Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument campgrounds, facilities ready for summer visitors

FORT BENTON, Mont. – Summertime outdoor recreation adventures await at the Bureau of Land Management’s Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, officials with the BLM’s North Central Montana District announced, today.

The monument spans 149 miles of the Upper Missouri River, the adjacent Breaks country, and portions of Arrow Creek, Antelope Creek, and the Judith River. From Fort Benton to the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, the monument includes about 377,000 acres of BLM-administered public land and contains a spectacular array of biological, geological, and historical objects of interest.

Summer weather brings the monument’s busy season, attracting visitors to its unique, scenic landscapes and wide variety of land and water recreation opportunities. Some the monument’s most popular locations and facilities are already open to the public, and other sites soon will be: 

Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center. Summer hours start June 1, and the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center will be open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, including holidays. Admission is free for all ages.

Campgrounds. The James Kipp, Coal Banks, and Judith Landing campgrounds are open for the season. All three campgrounds are first-come, first-served. Judith Landing will remain open through Oct. 15, while Coal Banks Landing and James Kipp will be open through Nov. 30. All campsites cost $20 per night, and river fees are $5 per person per day. Visitors can pay for both using the fee envelopes located in the campgrounds or pay their river fees at Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center in Fort Benton.

Bullwhacker/Left Coulee. Motorized/mechanized access to the monument’s Bullwhacker region will open to the public June 15 through Dec. 1. The public can only access this area through the Left Coulee Access Route. Please, call the Interpretive Center for the most up-to-date weather and road conditions for this remote area.

Boating Restrictions. Motorized boating restrictions along certain “wild and scenic” segments of the river in the monument are in effect June 15 through Sept. 15. In these segments, upstream travel by motorized watercraft is limited to only administrative, emergency, or law enforcement watercraft.

Planning a Trip? Call the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center and we can provide help with planning your visit at 406-622-4000. Be sure to review our trip planning information, and be ready to have some fun in the monument! 

Providing recreational opportunities is central to the BLM’s mission to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Lands within the monument are managed not only for outdoor recreation enthusiasts and other multiple uses within the BLM’s mission, but also to preserve landscapes associated with Lewis and Clarks' journey across the United States, the Nez Perce Trail, wilderness study areas, and wild and scenic rivers.

-BLM-