June 1 - 2, 2019
Missouri Headwaters to Toston Dam
with Thomas J. Elpel and friends
Join Tom Elpel and friends for the first two days of our six-month Missouri River Corps of Rediscovery Expedition.
Weather permitting, we will launch the expedition from Missouri Headwaters Fishing Access Site near Three Forks, Montana on Saturday June 1, 2019.
We will paddle down river to camp at Fairweather Fishing Access Site at Clarkston Saturday night, then continue downstream and across the reservoir to end at Toston Dam on Sunday afternoon.
You are welcome to join us for either day or come for both days and camp overnight.
Those of us who are continuing for St. Louis will portage around the dam and camp to get a fresh start the following day.
If our launch date is rainy or snowy, we will simply delay the launch for a day or two to take advantage of the first nice day.
Please come equipped for camping, cooking, and canoeing. You will need to bring your own canoe or kayak, since we won't have any convenient means to loan out canoes this time.
This canoe trip is not a formal class, but rather a fun adventure that is open to friends and family, members of the Jefferson River Canoe Trail, all Green University students, members of the Bozeman Kayaking and Canoeing Meetup Group and anyone else with basic camping skills who would like to come along.
In lieu of a fee for the float trip, we would be grateful for generous donations to the Jefferson River Canoe Trail to support our work to secure additional public campsites along the Jefferson River segment of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.
Jefferson River Note Cards
Thanks to Warren and Carol Lee Swager and artist Susan Jarman for creating note cards from Susan's artwork on the interpretive signs at Shoshone Landing and Lost Tomahawk. The suggested donation is $25 for a package of 8 note cards.
A Tradition of Open Space and Open Access
Here in Montana we value our tradition of open spaces and open access. People who have lived here all their lives are accustomed to hunting, hiking, and fishing for miles and miles along the rivers and through the woods, across public and private lands alike.
But the culture in Montana is changing as many new people move to the area, bringing different ideas of private ownership. "No Trespassing" signs sprout up on lands that have been shared for generations. New fences are being erected, not to keep livestock in, but to keep people out. Some landowners have fenced right up to the river bridges, blocking legal public access along the road easements.
In many ways it is simply a cultural misunderstanding, as many new arrivals are simply unfamiliar with Montana's tradition of open space and open access. The Jefferson River Canoe Trail Association is seeking long-term solutions to sustain Montana's outdoor traditions, especially through the purchase of conservation and recreation easements along the Jefferson River.
We welcome you to join us in our efforts to make a real difference in this part of the world. If you have ideas or enthusiasm to make this vision a reality, please join our group today. We hold our meetings almost exclusively via e-mail. You can participate in our e-mail discussions at your own convenience from your own home or office. There is no membership fee and no obligations. Just click here to subscribe to the list. You will also be invited to participate in our annual meeting and float trips, as we get together once each year for a more personal dialogue and loads of fun.
Read A Vision for the Future by Thomas J. Elpel
Installing an interpetive sign at Shoshone Landing, April 23rd, 2016.
Thank you so incredibly much for all of your information that made our trip down the Jefferson possible. My husband and I floated/paddled from Waterloo to the bridge just before Three Forks. We spent two overnights. It was an amazing and memorable trip. I saw two moose, three grey owls, more bald eagles than I could count, white pelicans, cormorants, golden eagles, heron rookeries, and a coyote. I have been telling everyone about it. We did the trip in two lake kayaks. 