For the first time that I can recall, I found myself jealous of waterfowl.

And as vigilant as one must be in dodging rocks, they’re much easier to evade than raindrops.

Or hail, for that matter.

It had been nearly 20 years since I’d floated the Smith River, one of the premier locations for outdoor excursions in the state of Montana.

Despite its close proximity to Great Falls and the privilege of less stringent access, I hadn’t made the effort as an adult to enjoy the scenic journey practically in my backyard.

The trek was not easy, and by day’s end I was overcome with a lethargy almost two decades in the making.

However, as I’ve been reminded, a day’s effort was a small price to pay for enduring memories.

What and where is Montana’s Smith River?

The Smith River is a tributary of the Missouri River that spans 121 miles starting near White Sulphur Springs in Meagher County.

It flows between several mountain ranges to the mouth, where it dumps into the Missouri near Ulm, about 10 miles south of Great Falls.

The river was named after Robert Smith, the Secretary of the Navy under President Thomas Jefferson, by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Meriwether Lewis dubbed it in an 1805 journal recording, “Smith’s River,” according to Montana State Library archives.

Located in historic Blackfeet territory, the area was eventually occupied by white settlers through various treaties between the tribe and the U.S. government.

The Act of Congress of 1874 moved the southern border of the Blackfeet territory 200 miles north, formally making settlement legal under U.S. law, according to educational materials from the Office of Public Instruction, although no compensation to the Blackfeet was given for the territory ceded.

Today, the Smith River Corridor — the 59-mile stretch of the river open to permitted floating in Smith River State Park — is managed by the Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service.

Permitted floaters launch at Camp Baker, and the full journey to the Eden Bridge takes a minimum of three full days and two nights at approved camp sites, according to FWP.

A place for family

My dad, Mark Higgins, and his brothers frequented the Smith River area in their youth through a connection of their father, Alan “Lefty” Higgins.

My dad was able to purchase a cabin in the Castle Bar section of the Smith in the mid-1980s. It has now evolved into a family cabin, owned and curated by members of the extended family.

Some of my fondest memories come from times at the Smith, as family from California, Oregon and Washington all congregate at our place at various times each summer.

The Higgins cabin is one of the many things in my life that I am privileged to be a part of, and one that I strive to never take for granted.

 The float begins at Camp Baker

The commute to Camp Baker is aesthetically identical to the one from Great Falls to the family cabin, moving along stretches of gravel backroads meandering through rolling hills and grasslands. The trip is scenic in its own way yet doesn’t give much of a hint of the views to come.

Unlike the usual gathering of cows from adjoining cattle ranches stopping to graze along the road, on this morning we were temporarily stopped by a small herd of elk making its way across — a sight I have only seen a handful of times in 30-some years.

The last time I floated the Smith was around the Fourth of July in 2007. My most vivid memory from the trip, aside from the scenery, was being inadvertently hit in the head by an oar and breaking the pair of knockoff Oakley sunglasses I’d bought on the street in New York on vacation.

As we set out from Camp Baker in our four-person raft and accompanying kayaker, I was reminded early and often how less-than-leisurely the float is, particularly in the conditions of the day.

On float day, the Smith was flowing at just over 160 cubic feet per second, according to the rangers at Camp Baker, which is a little over half of the “normal” flow of 300 cfs designated by FWP.

It seemed as soon as you’d evade one rock or shoot the gap between a pair, there was another right in your path.

I quickly became jealous of the ducks and geese we encountered frequently throughout, who navigated the river unconcerned with ducklings and goslings in tow, and whose instincts always seemed to point to the perfect “V” in the water’s flow.

Most rock encounters ended harmlessly with scrapes along the bottom of the raft or, at most, would stop us dead in our tracks. However, one passenger did take an involuntary dip as we collided sideways with a large rock, thankfully ending only in wet clothes and a soaked raincoat.

So went about the first half of our 21-mile, one-day float, as we attempted to dodge rocks through several bursts of heavy rain and another of hail.

Thankfully, as Mother Nature can humble you in one moment, it can also be quite generous.

If these walls could talk

Even if you were unencumbered by the task of navigating the river, it’d be impossible to take in the full picture of the Smith River Corridor, situated between the Big Belt Mountains to the west and Little Belt and Castle ranges to the east.

You see hillsides often greater than a 45-degree angle densely filled with tall skinny trees, with rock formations dug into and jutting out from the earth.

The cliff walls can reach over 100 feet high in places, each with its own distinct shape and pattern after millennia of erosion.

The cliff formations are almost as perfect as they are imperfect, as ornate as they are abstract, sometimes forming shelves, steps or ledges. Some of the bigger cliffs are commonly equated to cathedrals, almost as if chiseled in intricate and deliberate detail.

Each formation tells its own story, as if structures from an ancient civilization had been overcome by nature.

Past the Tenderfoot Creek — nearing the end of our day’s float — approaching the Castle Bar area is maybe the most beautiful stretch. The story goes that the area was named for the castle-like cliffs, with smaller rock formations on top resembling guards keeping a lookout from on high.

It’s easy to get caught up in your surroundings, falling into a dream state as you imagine the stories this landscape could tell.

The end of the journey

The flow of the river picked up significantly past the Tenderfoot, covering up most of the pesky rocks like those that had stymied the group early on.

The last five or six miles of the trip were far more serene as we took in the sights unencumbered and began to recognize the landmarks signaling our approach to Castle Bar.

There was a strong sense of accomplishment as the raft made its final landing on the shore of our destination, with the sun beginning to creep below the cliff line after a nearly 11-hour day on the water.

One participant declared this was their last float down the Smith, which seemed a reasonable decision as we wearily organized our gear on the riverbank.

After some rest, I hope that it wasn’t my last long float down the river that has come to mean so much to me and my family.

Maybe I’ll give it a go in another 20 years.  

***

How can I float the Smith River?

Due to its popularity, the Smith is the only river in Montana to run on a permit system. Permits are granted through a lottery, and roughly 10% of those who enter receive permits — and only 10 % of those granted can go to out-of-state residents.

Applications for the lottery open on Jan. 1 and can be submitted to FWP until mid-February each year, with the lottery drawing occurring shortly after. Those who draw a permit are assigned a float day in the typical floating season from mid-April to mid-July, aside from one Super Permit winner, who is allowed to pick a day of their choosing.

Groups can consist of up to 15 people, and 9-10 groups per day set out from Camp Baker. The cost per floater is $25 for Montana residents 13 and older, $15 for children ages 6-12 and $60 for non-resident floaters over 13.

Groups are limited to four nights on the Smith and must camp at assigned campgrounds.

Those who don’t enter the lottery can also hire a private outfitter to float the river. There are seven outfitters who are approved by Montana State Parks and U.S. Forest Service to provide services on the Smith River.

For more information and FAQs on the float, visit fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/smith-river.

ANACONDA, Mont. — A wake boat headed for Georgetown Lake was stopped at the Anaconda boat check station earlier this week after inspectors found it was carrying hundreds of invasive zebra mussels, preventing the species from potentially being introduced into Montana waters.

Inspectors found some of the mussels attached directly to the boat, while others were attached to pieces of Eurasian watermilfoil on the trailer. Eurasian watermilfoil is also an invasive species.

The boat was coming from Minnesota and had ballast tanks, which never completely drain. That can make them a good environment for transporting mussels.

The following was sent out by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks:

The exceptional skills of inspectors at the Anaconda boat check station stopped an invasive mussel fouled wake boat from Minnesota earlier this week from potentially introducing zebra mussels into Montana waters.

The boat, which was on its way to Georgetown Lake, was transporting hundreds of zebra mussels, some attached to the boat and some attached to pieces of Eurasian watermilfoil, another invasive species, on the trailer. The boat also had ballast tanks, which never completely drain, making them a good environment for transporting mussels.

Because the boat had only been out of the water for four days, inspectors suspected that the mussels were still viable. Mussels can survive up to 30 days out of the water.

“Boats like this can ruin Montana’s waters forever,” said Tom Woolf, FWP’s aquatic invasive species (AIS) bureau chief. “This is the boat that would introduce mussels.”

The boater was unaware that he was transporting mussels. After the inspectors decontaminated the boat, it was locked to the trailer and FWP wardens responded to ensure it would not launch.

As a reminder, all watercraft entering Montana are required to be inspected for aquatic invasive species. You must obtain an inspection before launching on Montana waters. Stop at all open inspections stations you encounter. Find inspections stations here

Boats with a ballast or bladder, such as wakeboard or wake-surfing boats, that intend to launch on Montana waters must be decontaminated before launching.

While planning your trip to Montana, if you find you will not encounter a watercraft inspection station on your way to your destination, Idaho, Wyoming, and Alberta inspection stations fulfill the before-launch requirements of Montana.

Stop at ALL open inspection stations you encounter in Montana where your watercraft may be re-inspected.

Thunderstorms continue for Northern Rockies, especially southwest Montana, with heavy rain, lightning, and gusty winds. Highs mid-70s today, warming to 80s this weekend. Next week turns warmer and drier with highs reaching upper 80s to low 90s.