This trip is a variation of our longer four day guided trip. It starts at Coal Banks Landing and takes out at Judith Landing, covering 48 miles on the Missouri River. You camp at two Lewis and Clark campsites, pass through the white cliffs area, and hike to several points of interest along the way. The guided version of this trip includes all food, camping gear, canoes, river guides, and river access transportation. (See more details below)

Pricing: 
$400/person/day, guided.
$275/person/day, unguided outfitted. Less than 3 persons...or,
$200/person/day, unguided outfitted. 4 persons or more (includes the same gear, food and river access shuttle transportation as the guided version).
$45/canoe/day, self-guided.

Submit your request to join a trip by clicking here...

Details:
From our headquarters at Virgelle, Montana, you travel to Coal Banks Landing and embark on your river expedition. Around noon, you stop to have a riverside lunch near the confluence of Little Sandy Creek, some 10 miles downstream. While at Little Sandy, you may hike to the site of an ancient Native American encampment to view rock circles where tipis once stood. You paddle another 6 - 7 miles into the White Cliffs near Eagle Creek (Lewis and Clark's Stonewall Creek) where you set up camp for the night. (There are 2 contingent campsites at 5 miles, and at 12 miles, downstream from Coal Banks Landing.)

While at Eagle Creek, you may enjoy hiking to another Native American site including a petroglyph. Another hike includes an excursion into a slot canyon, formed by snowmelt, and rain water's erosion into the white sandstone. (The amount of hiking is contingent upon time limitation and physical ability of each guest.)

On the following morning, you load your canoes and paddle further into the White Cliffs. Just 1 mile downstream you pass the subject of one of Karl Bodmer's paintings, known as the Grand Natural Wall. This is an impressive exposure of igneous intrusion that seems to be the ancient remnants of a manmade dam. In a short distance, you pass the ruins of an abandoned homestead, and an earlier house made of blocks, cut from the sandstone of the White Cliffs.

Then you may sit back and enjoy the scenery as you pass Eagle Rock and approach Kipps Rapids 2 miles farther. These rapids are maneuvered with basic skills as you approach Haystack Butte. In 2 more miles you pass Citadel Rock (Cathedral Rock, as Karl Bodmer named it).

Just downstream from Citadel Rock, you can stop at the Hole-In-The-Wall area for a hike to the top of the sandstone formation from which the name comes. This is a rigorous 2-mile round trip hike. You will encounter 2 areas along the hike, which require some short climbing. With a little help from others, these areas usually aren't significant obstacles.

From Hole-in-the-Wall you again turn your canoes downstream to have lunch as you float toward Steamboat Rock. The next 7 miles reveal the scenes of visionary echantment, described so eloquently in the journals of Lewis and Clark. Hundreds of sandstone figures line the rim of the river valley, evoking the imagination of all who pass their way. Twelve miles past Hole-In-The-Wall you approach a campsite used by the Corp of Discovery on both their inbound and outbound journeys. This spot makes a good campsite still today.

On the last morning you pack your canoes and paddle through Dead-Man's rapid. This class one rapid is also easily maneuvered with attention paid to keeping the canoe pointing downstream.

Beyond Dead Man’s Rapid, you enter the Judith Landing Historic District. This area has been used for profit since prehistoric times. The native Americans used this site for buffalo hunting and camping. Earlier European settlers built trading posts and forts, to accommodate trade during the glorious era of steamboat navigation between St. Louis and Fort Benton, MT. Today, there are extensive farm and ranch operations in the area, utilizing water from the Missouri for irrigation.

At Judith Landing you are greeted by our shuttle driver, who brings you back to Virgelle.

(Trips begin at the Virgelle Mercantile at 9 A.M. on the scheduled departure day. Trips end around 5 P.M. on the third day of the trip.)

Pricing: 
$400/person/day, guided.
$275/person/day, unguided outfitted. Less than 3 persons...or,
$200/person/day, unguided outfitted. 4 persons or more (includes the same gear, food and river access shuttle transportation as the guided version).
$45/canoe/day, self-guided.

Guided Trip Reservations Deposit
50% Nonrefundable deposit required to reserve space on a trip.
Balance due 30 days prior to scheduled departure date.
(If we must cancel a trip, we will refund all monies you have paid.)

(NOTE: The guided version of this trip is similar to our 4-day river trip , less 2 nights B&B accommodations,
airport shuttle, and one night/day on the river. Otherwise, it is the same…)

Submit your request to join a guided trip here:

As of today, we are looking for other guests to join the following group(s) on a shared guided adventure:

August 24, 25, 26, 2010: We have a husband and wife signed up for this fully guided trip. They are interested in photography, and would appreciate having others join them on this trip.

Let us add your dates here: