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Bureau of Land Management
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Volunteers Promote Recreation on the
"Mighty Mo"
Imagine yourself in a canoe leisurely floating the identical river route taken by Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition in 1806, and viewing the same scenic beauty of the unique geological formations described in their journals.
Are you interested in the American West‹ exploration, fur trade, steamboat travel, and early settlement? Do you enjoy solitude and primitive settings? Do you like working with people?
These are the questions that draw BLM volunteers to the Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Every summer season, Montana BLM recruits enthusiastic people from across the nation who volunteer to greet visitors to Montana's "Big Sky" Country.
The Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River is a prominent feature in north-central Montana. This designated portion of the "Mighty Mo" begins at Fort Benton, the "Birth Place of Montana," and carves 149 river miles through the surrounding prairies. The resulting landscape, known as the "Missouri Breaks," has changed little since Lewis and Clark first saw it in the 1800's.
The valley of the Upper Missouri is a living museum of natural history, abounding in wildlife and text book examples of late Cretaceous period geology. This also is Charlie Russell country, as the famed western artist selected many of these local scenes for his paintings. The river is wide and the country is rugged, unique, fascinating, and beautiful.
Volunteers staff the Fort Benton Visitor's Center from early spring through the fall. Friendly people like Bill Lavery from Alabama greet visitors with a smile and a hearty handshake, ready to register floaters for a trip on the scenic Mighty Mo with safety tips and warnings about hazards. Also included are recommendations about hiking and camping sites as well as Leave No Trace principles. In addition, these volunteers maintain the Center inside and out, including fix-it chores and yard and flower "TLC."
The river crews consist of a variety of volunteers. Some are students who find the summer work personally rewarding while fulfilling their educational goals toward a career in the recreational field.
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Some volunteers come because they just "plain enjoy" the solitude of the river and the beauty of the area. Since 1993, Larry Haight and his dog, Fox, have traveled from his home in Nebraska to serve as campground host at the river's Judith Landing. |
Haight's compassion to meet the needs of the river visitor is evident as he provides both safety advice and historical information to ensure fond memories for the visitor. Other duties include maintenance of the primitive campsite facilities.
The volunteers receive extensive training on water safety and they in turn instruct floaters on river safety before launching any water craft.
Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, along with Larry Hamilton, BLM Montana/Dakota's State Director, are shown on a recent float of the river in May. On that trip, the Secretary honed up his fence building skills by assisting volunteers in rebuilding campsite shelters.
The River Program could not operate without the time, dedication, and talents of our many volunteers. They are our front line contact with the public and provide outstanding customer service as attested to by the many letters of appreciation received in the BLM office. The BLM is deeply grateful for these wonderful people! The photos here highlight only a very few of our many volunteers
Last Updated: February 1, 2001
For questions about our programs contact Elizabeth Rieben
This site is maintained by Kevin Flynn
Bureau of Land Management
Environmental Education and Volunteer Programs
