Click the 
(city) on the map for a detaliled daily itinerary.
Day One
From Rapid City, South Dakota, travel Hwy 79 S to the Pine Ridge Reservation,
where, in 1890, the Wounded Knee Massacre took place. Pine Ridge was used
as the major location for the movie "Thunderheart," which was
loosely patterned after the Wounded Knee uprisings in the early 1870s. Points
of interest on the reservation include the Red Cloud Indian School and Museum,
where visitors can view an art show featuring Native American arts and crafts;
the Wounded Knee Massacre site; the Oglala Lakota College in Kyle; the Porcupine
Trading Post in Porcupine; and a stop in Pine Ridge.
Overnight in Custer State Park.
Day Two
Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and his 7th Cavalry were beaten by Sitting
Bull's Sioux in 1876 on the Little Bighorn River in Montana Territory. The
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument offers tours and displays of
the battle; The Trading Post, adjacent to the historic site, offers authentic
Native American food, crafts, souvenirs and books. The Little Bighorn Battlefield
is located on the Crow Indian Reservation. A step-on guide can show and
explain the customs and culture of the Crow Tribe and tribal lands. Tour
the new Native American Culture Center, and arrange for a special dancing
and story-telling presentation.
Overnight in Billings.
Day Three
After an early morning viewing at the Pictograph Caves State Historic
Site located in the sandstone outcroppings of the Bitter Creek Valley, travel
south into Wyoming and the spectacular Wind River Canyon. Every geological
strata known to man is displayed in one 20-minute drive here. Continue to
Thermopolis, home of the world's largest mineral hot springs, which was
presented to the white man by the Indians with the provision that there
always be a bath house reserved for Native Americans on the premises of
the park. After lunch and an optional walking tour of Thermopolis, it's
on to Riverton and the Wind River Indian Reservation, home of Shoshone and
Northern Arapaho Indians. A native guide can show you the heart and soul
of the reservation, including St. Stephens Mission, St. Mary, Sacajawea
and Chief Washakie's graves, and the Wind River Trading Post. Meals can
include Native American foods.
Overnight in Riverton.
Day Four
After breakfast, parallel the ruts of the historic Oregon Trail ("First
Road West") across high plains ranch lands to Independence Rock, which
was considered the first major landmark for pioneers along the trail. See
the names carved by hundreds of westbound pioneers in this huge granite
boulder, and learn the history of the trail from a step-on guide. Enjoy
lunch at the Alcova Lake Marina, and an optional pontoon boat ride through
Fremont Canyon or evening tour of historic Fort Casper on the Oregon Trail.
Overnight in Casper.
Whitewater Adventures
Click the
(city) on the map for a detaliled daily itinerary.
- Kalispell/Whitefish
- Salmon, ID
- Boise, ID
- Idaho Falls, ID
- Jackson Hole, WY
- Jackson Hole, WY
- Virginia City
- Helena
Day One
Begin the adventure by experiencing spectacular Glacier National Park
in a unique and exciting way - whitewater! Float the Middle Fork, North
Fork or main Flathead rivers, all part of the Flathead Wild and Scenic River
System.
Overnight in Kalispell or Whitefish.
Day Two
Travel from Kalispell or Whitefish to Salmon, Idaho, the birthplace of
Sacajawea, and the location where Lewis and Clark crossed the Continental
Divide. The Salmon River remains one of the few undammed waterways in America.
Float the famous "River of No Return." Float right to your hotel
room.
Overnight in Salmon.
Day Three
Continue southwest to Boise. Enjoy a dinner float trip through the Snake
River Canyon and a visit to the World Center for the Birds of Prey with
a step-on guide to describe the natural history and help spot the birds.
Overnight in Boise.
Day Four
Spend the morning exploring the City of Trees and its many attractions.
After lunch, depart for Idaho Falls. Take a detour through the 1,000 Springs
Scenic Route, or explore the Oregon Trail as you travel alongside it.
Overnight in Idaho Falls.
Day Five
Visit the Idaho Falls of the Snake River before driving east to Jackson,
Wyoming. Jackson Hole's Snake River offers white-water below town.
Overnight in Jackson Hole.
Day Six
Spend the morning exploring the town of Jackson Hole, and later take
a scenic float on the Snake River at the base of the Tetons.
Overnight in Jackson Hole.
Day Seven
Continue the journey north through Yellowstone Park and up MT 287 to
Virginia City. Enjoy a whitewater raft trip on the Madison River through
Bear Trap Canyon. This 10-mile section runs through Bear Trap Canyon Wilderness,
a 6,000-acre wilderness managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Or, for
a tamer float, try the upper Madison River, south of Ennis Lake.
Overnight in Ennis.
Day Eight
Spend the morning reliving Montana history while exploring Virginia City
and its neighbor, Ennis. After lunch, depart for Helena, Montana's capital
city. Finish the tour with a relaxing barbecue dinner, and then a boat tour
through the Gates of the Mountains on the Missouri River.
Overnight in Helena.
Day Nine
Depart Helena for home.
ADDITIONAL OPTIONS: Stay in Kalispell or Whitefish for two nights, and
include either an all-day or overnight float trip, or spend a day on the
road in Glacier National Park. Or, stay two nights in Salmon, Idaho, and
take advantage of an overnight float there.
This site is a service of the Travel Montana, Department of Commerce.
Please send comments and suggestions to webmaster@visitmt.com.
All contents copyright 2006, Travel Montana. All rights reserved.
Please visit us again at http://montanagroups.com.
Click the
(city) on the map for a detaliled daily itinerary.
Day One
From Rapid City, South Dakota, travel Hwy 79 S to the Pine Ridge Reservation, where, in 1890, the Wounded Knee Massacre took place. Pine Ridge was used as the major location for the movie "Thunderheart," which was loosely patterned after the Wounded Knee uprisings in the early 1870s. Points of interest on the reservation include the Red Cloud Indian School and Museum, where visitors can view an art show featuring Native American arts and crafts; the Wounded Knee Massacre site; the Oglala Lakota College in Kyle; the Porcupine Trading Post in Porcupine; and a stop in Pine Ridge.
Overnight in Custer State Park.
Day Two
Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and his 7th Cavalry were beaten by Sitting Bull's Sioux in 1876 on the Little Bighorn River in Montana Territory. The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument offers tours and displays of the battle; The Trading Post, adjacent to the historic site, offers authentic Native American food, crafts, souvenirs and books. The Little Bighorn Battlefield is located on the Crow Indian Reservation. A step-on guide can show and explain the customs and culture of the Crow Tribe and tribal lands. Tour the new Native American Culture Center, and arrange for a special dancing and story-telling presentation.
Overnight in Billings.
Day Three
After an early morning viewing at the Pictograph Caves State Historic Site located in the sandstone outcroppings of the Bitter Creek Valley, travel south into Wyoming and the spectacular Wind River Canyon. Every geological strata known to man is displayed in one 20-minute drive here. Continue to Thermopolis, home of the world's largest mineral hot springs, which was presented to the white man by the Indians with the provision that there always be a bath house reserved for Native Americans on the premises of the park. After lunch and an optional walking tour of Thermopolis, it's on to Riverton and the Wind River Indian Reservation, home of Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Indians. A native guide can show you the heart and soul of the reservation, including St. Stephens Mission, St. Mary, Sacajawea and Chief Washakie's graves, and the Wind River Trading Post. Meals can include Native American foods.
Overnight in Riverton.
Day Four
After breakfast, parallel the ruts of the historic Oregon Trail ("First Road West") across high plains ranch lands to Independence Rock, which was considered the first major landmark for pioneers along the trail. See the names carved by hundreds of westbound pioneers in this huge granite boulder, and learn the history of the trail from a step-on guide. Enjoy lunch at the Alcova Lake Marina, and an optional pontoon boat ride through Fremont Canyon or evening tour of historic Fort Casper on the Oregon Trail.
Overnight in Casper.
Whitewater Adventures
Click the
(city) on the map for a detaliled daily itinerary.
- Kalispell/Whitefish
- Salmon, ID
- Boise, ID
- Idaho Falls, ID
- Jackson Hole, WY
- Jackson Hole, WY
- Virginia City
- Helena
Day One
Begin the adventure by experiencing spectacular Glacier National Park in a unique and exciting way - whitewater! Float the Middle Fork, North Fork or main Flathead rivers, all part of the Flathead Wild and Scenic River System.
Overnight in Kalispell or Whitefish.
Day Two
Travel from Kalispell or Whitefish to Salmon, Idaho, the birthplace of Sacajawea, and the location where Lewis and Clark crossed the Continental Divide. The Salmon River remains one of the few undammed waterways in America. Float the famous "River of No Return." Float right to your hotel room.
Overnight in Salmon.
Day Three
Continue southwest to Boise. Enjoy a dinner float trip through the Snake River Canyon and a visit to the World Center for the Birds of Prey with a step-on guide to describe the natural history and help spot the birds.
Overnight in Boise.
Day Four
Spend the morning exploring the City of Trees and its many attractions. After lunch, depart for Idaho Falls. Take a detour through the 1,000 Springs Scenic Route, or explore the Oregon Trail as you travel alongside it.
Overnight in Idaho Falls.
Day Five
Visit the Idaho Falls of the Snake River before driving east to Jackson, Wyoming. Jackson Hole's Snake River offers white-water below town.
Overnight in Jackson Hole.
Day Six
Spend the morning exploring the town of Jackson Hole, and later take a scenic float on the Snake River at the base of the Tetons.
Overnight in Jackson Hole.
Day Seven
Continue the journey north through Yellowstone Park and up MT 287 to Virginia City. Enjoy a whitewater raft trip on the Madison River through Bear Trap Canyon. This 10-mile section runs through Bear Trap Canyon Wilderness, a 6,000-acre wilderness managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Or, for a tamer float, try the upper Madison River, south of Ennis Lake.
Overnight in Ennis.
Day Eight
Spend the morning reliving Montana history while exploring Virginia City and its neighbor, Ennis. After lunch, depart for Helena, Montana's capital city. Finish the tour with a relaxing barbecue dinner, and then a boat tour through the Gates of the Mountains on the Missouri River.
Overnight in Helena.
Day Nine
Depart Helena for home.
ADDITIONAL OPTIONS: Stay in Kalispell or Whitefish for two nights, and include either an all-day or overnight float trip, or spend a day on the road in Glacier National Park. Or, stay two nights in Salmon, Idaho, and take advantage of an overnight float there.
Please send comments and suggestions to webmaster@visitmt.com.
All contents copyright 2006, Travel Montana. All rights reserved.
Please visit us again at http://montanagroups.com.
