The Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument that stretches from Ft. Benton to James Kipp State park is 149 miles in length. Mile 1 begins at Ft. Benton. Motor boat traffic is allowed up or downstream year around between mile 1 and mile 51.5. Please note this has been the policy in the past. The administering agency, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is in the process of preparing a final management plan that will alter these current rules in some instances and for some areas. The BLM has published its proposed final management plan, there is a 30 day protest period, when the plan is finalized we will post any changes effecting river travel here--there are some changes. For further information about this management plan you can 'Google' BLM, Lewistown, Montana, RMP. That should get you to the BLM website and some further info.
Currently, river traffic from that point (mile 51.5) to Kipp State Park (mile 149) is restricted to downstream only, no wake speed (defined as no white water in the wake) between the weekend prior to Memorial Day and the weekend following Labor Day. This means what it says; motor boats may only travel downstream at speeds that will produce no white water in the wake during that time period. In this time frame then, you need a shuttle vehicle at your take out point to return to your start.
Missouri Breaks River Co. utilizes an inboard jet boat that can accommodate up to 4 passengers in comfort and safety. If the water is high enough, on occassion we can carry 5 passengers; if this happens it is usually early in the season. We can take you upstream or down at cruising speeds (on plane) between miles 1 & 51.5 within the Memorial-Labor Day time frame and return to our start point.
Below mile 51.5 we travel downstream only at no wake speed within the appropriate time frame. The White Cliffs, Citadel Rock, Hole-in-the-Wall, Slaughter River...all are found between mile 51.5 and mile 87 at Judith Landing. This is our White Cliffs Trip. (See our Possible Trips page for further explanation).
Downstream from Judith Landing the river runs through a series of badlands that open back up to traditional riverine country at Cow Island, the are where Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce forded the river in 1877, now part of the Nez Perce National Historic Trail (mile 128). Below Cow Island the country widens again-a bit-as you enter the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge at Grand Island (mile 139).
The river continues through the Big Horn Sheep range above Upper Two Calf island before encountering the Robinson bridge (US 191) and Kipp State Park (mile 149).