Part I:  The Lower River or the "Breaks": Judith Landing to James Kipp Recreation

"In addition to relishing the sought-after solitude amid the picturesque high prairie scenery, many visitors traverse the Missouri Breaks specifically to retrace the footsteps and paddle through the same spots as the renowned members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition did during their passage through the region in the late spring of 1805 and again on their return in the summer of 1806."

The following briefly outlines the "Lewis and Clark Expedition" or the "Corps of Discovery", as it spent time in what is now the Missouri Breaks. However, this summary cannot replace the authentic experience. Travelers are encouraged to carry copies of Lewis and Clark’s renowned journals. They are available in definitive editions from the University of Nebraska Press in both hardcover and paperback. Alternatively, they can download relevant sections for free from the Press's website.

Despite spending a relatively brief time passing through—just over three weeks in total during their two separate traveling seasons—the expedition made several notable discoveries and faced serious incidents in the Missouri Breaks. Their journal entries, though sometimes creatively spelled, offer the first in-depth glimpse into the beauties, ecological wonders, varied geology, complicated weather patterns, and myriad obstacles and challenges presented by the river, making them undeniably a national treasure.

After traveling up the Missouri in the summer of 1804, the Corps wintered with the Mandan and Hidatsa tribes in north-central North Dakota. The Expedition resumed its journey to the Pacific Ocean in early April of 1805, comprising twenty-nine enlisted men, hired interpreters, the two captains, and Sacagawea with her infant, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau—thirty-three souls in total. They traveled in six cottonwood dugout canoes and two small flat-bottomed plank boats, known as pirogues by the French boatmen. Although native peoples had inhabited the Breaks for at least 6,000 years, the Lewis and Clark expedition became the first known Americans to venture into what is now Montana. There they encountered the astonishing scenery of the Missouri Breaks.

Lewis and Clark on the Missouri: May 24th, 1805 (Mile marker 145.5 Left)

In 1805, while journeying westward, the party covered an average of seventeen miles daily, navigating the challenges of the spring runoff. They traversed the future site of James Kipp State Park, marking the easternmost boundary of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Today, it serves as a takeout spot for many floaters. On May 24, 1805, the party camped about four miles upstream of this location. To commemorate the bicentennial in 2005, using William Clark’s maps and descriptions, the Bureau of Land Management placed brass markers at various campsite locations within the Monument. It is easy to find some sites. While others, like the initial campsite from May 24, 1805, have proven more challenging. That is due to changes in the river course and landscape over the past two centuries.

Lewis and Clark on the Missouri: May 25th, 1805 (Mile marker 133.1 Right)

Continuing through the stretch known today as 'the lower river,' framed by steep, nearly impenetrable bluffs of clay, shale, small coal deposits, and bentonite, the party described the flora and fauna encountered. On May 25, the party killed several bighorn sheep, which Lewis extensively detailed in that day’s entry. Today, bighorn sheep are iconic inhabitants of this rugged Breaks region, often visible navigating steep bluffs.

The party camped that evening just upstream of a large island they named 'Goodrich’s Island.' They named the island after Private Silas Goodrich, known for his knack for catching fish. Ascending a nearby bluff, Clark observed the Little Rockies to the north and the Judith Mountains to the south. In the far western distance, he spotted snow-covered peaks, likely the Highwood Mountains. His party, until passing them later in June, would mistakenly believe that these features were connected to the main chain of the Rocky Mountains, revealing geology previously unseen by Americans.

Lewis and Clark on the Missouri: May 26th, 1805 (Mile marker 114.2 Right)

On May 26, the Corps set out in the early morning, floating past the present-day Lower Woodhawk campground. Within a few hours, they reached a substantial creek flowing in on the right side, named "Windsor’s Creek" after Private Richard Windsor. Today, it is known as Cow Creek, a drainage utilized by native peoples for over 6,000 years. In 1877, during their doomed flight towards Canada, the Nez Perce people followed this route. At this point, Clark separated from the main party to scale the rugged bluffs above Cow Creek, aiming for a better view of the mountains he had spotted the previous day.

Later in the day, Clark's efforts bore fruit atop one of the highest bluffs near the present-day Gist Bottoms campground. He observed what he believed were the Rocky Mountains, although the most distant peaks were undoubtedly the Highwoods, just south of Great Falls. Clark provided descriptions of the Judith Mountains, the Big Snowies on the south side of the river, and the Little Rockies and Bear’s Paw on the north side. He descended the Bullwacker Creek drainage (named "Soft Shell Turtle Creek" by the captains) and rejoined the main group.

The river bottoms were mostly devoid of timber, and after navigating several rapids or "riffles," as they called them, the party camped on the south bank near a rapid they named "Elk Faun Rapid." This name originated from witnessing an elk and her calf swimming across the river through the rapids. Today, the cottonwoods have disappeared, and the rapid has been renamed "Bird Rapids." Lewis managed to kill a "fat buffalo," delighting the party. On his return to camp in the evening, he narrowly avoided stepping on a rattlesnake. Upon its discovery, he killed with his espontoon (a type of speared pike the officers carried) before it could strike. The Corps of Discovery was now deep in the heart of the Missouri Breaks.

Lewis and Clark Journey on the Missouri: May 27th, 1805 (Mile marker 103.4 Right)

May 27, 1805, was warmer than usual, but a hard southwest wind considerably slowed the Expedition's pace.

They encountered numerous rapids, prompting the need to double-man the canoes. They used increasingly deteriorating "toe" ropes for stability while walking on shore. Crafted from elk or buckskin, these ropes weakened with exposure to the elements. The crew remained unimpressed with the scenery, as Lewis observed, "the country is more broken and barren than yesterday. Sergeant Gass Observed, "We have now got into a country which presents little to our view but scenes of barrenness and desolation." Sgt. Ordway expressed a similar sentiment the previous day, describing the region as "the Deserts of North America." They camped on the left bank near two dead cottonwood trees. This area is known today as McGarry Bar, covering only thirteen miles that windy day.

Lewis and Clark on the Missouri: May 28th, 1805 (Mile marker 88.7 Left)

On May 28, the day broke dark and cloudy. The party navigated Dauphin Rapids, a wide, shallow section of the river with numerous boulders and gravels, with immense difficulty and peril. This section would later pose challenges for steamboat traffic, especially in low-water years. By the late 1860s, steamboat traffic peaked. Just below Dauphin Rapids became a crucial point where steamboats offloaded cargo. Oxen-powered freight wagons then transported the goods to Fort Benton over roughened roads. Throughout the day, the party passed small islands, later known as the Iron City islands, Holmes Council Island, and Council Island near present-day Judith Landing.

Near Judith Landthing they found a lodge or travois pole and a buckskin "football," Upon discovery they realized that Native people were nearby. Although they passed older Native campsites, they encountered no Native peoples directly during their time in the Breaks. Near present-day Judith Landing, the Corps camped on the right side, opposite a creek they named "Bull Creek," presently known as is Dog Creek today. During the night, the Corps encountered an unusual event. A buffalo bull swam across from the opposite shore, coming dangerously close to the sleeping men before changing course. Lewis's dog, Seaman, played a role in diverting the buffalo's course.

The following days spent in late May and early June 1805 in this section are covered in Part II". "Soon to be poster."