The Adventures of Tioga and George

5AM - Heading for Fort Benton.
We pulled out from our Nite Camp early, heading east toward Fort Benton. The idea is to follow Lewis and Clark's route along the Missouri River before we turn toward Glacier Park. We have never been to the Fort Benton area, and would like to take a peek. We have made a Morning Camp east of Fort Benton and will stay here a couple hours.

12 Noon - Fort Benton.
We love this town because displayed all over are plaques and signs which tells the history of this place. The Missouri River flows past Fort Benton, which means that Lewis and Clark went by here on their way west in 1805.

Memorial to Captains Lewis and Clark and their guide Sacagawea.

While we do our exploring of Fort Benton, MsTioga is camped along the Missouri River looking for Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to paddle by.

MsTioga in Fort Benton, Montana.

3PM - The tour.
George and Little Mavicito walked thru the river front streets of Fort Benton. The old fort is gone, only broken walls remain. A replica stands in its place.

The old fort.

Front Street today.

The Missouri River was the highway of the 1800s into the northwest United States. Keel boats were replaced by steamboats. Fort Benton was a shipping point for much of the cargo sent to the territories. Freight companies such as Wells-Fargo carried shipments to their final destinations.

In the pics below is the dock of Fort Benton in 1868 and the same view today.

Fort Benton dock, then and now.

Missouri Breaks and Capitol Reef.
We are intrigued by names given to some of natures wonders. Here in the Missouri River area, the name Missouri Breaks comes up a lot. When we were in Capitol Reef National Park in Utah, the name reef came up often. But what are the breaks and what is a reef?

The pioneers made up names for things. The Missouri Breaks is a series of badland areas characterized by rock outcroppings, steep bluffs and grassy plains. The locals call them simply The Breaks. Similarly, the early pioneers found the 100 mile ridge called the Water pocket Fold in Utah almost impassable. These pioneers called such barriers reefs.

5PM - Missouri Breaks National Monument.
We traveled east out of Fort Benton, staying close to the river and found a dirt road that led us to our Nite Camp. We are inside the Missouri Breaks National Monument!