Resources for Paddling the Mo

The junction of the Gallatin, Madison, and the Jefferson River is the start of the Missouri river proper. It's where most paddlers start. You?

Books about paddling the Missouri River:
The list of books below and their links will help you in the preparation of your adventure. Many of the MoRP members have written books about their journey, and are a must read. Here's the list below.

THE COMPLETE PADDLER:
By David Miller. THE BIBLE on paddling the entire Missouri River system! A must read if you plan to paddle any or all of the river: Every thru-paddler since 2006 has carried a copy of this book with them. Get this!
ORDER DAVE"S BOOK HERE

"Canoeing the Great Plains", by Patrick Dobson-- Winner of the High Plains Book Award and Thorpe Menn Award! Tired of an unfulfilling life in Kansas City, Missouri, Patrick Dobson quit his job and set off on foot across the Great Plains. After two and a half months, 1,450 miles, and numerous encounters with the people of the heartland, Dobson arrived in Helena, Montana. He then set a canoe on the Missouri and asked the river to carry him safely back to Kansas City, hoping this enigmatic watercourse would help reconnect him with his life. As the miles float by and the distinctions blur between himself and what he formerly called nature, Dobson comes to grips with his past, his fears, and his life beyond the river.
Patrick's Book Here

"On The Big Rivers" , by Richard E Messer--Glad to have Richard in our group. This 2015 book is about he and Jerry Sanders 1962 canoe trip from Three Forks, Montana to New Orleans! Travel with them in a time before cell phones and GPS as they are initiated into the age old perils of nature and explore the historic river towns along their route. Experience through vivid, first person story telling, the physical and emotional challenges they meet and overcome in their encounters on this pioneering journey down the two greatest rivers of America.
Richard's Book

Fighting The Current There and Back", By Jared Jellison. A true life story about two ordinary guys who embarked on an adventure of a lifetime that challenged their strength & endurance, as they paddled across America in canoes. Two and a half years & 8,000 miles later, they finished the epic journey gaunt, exhausted & feeling a huge sense of accomplishment. Their final 2000 miles was down the Missouri river back to their home.
Free Online Ebook and Hard Copy Here:

Online guide by Keith Drury on paddling the entire Missouri River:
Keith's Online Guide Here

"A Paddle Across America", by Richard Silvestri . Over the course of 3 summers, Richard Silvestri kayaked from the Atlantic to the Pacific including an upstream ascent of the Missouri river. This is a book about planning, near obsession, and shear determination to beat the odds of succeeding. It is a story about inner drive that culminates in success.
Richards Book Here:

"A Current Adventure- In the Wake Of Lewis & Clark", by Chris Bechtold. In April of 1998, Chris Bechtold and his faithful dog Herschel embarked on the trip of a lifetime. Inexperienced with boats or big rivers and laden with minimal provisions, the two travelers set out with an abundance of determination to retrace the westward journey of Lewis and Clark. Starting at Camp Dubois, Illinois on the shore of the Mississippi River and culminating at the Pacific Ocean on the Oregon Coast, Bechtold traveled over 3,100 miles in a fourteen-foot boat to search out the untamed West.
Chris' Book Here:

"Kayaking the Northwest Passage--Along the Route of Lewis and Clark", by Philip Babiak . This journal reports the details of the 82 Day Journey of Discovery that Philip Babiak and Bob Witt took from Williston, North Dakota to the Pacific Ocean along the route of Lewis and Clark. Babiak writes--“If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this trip, it’s the realization of my need for good people. . .Happiness depends on the people you are with. You, by yourself, are very empty. You must have people, but they must be good people." Online pdf download:
Philip's Book Here Online:

"Wake of the Wind Dancer", by Karl Adams: He followed or closely paralleled the path of seven of America's early explorers; Lewis and Clark among them. He is the only person known to have covered this entire route by boat and on foot, with no support team or power other than the energy supplied by his own body. Astoria, Oregon to Miami, Florida. (First modern day crossing of North America by kayak--Included his descent down the Missouri river!)
Karl Adam's book here:

"The Ultimate Canoe Challenge - 28,000 miles Through North America By Paddle", by Verlen Kruger and Brand Frentz: The longest paddle expedition ever undertaken. For 2- 1/2 years Verlen Kruger and Steve Landick paddled 28,000 miles all over N. America, including a 33 days descent down the entire Missouri River!Ord
Order Book Here:

The River and I", by John Neihardt: In 1908 John Neihardt and two companions traveled the Missouri River—about two thousand miles—in a twenty-foot canoe. The River and I describes their adventures on that wild waterway before it was dammed by the Army Corps of Engineers and points out storied sites along the shore. The result transcends journalism; Neihardt does for the Missouri what Twain did for the Mississippi.
Order Book Here:

"Floating the Missouri", by James Schultz: A true story about Schultz and his Blackfoot wife Apikuni who take a float down the Missouri river in 1901! A classic must read!
Order Schultz's book here:

"The Missouri River Odyssey-1939" by Bob & Louise Lynd-- This is a fantastic account of canoeing from Ft. Benton to New Orleans in 1939! A must read!
Order the Lynd Book Here:

"The Lewis & Clark Companion- An Encyclopedia Guide to the Voyage of Discovery", and "Why Sacagawea Deserves the Day Off and Other Lessons from the Lewis & Clark Trail", by Stephenie Ambrose Tubbs. Stephenie has probably paddled through the Missouri Breaks in Montana more than anyone in our group. Her earliest times on the Missouri river were with her late father Stephen E. Ambrose the author of "Undaunted Courage" and "Band of Brothers".
L&C Companion: Order Here:
Why Sacagawea Deserves the Day Off: Order Here:

Mississippi Madness, By Nicholas Francis: Francis makes a mad dash down the Missouri river to the Gulf in this early historic descent book.
Order Book Here:

Up the Missouri with Lewis & Clark: by Bill Markley: A must read!
Order Book Here:

The Missouri River: by Leon Gray: Looks at the longest river in North America, discussing the history, geological features, wildlife, and the importance of the river to those who live nearby.
Order Book Here:

Expedition Canoeing: By Cliff Jacobson:
The Bible for Expedition paddling anywhere.:
Cliff's Book Here:

People of the Troubled Waters: by Nancy Peterson: Great historical journals of the Missouri river from 1670-1853. If you like history and want to know what happened along the Mo:
Order Book Here:

A History of the Missouri River- First published before 1920's. Good account of the early
history on the river. By Chappell---A Must Read!
Order Book Here:

Fur Traders, Trappers, and Mountain Men of the Upper Missouri by Leroy Hafen
Detailed accounts of early Euro travel and exploration on the Missouri River.
Order Book Here:

History of Early Steamboat Navigation on the Missouri River by H. Chitteneden.
Amazing history of the Missouri River's steamboat era.
Chittenden's Book Here:

Camping: Don't expect ideal beautiful camps the entire way to St. Louis. You will have to be flexible in your choices. There is no "ideal" location. At times you will have to pitch your camp with limited space. Most paddlers like the isolation away from towns, boat ramps, railroad tracks, and noisy people locations in general. Stealth camping is a common practice among long distance paddlers (LDP). Setting up camp late and taking it down early in the morning long before anyone knows you are there is common practice. The biggest complaint heard among LDP's, is they made the mistake of camping too close to public access sites. These places are popular late night party spots for high school kids drinking beer and playing loud music.

Occasionally there are areas of private property in which you will want to respect and stay away, or ask permission from the land over if possible. Other times, you may discover an established campground with water, picnic tables, showers and a store. Many LDP's contact River Angels who enjoy helping paddlers. A paddler is often treated with a warm bed, hot shower, laundry, a good meal, cold beverage and whatever else they may need. Every paddler has their own intention and specific plan. I suggest you let the adventure unfold, rather than "plan" in details. There is no way to know where you will be each evening, so save your time and energy and focus on some other aspect of your planning. I suggest taking notes or writing information you learn and discover in Dave Miller's guide book--The Complete Paddler. Reading the blogs and websites of past expeditions you can jot down some of the places they said were good camps or places to avoid.

NEW (Feb 13, 23) - Details of Dave Hillmans 2022 Camps and Notes from his Montana to Gulf Trip. (Worth printing and making your own notes.)
CAMP Locations/Details
Camps with GPS
Dave's thoughts and comments on trip.

Maps: Various links to map resources.

Nebraska Outdoor Mo River Guide: This guide shows public access sites for boating and camping and more on the Missouri River as it flows downstream along Nebraska's border. There are approximately 160 sites on both sides of the river. This guide was also designed as source for navigation along the river. The map offers site spatial proximity to cities and other sites, as well as river mile markers and boat ramps in case of emergency. Click Image.

Stream Flow Charts: Current conditions and historical comparisons. See how fast and strong the river is from various locations.

USGS Montana Stream Flows: Click the photo to the right to access the Upper Missouri river and all the major tributaries such as the Gallatin, Madison, Jefferson, Maria's, Sun, Mussellshell, Milk and Yellowstone Rivers.

Ft. Union National Historic site is a must see while paddling down the Missouri. It was the world headquarters for the American Fur Trade Company in the early 1880's. It is just upstream of the confluence with the Yellowstone River. MoRP member, Jeff Brown has provided a pdf map link which you should download. It is extremely difficult to access the fort from the river without this map.
Click Downloadable pdf river access map by Jeff Brown.
Click fort image for map of fort area and information.

The Missouri River Water Trail has some great maps and information pertaining to the river through the state of Missouri. Lots of great info here. Click the image to the left to access the site.

This massive 135-page pdf contains every mile between Sioux City, Iowa to Rulo, Nebraska and shows all 10,000 wing dikes. These maps are extremely useful. They are a must for anyone paddling UP the Missouri for their locations of each wing dike in which you will need to paddle around. These are put out by the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers
Click the Map Image to download the huge file. There are several formats.

Here are a set of some amazing maps, pre dams and Corps. of Engineers, showing original river channels. Published by the Missouri River Commission in 1892-1895 on eighty-four sheets plus nine index sheets. With this mapping expedition, “modern mapping had arrived, and the river was now mapped with precision from its mouth to Three Forks.” “Later mapping made only minute improvements on these maps, principally in recording its ever-changing channel and in documenting the destruction of the river as a free-flowing natural stream in the post-World War II period” (Wood 1984). Amazing! Click Image above for link

Missouri River Miles Coordinates.
Missouri River Miles, 5 mile intervals,
UTM Coordinates, WGS84 Datum
Obtained from Dave Miller in 2007, created by John Sullivan.
Great to download for your records. Click Image to the Right to download.

Ft. Peck Reservoir. Detailed USACE aerial photos from Fred Robinson Bridge (Kipp Landing), to Ft. Peck Dam. Here are 20+ maps to download or click to view.

Lake Sharpe- This 90-mile reservoir is part of the Missouri river in Central South Dakota.
Detailed maps below. Click each to download or view.
Map 1, Map 2, Map 3, Map 3A-Dam, Map 4, Map 5,
Map 6, Map 7, Map 8, Map 9, Map 10, Map 11

David Forbes camp locations from Three Forks, Montana to St. Louis. A great tool for paddlers!!!
This gives you a lot of ideas as far as judging locations, distances and more.
A very useful tool and great way to see aerial photos of camp locations! It helps to
make note of these camps on your own maps in case of emergency and need to get off the water
due to weather. Have info on known previous camps by paddlers is helpful.
CLICK DAVE'S IMAGE to download this file.

Sara Dykman: Audio Interview- Source to Sea- Triple Divide Peak to the Gulf of Mexico.

Here is a must listen to interview with adventurer Sara Dykman, as she talks about descending the Missouri river system from Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park to the Gulf of Mexico. Sara talks about the logistics, challenges and day to day life on the Missouri River. A must listen! CLICK HERE:

Audio Interview with Dale Waldo - Solo - Brower's Spring to St. Louis - 56 days.
These were originally downloaded on Facebook. Two Part Audio.

Part 1: Click Here:
Part 2: Click Here:

,
A 2015 interview with author Richard Messer regarding his 1962 canoe descent from
Three Forks, Montana to New Orleans with Jerry Sanders. Richard had just published his account of this great expedition when he was interviewed. His book, "On the Great Rivers", is a must read. Check out this audio interview with him on Youtube. Click Here:

Audio interview with Canadian, Martin Trahan upon completion of his cross country paddle
expedition from Oregon to Florida. This interview was moments after he arrived in Key Largo.
Click here:

Thinking about doing a food drop?
Many of the MoRP expedition's have sent packages to various post offices along the route. Paddlers should carry about 2-weeks worth of food to get them to the next town. The upper Missouri river is limited on town access, while the lower Missouri has more access to large towns such as Omaha, Yankton, Sioux City. If you plan your expedition wisely, you can reach available towns to purchase goods, supplies, and food. However, take note than some of these smaller towns may not have the variety of food that you need or were hoping to find. If you have a special diet need, then consider having certain items shipped to you. If you start at Three Fork, Montana, two weeks worth of food should easily get you to Great Falls and/or Ft. Benton. Great Falls is a very large city, but the grocery stores are not close to the river. In Ft. Benton, there is a small community grocery a block from the river. It is highly recommended that you carry about 2-weeks of food when leaving Ft. Benton, since there is no towns or services until you get to Ft. Peck. Once you arrive at Ft. Peck, the town and grocery's are very limited. A few small gas station type stores provide a minimum variety of food. You should consider sending food to the post office in Ft. Peck or take a little extra when leaving Ft. Benton and push the extra miles to either Culbertson, Mt or Williston, ND. (It is not recommend to stop/shop/or hang out along the Sioux Reservation in the towns of Wolf Point, Poplar, and Brockton)
River Angel, Peggy Hellensaas, owner of Tobacco Gardens on Lake Sakakawea has helped paddlers by using her business as a food drop for shipping items. Once you leave Culbertson or Williston, you should have another two weeks of food to get you to Washburn or Bismarck, ND.

Below is a recommended list of U.S.Post Offices close to the river where food and other items can be shipped. When shipping a box to yourself, there are a few things to consider. The post offices ONLY holds packages for 30-days which are then sent back. Plan your shipments accordingly. You may want to drop a brief email to the postmaster telling him about your package and your journey. When shipping to yourself, all you need is your name, the words "general delivery", the town and zip code. (In the bottom left corner some paddlers have added their expedition name as a reminder that you are a river traveler and not the average person passing through town. A few other things to consider is that post offices are closed on holidays, most weekends, and by 5p.m. So don't get caught needing food and arriving at 5:10pm on Friday when they are closed and realizing it's a 3 day holiday weekend and you have to wait until 9am the following Tuesday!

Each link contains office hours, a map location in relation to the river, phone numbers and the nearest alternative post office.
Three Forks, Mt: Post Office: Click Here
Cascade, Mt: Post Office: Click Here:
Ulm, Mt: Post Office: Click Here:
Great Falls, Mt: Post Office: Click Here:
Ft. Benton Post Office: Click Here
Ft. Peck, Mt: Post Office: Click Here:
Culbertson, Mt: Post Office:
Williston, ND: Post Office:
New Town, ND: Post Office:
Riverdale. Garrison Dam, ND: Post Office:
Washburn, ND: Post Office-Recommended
Bismarck, ND: Post Office- One of several options:
Mobridge, SD: Post Office:
Pierre, SD: Post Office:
Ft. Pierre, SD: Post Office:
Chamberlain, SD: Post Office:
Pickstown, SD-Ft. Randall Dam: Post Office:
Yankton, SD-Post Office: NOT RECOMMENDED--A long ways from the river.
Sioux City, Iowa- Main Post Office:
Decatur, Nebraska: Post Office:

RiverGator: Those who are planning on continuing to the Gulf of Mexico, should connect with all the resources created by John Ruskey of the lower Mississippi River. John has mapped all of the river from St. Louis to the Gulf of Mexico. John is a well known legend on the Mississippi River. John has probably helped out more through-paddlers than another other person. Click the logo above to reach this detailed paddling resource.

paddling resources