Compare Lewis & Clark Canoeing & Glamping by Adventure Women vs Best of Montana by Intrepid Travel

Day 1: - Arrive in Great Falls, Montana

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Great Falls

Our adventure begins when we meet in Great Falls, Montana, at the Holiday Inn by 5 p.m. We’ll do a quick check of who has arrived, and suggest places for dinner.

When Meriwether Lewis’s advance party reached a waterfall on the Missouri on June 13, 1805, he was relieved to identify the Missouri’s course. But as he surveyed the falls for a portage route, he walked upstream and heard another falls! And then another, and another. The “Great Falls” was actually a series of five, which required nearly a month-long portage for the Corps of Discovery. So meeting in Great Falls is an appropriate starting point!

Tonight at 7:30 p.m. we gather together for the first time for an orientation meeting, with drybags handed out so that we can pack our gear.

Day 2: From Great Falls to Coal Banks

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

At 7:30 this morning we depart our hotel and drive an hour to the charming and historic town of Fort Benton, located on the banks of the Missouri River. Continuing from Fort Benton we drive another hour to our put-in at Coal Banks Landing. Here the staff prepares us with a thorough safety orientation, while our personal gear is loaded onto the cargo raft.

We board our canoes, launch on the river, and enjoy paddling a few miles before stopping for a delicious riverside lunch. We travel between 8 and 11 miles the first day and arrive at camp around 4:30 p.m. Our camp boat has traveled ahead and set up a luxury camp including all tents. We arrive in time to enjoy free time for swimming, hiking, reading or just relaxing before hors d’oeuvres are served, then dinner. The day ends with stories and songs around a crackling campfire.

Day 3: The White Cliffs of the Missouri River

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We are awakened around 7 a.m. with the smell of fresh brewed coffee. After a hearty breakfast, we pack up our personal gear, the canoes and cargo raft are loaded, and we depart from camp about 9:30 for an adventure packed day.

The river carries us from its wide, meandering valley into the famous White Cliffs area—a deep, rugged gorge where the Missouri has cut through the sedimentary floor of an ancient inland sea. Steep, eroded cliffs reach a depth of nearly a thousand feet and reveal 10 million years of geologic history. Wind and water have eroded the sediments, creating massive rock crags and magical castles of dazzling white sandstone that loom above the river. The journals of Lewis & Clark are filled with superlatives describing these wonders.

As we continue downstream, our itinerary allows plenty of time ashore to explore. We hike the Eagle Creek area and Neat Coulee for several hours. It’s here that Lewis & Clark camped on May 31, 1805, viewing the alcoves, amphitheaters and sandstone cathedrals of the White Cliffs.

Further on and after lunch, we gaze upon Citadel Rock, a massive igneous intrusion, immortalized by German Prince Maximilian’s artist Karl Bodmer in 1833. A few more miles to Hole-in-the-Wall, and we make camp. We hike to the Hole-in-the-Wall (the top of the sandstone formation from which the name comes) and surrounding coulees where Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and other gang members hid with Kid Curry in the late 1890s.

In order to provide you with the richest experience possible, our guides divide themselves into “meal crews,” which means that while two guides are preparing dinner, the other two or three guides are free to spend time with the group-to hike, help identify flowers or trees, give a lesson in Dutch oven cooking, or just sit and visit.

One of the reasons that the Missouri is such a fabulous trip is the incredible variety of things to do and see along the way. We stop often, taking advantage of as many of these opportunities and explorations as possible. Floating down the river, our guides tell us about the early pioneers who lived there, and we stop to hike to one of their old homestead cabins. We talk about the Indians and walk to one of their encampments. Our trip is planned so there’s plenty of time for these activities.

Day 4: Indians and Pioneer Homesteads

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

As we explore the Missouri River and its environs, we see evidence of the Indians who lived there, the Blackfeet and Gros Ventre. We see their teepee rings—circles of stones that were used to hold down buffalo hide tepee covers—from over a century ago, and talk about the other tribes—the Salish, Nez Perce and Shoshone—who came from the Rockies to hunt buffalo. We learn the story of Chief Joseph’s band of the Nez Perce, who crossed the Missouri in September of 1877, near the end of their tragic 1200-mile flight for freedom.

As we paddle down the river, the impressive landmarks of Steamboat Rock and Dark Butte loom on the horizon. We pass the May 30, 1805 camp of Lewis and Clark. They stopped here after a miserable, rainy day on which they only made 5.4 miles. We stop at one or two pioneer homesteads and imagine life 100 years ago. As the Indians were moved to reservations, white settlers began to homestead the land. They struggled in a harsh, lonely environment. Today, almost all these homesteads have been abandoned, but as one walks through the empty corrals, tool sheds and cabins, it seems as if these pioneering souls left only yesterday. Above us soar golden eagles, hawks and falcons. Feeding from the river we see osprey and herons. Cottonwood, juniper and pine grow along with sagebrush, cactus and wildflowers, providing food and shelter for beaver, antelope, deer, elk and bighorn sheep.

In late afternoon we pass Slaughter River, where Lewis and Clark camped on both their upstream and downstream journeys. It’s a satisfying day of history, paddling and nature. Tonight’s camp is within walking distance of a prairie dog town and with binoculars and a spotting scope we can observe their antics and social behavior. Enjoy another night of camaraderie and sharing.

Day 5: Into Montana’s Badlands, the Missouri River Breaks

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

As we float today we hear the remarkable Indian legend about the Arrow Creek for a great Indian story. The river widens and we float through the Judith Basin, where the first military post, Camp Cook, existed from 1866-1870. The Judith Basin was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 because of its rich history. We are now entering the badlands of the “Missouri River Breaks” and a different geology than the White Cliffs area. These wildlands are largely unchanged since the Corps of Discovery passed through. Tonight’s camp features a superb mud bath, excellent hiking opportunities and is our last night on the river.

Day 6: The Hagadone Homestead and Back to Great Falls

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Great Falls

This morning we may hike downstream for about a mile, or float in our canoes, to the old Hagadone Homestead and hear all about its history. We’ll explore old horse-drawn farm implements, the original homestead cabin, and pioneer life. We paddle farther and stop for lunch along the river before reaching our take-out at the Stafford/McClelland Ferry Crossing, arriving at about 2 p.m.

We return by late afternoon to Great Falls and the Holiday Inn. After a “real” shower, and change of clothes, at 7 p.m. we head out to a local restaurant with our guides to celebrate the week together at our Farewell Dinner.

Day 7: Departure from Great Falls

If you drove to Great Falls, your car is patiently waiting for you. If you flew, take the complimentary hotel shuttle just 10 minutes to the Great Falls airport.

Day 1 Bozeman to Helena

Welcome to Montana! Your adventure begins in Bozeman at 10 am with a welcome meeting – this Rocky Mountains town is the perfect starting point for exploring Montana’s history and natural beauty. After your meeting, visit the Museum of the Rockies, a Smithsonian Affiliate Museum that’s famous for its world-class dinosaur exhibits. After a bit of culture to get you going, you’ll head to Helena, where you spend the night. When you arrive in the capital of Montana, you might like to head out for dinner with your group.

Day 2 Helena

After breakfast, you’ll follow in the footsteps of the explorers Lewis and Clark and venture to the Gates of the Mountains on a scenic river cruise. You’ll sail alongside limestone cliffs to a set of towering stone walls which appear to open like a gate as your boat approaches. Little has changed since the two explorers first visited this stretch of the Missouri River, and the region’s untouched beauty remains. Your night is free in Helena to rest and recharge or find a good dinner spot – your leader is always on hand with suggestions.

Day 3 Great Falls

After an early breakfast, hit the road and drive to First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park – home to the largest buffalo jump in America, used as a hunting tool by Native American tribes for at least 1000 years. This is a special and unique experience to learn about the history of the land firsthand. Get to know the landscape with a member of the Blackfeet tribe, who will take you on a full day experience including hikes, walks, talks and a cultural exchange on their homelands. Then, sit down and soak up the scenery over an included lunch where you can ask questions and learn more. Spend the night in Great Falls, where you’re free for dinner.

Day 4 Glacier National Park / Whitefish

This morning, you’ll hit the road again after breakfast. Known as the ‘Crown of the Continent’, Glacier National Park offers an impressive array of activities for lovers of nature and the great outdoors. Today, you’ll board a raft and enjoy an exhilarating (and splashy) rafting experience down the Flathead River with an expert local guide – a must-do in this area! Then head into the town of Whitefish, where you’ll spend the night. After an action-packed day, feel free to relax and recharge, or chat with your leader for the best dinner recommendations in town.

Day 5 Glacier National Park / Whitefish

After breakfast this morning, you'll take on a full day locally-guided nature hike in Glacier National Park – a wilderness area in Montana’s Rocky Mountains, with glacier-carved peaks and valleys running to the Canadian border. First, we'll drive the iconic Going to the Sun Road to the trailhead where we'll begin our hike. Meander through sun dappled forests to the base of two waterfalls as you hear from your guide about the history of the people who have called Glacier National Park home. Stopping for a homemade picnic lunch with your group, soak up the beauty of your surroundings before making your way back along the trail. Tonight, you may like to drop into one of the local craft breweries or restaurants for dinner.

Day 6 Missoula

Enjoy a morning at leisure before hitting the road to Missoula. When you arrive, enjoy one last meal with your group to celebrate all you’ve done in this jam-packed adventure. Head to a local brewery and taste some local Montana huckleberry beer over an included lunch. Your adventure will end at around 3 pm.