Montana Northeast Travel Region
Missouri River Country

The topography of Northeastern Montana has been compared the badlands of the Dakotas: semi-dry, sparse landscape that seems to stretch forever. But it is this arid, undeveloped countryside that holds some of Montana's richest historical gems.

Paleontological finds dating back millions of years have been located in Montana's badlands. The 1902 discovery of the remains of a Tyrannosaurs Rex put Northeastern Montana on the paleontological map and was followed by the discovery of an even larger Tyrannosaurus Rex in 1990. Local museums, such as the Fort Peck Powerhouse Museum are great places to study Northeastern Montana's oldest inhabitants.

The region is also famous for the Missouri River, a major transportation source for the 19th century Corps of Discovery. Lewis and Clark traversed the region in dugout canoes in 1804, years before fur trappers, ranchers and other pioneers made their homes in this area. The Corps' exploration of the West opened this area up to settlement, bringing with it fur trading companies and other commercial ventures. It also seeded the way for other opportunists, such as the outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, who frequented the Montana badlands. The Outlaw Trail, which was used by gunslingers and robbers from Canada to Mexico, intersected Montana's most eastern, undeveloped regions.

Today Northeastern Montana is populated by numerous small towns, many of which can trace their origins to the region's earliest settlers. Towns such as Glasgow, an early railroad town, Wolf Point, an old fur trading post and Scobey, a turn-of-the-century wayside stop just south of the Canadian border, offer a glimpse into Montana's early beginnings.

A major birdwatching destination, the region includes ecological preserves such as the CM National Wildlife Reserve on Fort Peck Lake, one of several wildlife preservation areas in Montana's northeastern region.

Related Web Sites

Montana's Missouri River Country
This site was created in co-operation with the State of Montana. Has information on Lewis & Clark, hunting, fishing and dinosaurs.

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