head for Eddies Supper Club. On Friday and Saturday nights, patrons enjoy the music around Eddies' famous piano bar. The Sip-N-Dip Lounge is another hot spot in Great Falls.

Choteau

Choteau, Montana (pop. 1,760) is located on U.S. Highway 89, about 52 miles northwest of Great Falls on U.S Highway 89. Choteau is also idealy situated along U. S. Highway 287, the north-south route connecting Yellowstone National park with Glacier National Park. Choteau's charm lies in its location, only 26 miles from the Rocky Mountains. The landscape is home to mountain goats, big horn sheep, coyotes, mule deer, and smaller mammals. While rural in spirit, Choteau is still a sophisticated small town. Old Trail Museum is well-known for its dinosaur fossils. Plenty of friendly merchants, taverns, and good restuarants make Choteau a nice place to visit or a great overnight stopover. The Stage Stop Inn offers extra nice accommodations and includes an indoor pool and a spa.

Fort Benton

Some of the most rugged and beautiful scenery in the West is found along the Missouri River, downstream from the town of Fort Benton (pop. 1,600). Magnificent towering sandstone cliffs and deep canyons border the river. Segments of the river are known as the White Cliffs region and the Missouri River Breaks. Kayaking and Canoeing are favorite activities along this stretch of the river. The federal government recently designated this area as the Upper Missouri Breaks National Monument. The wildness and solitude of the Missouri River make a float trip on the river an event long remembered.

Lewis and Clark traveled up the upper Missouri River in 1805 in a keelboat. Modern day "explorers" relive the Captains' experiences, by taking a ride on the "Gen. Wm. Ashley," a replica of the keelboat used by Lewis and Clark. An experienced crew of three, dressed in period dress, man the boat. Call the Upper Missouri River Keelboat Co.(888-721-7133) in Loma for reservations.

In Fort Benton, the Museum of the Northern Great Plains is a major attraction. As an added bonus, Fort Benton visitors can see the magnificent Lewis and Clark Memorial, a huge bronze statue of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and Sacagawea, near the banks of the Missouri River. For special accommodations, fill out the Expedia form below and book a room online at the historic Grand Union Hotel in Fort Benton.

U.S. Highway 2 is the northern, east-west route across Montana and Discoveryland. The towns along U.S. Highway 2, and in most parts of this region, are small and often far apart. A traveler can go from Culbertson, near the eastern border of the state, to Browning, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, a distance of 421 miles, without seeing a stop sign, or so it seems. Welcome to the Great American Outback. Other towns along U.S. Highway 2 are Glasgow, Malta, Havre, Shelby, Cut Bank, and Kalispell.

"Wheat Harvest" Source: Montana Department of Agriculture

Havre

Havre (pop. 10,000) is a small town on U.S. Highway 2. The city is near Canada and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Visitors to this area of Montana enjoy water sports and fishing for northern pike and walleyes on the Fresno Reservoir, a lake created by a dam on the Milk River. The Bearpaw Mountains, a small mountain range located a few miles south of Havre, are another popular destination. An important historic site is the Bear Paw Battlefield, southeast of Havre. Here, in 1877, Chief Joseph and his small band of Nez Perce Indians waged a futile battle with the U.S. Calvary. Nice lodging is offered by the Townhouse Inns of Havre. The Expedia Hotel Wizard (scroll down) lists many Havre, Montana motels and hotels.

Glasgow

Fort Peck Lake is the major attraction in northeast Montana. The lake was created in the 1930s, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built Ft. Peck Dam on the Missouri River near Glasgow (pop. 3,600). Today, Fort Peck Lake is a huge reservoir extending some 130 miles upstream from the dam. Fort Peck Lake is a hot spot for sport fishing, camping, boating and other outdoor activities. Salmon, walleye, lake trout, smallmouth bass, and rainbow trout are abundant in the lake. Charlie Long, a guide for Elk River Outfitters, in Fort Peck, helps fishermen find and land the big ones.

Great Falls, Montana
"Lewis and Clark HQ"

  Outdoors FUN
in
Discoveryland

Float Trips:

Missouri River Canoe Company, Loma, 406-378-3110.

Upper Missouri River Guides, Anaconda, 406-563-2770.

Keelboat Trip:

Upper Missouri River Keelboat Co., Loma, 888-721-7133.

Fishing:

Fishing Fort Peck, Jordan, 406-557-6261.

Elk River Outfitters, Fort Peck, 406-367-5454.

Deep Creek Outfitters, Ulm, 406-866-3316.

Sun Canyon Lodge, Augusta, 406-562-3654.

Ford Creek Guest Ranch, Augusta, 888-go-fly-fish.

Battle Creek Lodge, Choteau, 406-466-2815.

Horseback Riding:

Sun Canyon Lodge, Augusta, 406-562-3654.

Dude Ranches:

Missouri Breaks Cattle and Guest Ranch, Winnifred, 406-462-5524. 

JJJ Wilderness Ranch, Augusta, 406-562-3653.

Backpacking Trips:

High Country Adventures, Choteau, 406-466-5699.

Horsepack Trips:

JJJ Wilderness Ranch, Augusta, (406) 562-3653.

Tours:

 White Cliff Tours (Missouri River Breaks), Fort Benton, 406-728-2960.

HOLLYWOOD TIDBIT: Kevin Costner's new western movie "Open Range" was filmed in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains west of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. See similar scenic landscapes along the Rocky Mountain Front west of Great Falls.

.

Find travel information for more Montana cities!

Columbia Falls | Big Timber | Hamilton | Belgrade | Bozeman | Stevensville | Polson | Ennis

Lewistown | West Yellowstone | Big Sky | Red Lodge | Three Forks | Twin Bridges

Deer Lodge | Sula | Philipsburg | Kalispell | Havre | Broadus | Plains | Lavina | Lolo

Plentywood | Whitefish | Virginia City | Fort Benton | Choteau | Wolf Point

Thompson Falls | Dillon | Harlowton | Wolf Creek | Seeley Lake | Cut Bank | Anaconda

White Sulphur Springs | Miles City

.

.

.