Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument is a federally designated landscape in north-central Montana protecting a stretch of rugged badlands and river corridor along the Missouri River. It was proclaimed a national monument in 2001 to conserve the area’s natural, cultural, and historic resources.

The monument contains extensive badlands, cliffs, and riparian habitat along the river corridor; it is used for hiking, wildlife viewing, hunting and float trips on the Missouri. The corridor preserves archaeological sites, Native American cultural sites, and places associated with 19th-century steamboat traffic and exploration.

The area was long used by Plains tribes and later by Euro-American explorers and river travelers; the Lewis and Clark expedition traversed the Missouri River through this general region in the early 19th century. The national monument designation followed centuries of use and changing federal management focused on resource protection.

The monument lies along the Missouri River in north-central Montana, occupying a remote mix of badlands, prairie, and river valley. The nearest small communities and river access points are found along the Missouri within Montana.

• Establishment: Designated as a national monument by presidential proclamation in 2001.